Horn honks 3 times when ignition moved to run

[liaztraht]

I got a weird one that recently started.

09 JKU. No auto start, no aftermarket alarm or auto start.

Jeep was parked for a few weeks on a battery maintainer.

About a week after pulling it off, it would honk 3 times real quick as soon as the ignition was in the run position.

I tried unhooking the battery and letting it sit, but the problem comes back anywhere from one drive cycle to several drives later.

It is consistently repeatable. As soon as it starts, then every time the key hits run it honks.

I also replaced the batteries in the key FOBs thinking it may be related to the section in the manual about if something triggered the alarm. There has not, as there is always someone home to hear it; and leaving the battery unhooked and the cables tied together should have cleared any memory of it being triggered.



I looked through all the manuals, searched and searched google and the forums, but all I get are refences to newer wranglers that warn you about your keys when running. Closest thing I could find was from Just Answer about a "2007 Jeep" (unspecified model) and the owner tracked it to dirty battery cables.

My cables appear fine externally, but if it comes down to it I will swap them anyway.

 

[BLACKJKU]

Do you have a little red dot on in the upper right part of the dash when you try starting it?

 

[JeepJeezy]

Do you have a little red dot on in the upper right part of the dash when you try starting it?

If there is no red dot on your dash. Try this. Insert your key into the driverside side door, and turn it to unlock 3 times. This will disable your factory alarm. Also, if you have a key fob with battery, replace the battery.

 

[liaztraht]

Do you have a little red dot on in the upper right part of the dash when you try starting it?

Yes, the little security light comes on with the rest of the dash lights, the goes off. It stays off when running.

If there is no red dot on your dash. Try this. Insert your key into the driverside side door, and turn it to unlock 3 times. This will disable your factory alarm. Also, if you have a key fob with battery, replace the battery.

I already replaced both key fob batteries. I didn't know you could disable the alarm, but it could be worth the troubleshooting step.

Actually, before submitting this response, I tried that. No dice.

 

[BLACKJKU]

Yes, the little security light comes on with the rest of the dash lights, the goes off. It stays off when running.


I already replaced both key fob batteries. I didn't know you could disable the alarm, but it could be worth the troubleshooting step.

Actually, before submitting this response, I tried that. No dice.

Do you still have the junk Factory battery clamps on, if so replace them with some HD ones they are a known problem.

 

[liaztraht]

Do you still have the junk Factory battery clamps on, if so replace them with some HD ones they are a known problem.

No, they were replaced with good ones already.

But knowing how picky these things can be, I wouldn't be surprised if it's some connection somewhere...

 

[JeepJeezy]

No, they were replaced with good ones already.

But knowing how picky these things can be, I wouldn't be surprised if it's some connection somewhere...

I wonder if your clock spring is causing issues? Do all of your steering wheel functions operate properly?

 

[liaztraht]

I wonder if your clock spring is causing issues? Do all of your steering wheel functions operate properly?

There are no steering wheel button controls, but the horn operates properly when pressed. The little cruise control stick operates as well as it ever has.

I thought about the clock spring, but I don't think it would be this consistent. I had clock spring issues in a liberty though lol. That liberty also had many other electrical issues.

Edit to add: I still can't find any reference to this behavior in the owners manual.

Searching through a shop manual now.

 

[JeepJeezy]

There are no steering wheel button controls, but the horn operates properly when pressed. The little cruise control stick operates as well as it ever has.

I thought about the clock spring, but I don't think it would be this consistent. I had clock spring issues in a liberty though lol. That liberty also had many other electrical issues.

Edit to add: I still can't find any reference to this behavior in the owners manual.

Searching through a shop manual now.

Damn. Yeah I had clock spring issues in my Jeep WJ. When you unhooked the battery, did you touch and hold together the positive and negative cables together to completely drain all circuits?

 

[liaztraht]

Damn. Yeah I had clock spring issues in my Jeep WJ. When you unhooked the battery, did you touch and hold together the positive and negative cables together to completely drain all circuits?

Yes. Im about to do it for a 3rd time at this rate, and let it sit for an hour.

 

[liaztraht]

Just pulled up individual modules in j scan, and there was a historical low voltage, even though the battery was unhooked a couple times now and tied together.

Must be a disconnect somewhere there as I haven't had my catalyst efficiency code pop up in a good while (Busted exhaust bolt causing a leak)

 

[liaztraht]

Here is a video starting with an immediate crank, then rocking the key to off and run a couple times.

Yes my door was open, but it happens with all doors closed as well.

 

[liaztraht]

While under the hood I found a small crack forming in the negative clamp, so I slapped a spare on it.

I found one ever so slightly loose ground next to the fuse box and tightened it. All others where tight, if dusty. Cleaning will have to happen this weekend.

Battery reads at 12.4-ish volts across the terminals.



I had the cables tied together for an hour this time, and after plugging them in and turning the key, triple honk. I pulled up J scan and it still showed a historical low battery voltage under the front control module.

After getting fed up, immediately after shutting her down, I get out to close the hood and hear a faint noise. So I turn the ignition to on again and hop out as soon as I turn it back off, and hear the noise again.

I set my phone on top of the air box, and managed to capture it. It does come through the audio, but I still put a boosted section at the end.

I sounds like a horn going off very faintly. A little honk honk.

 

[Danarch]

touch and hold together the positive and negative cables together

I don’t know why, but I am leery of doing this. My son’s Jeep has two lights on the dash, if I recall correctly one is the double snake lines and the abs light. If I recall correctly the only way to fix it is to take it to the dealer, or try resetting the ECM by touching the two cables together, but haven’t tried it yet.

 

[liaztraht]

I don’t know why, but I am leery of doing this. My son’s Jeep has two lights on the dash, if I recall correctly one is the double snake lines and the abs light. If I recall correctly the only way to fix it is to take it to the dealer, or try resetting the ECM by touching the two cables together, but haven’t tried it yet.

They are fully disconnected from the battery for this. It drains any residual electricity held in the capacitors in all the computers etc...

 

[Danarch]

They are fully disconnected from the battery for this. It drains any residual electricity held in the capacitors in all the computers etc...

Thanks. I have no idea why it makes me leery. I’ll have to give it shot since they currently disconnected as we’ve been working on his jeep. They weren’t but he left the key in the ignition and I go out the next morning and hear “click, click, click” etc. it drained the battery and one the relays in the fuse box was clicking away. So removed them to charge the battery.