How To fix Pajero/Shogun/Montero Stuck horn problem – Step by Step guide

One of the most annoying problems of the Pajero/Montero is the horn which tends to get stuck out of nowhere and wakes up your whole neighborhood.

There are 2 main solutions for that issue.

1. The easy solution.

2. The better one 🙂

I will describe both of them, but will focus on the second solution.

First, Let’s understand the reason of the problem.

The horn switch is actually 2 soft sheets of metal which are being “pressed” one against each other every time you push the horn on your steering wheel center. You can see that “switch” in the pictures later in the article.

The problems starts while these metal sheets stick one to each other and then it is like you push the horn.

PAY ATTENTION!

The horn metal sheets located right next to the air bag.

Dealing with it might be dangerous and you are doing it on your own responsibility.

The writer is not responsible to any damage or injury that might happen during that work or as a result of it.

Disconnect the battery negative and positive cables and wait for 60 seconds before continuing the work.

Now to the solutions:

In both of the solutions you have to use a Philips screwdriver to unscrew and remove the 3 bolts in the red circles, then, carefully, remove the plastic covers.

 

The easy one:  Add one more switch that cuts the electric circle and operate the horn when you press on it.

That was the solution which I had in my Pajero when I bought it. In the first picture you can see a small hole on the left side (not circled), that is where the previous owner put the switch.

In order to do it, you have to cut the green w/black stripe wire, extent it and connect the edges to a switch.

In the picture below you can see the edges of the wire and the relevant connector.

Connect the battery, verify that the new switch is working, put the plastics back and you are good to go.

 The second soltion:

Tools:

Philips screwdriver

Flat screwdriver

8mm socket and 8mm wrench

Flexible extension to the 8mm socket

Drill with a 4.5mm auger

Materials:

4.8mm rivets

Rubber stripe – I used a bike wheel tube

Isolated ducking tape

Time estimation: 1-2 hours.

 Before we start: we are going to remove the airbag. Make sure that the battery is not connected and that you waited 60 seconds before starting to work (After disconnecting the battery).

We are not responsible to any damage or injury due to that job.

1. Using a flat screwdriver, remove that small plastic cover on the steering wheel

2. Disconnect the 3 connectors – Yellow, white and red (the red is one wire connector)

 

3. Using a 8mm wrench, open the nuts, there are 4 nuts that holds the airbag/horn in place, 2 of then are here, at the bottom and other 2 are at the upper side of the steering wheel, you will see the holes there.

That is the location of the upper nuts, use the 8mm socket with the flexible extension to open the nuts.

4. Carefully, remove the “center” of the steering wheel – the airbag, you will see a yellow connector there, disconnect it.

5. The metal sheets are hiding behind the airbag. In order to reach them, you have to remove the airbag.

Drill the 4 rivets with the 4.5mm auger.  Keep the square metal washers and remember to put them back while installing the new rivets in place.

Disconnect the horn black wire (in the white circle)

6. Carefully, but really really carefully, pull the airbag out of the rubber cover (the “steering wheel center”).

The white part in the picture covers the metal sheets that we are going to “operate”

7. With extra care, spread the white “paper” cover and see the metal sheets we were talking about…

8. Now, You will probably have to cut the clear plastic to gain access to the metal, look in the picture below, where my thumb is, you can see that I cut it there.

Then, spread the 2 metal sheets carefully, all the way – as in the picture.

9. Cut and paste the isolating ducking tape around the metal sheet.

10. Cut the rubber stripe as in the picture and put it as you can see below:

11. Close them back together – The rubber stripe will avoid the metal sheets touching each other till you will push the horn, use the ducking tape to close it. You should have a “sandwich” of:

Nylon-Metal sheet – isolating duck – rubber stripe – metal sheet – nylon

duck them together as in the picture:

12. Put everything back in place, reverse order:

First, put the horn switch that you just handles in place, then, install the air bag – set the new rivets in place, don’t forget their washers.

Connect the back wire and the yellow connector.

Screw the 4x 8mm nuts that hold the airbag in place

Connect the wiring.

Connect the battery.

Now, carefully, keep your head away (maybe doing it from the passenger seat?) turn the switch on and try the horn – is it working? It should be…

Turn the engine on, verify the SRS light is turning off after few seconds and that everything is working as it should.

Good luck.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to comment here and share them with us.