[intoflatlines]

I want to replace the stock horn in an '07 Civic with a PIAA 400/500 Hz. Is it easy to do or should I go to a shop to get it done?

Also, I have read that the particular horn I am interested in doesn't come with a relay, which apparently is necessary since the PIAA has two horns? What is a relay? What does it do? Do I need one? The stock horn on the Civic is one horn only.

 

[VeipaCray]

They are easy if you are familiar with car wiring / car stereos. If you don't need to change the transformer, you can simply replace the old horn with the new one. Don't pay a shop to do it. If you need help, I'm out in the suburbs and wouldn't mind giving you a hand. I've done a few of them now.

 

[cash68]

A relay is basically a switch that operates a bigger meatier switch. Your headlights have a relay, and it runs a small wimpy circuit to the button or switch inside your dash. When you close that circuit, it tells the relay to close a bigger circuit, which has a bunch of power running through it. This way they don't have to run full power into your dash, then all the way to the headlights.

That said, unless this is an air horn with a compressor, it shouldn't need a relay. Just bolt the PIAA wherever you want, and splice the wiring from the stock horn onto the PIAAs.

 

[GlendaleViper]

This one was quick and easy to install.

 

[gshan]

Why are compact cars usually given wimpy horns?

 

[LuckyKarma]

Maybe this one?

 

[cash68]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gshan /img/forum/go_quote.gif Why are compact cars usually given wimpy horns?

Good question. Last time I was at a junkyard I ripped a horn out of a mid 90s Audi V8. It's a FIAM horn, dual tone, and it's BADASS. I'm going to put it in my little accord this weekend.

 

[KYTGuy]

A relay is a servo switch: it uses the wimpy circuit you were given to switch a heavy duty circuit you must wire in. It allows your 2 amp horn circuit to run ten amps of air horn goodness. I always leave the stock horn in place, 'cause there is a delay in the relay circuit, so if you wanna be friendly and give out a few real short bips, the main horns don't get going yet. Sort of a Bip, Bip, BiWAAA effect! You'll need a friend, it seems, to help you with this project, especially if you go the full-on route, described below.

Another trick I always do when I (always) upgrade my stock horns, is to crosslink the horn with the High Beams. This way, they know it is you honking, and get the feck outta the way. Use of this requires a diode so that when you turn on the High Beams, your horn doesn't also get going.

 

[cash68]

Oooooo that is a cool idea. You mean a diode on the wimpy end of they relay, right? That's a SWEET idea though.

 

[KYTGuy]

I also crosslink the low beams to the High Beams, cause when I want Bright, I want BRIGHT!!! Careful though, you need to be aware of temps - a friend of mine copied this and melted his expen$ive headlight housings, cause he left them on while parked. Nearly caught his car on fire.

The diode goes between the High Beam relay (Wimpy side) and the Horn relay, (Wimpy side), pointed so that current will flow from the horn (original wire) to pick up the High Beam Relay, but not from the High Beam (original wire) to pick up the Horn Relay. Got It?

 

[intoflatlines]

Thanks for the help everyone!

I read in another forum that someone installed a horn with no fuse wired to it and something happened and it messed up his ECU.. Does that have any validity?

Does doing this void a warranty through Honda?

Amazon.com: PIAA 85110 115db 400HZ + 500HZ Sports Horn: Automotive

One of the reviewers on Amazon complained about it not coming with a relay.. Does he need it for a different purpose? I shouldn't need one for the Civic.. or should I?

The second reviewer didn't say anything about a relay, but I'm thinking maybe because he already had a dual horn system? Sorry if my questions are dumb or don't make sense but I hardly know anything about cars or electronics other than a Cmoy.

 

[cash68]

Are you SURE your honda only has one horn? Every car I've know of except a 69 Roadrunner have dual tone horns.

 

[intoflatlines]

It may have two horns but I'm pretty sure it's monotone.

 

[cash68]

Two horns= high and low tones at once. You probably just didn't notice it. It'd be weird to have two horns of the same tone.

 

[intoflatlines]

Yeah, it might be an octave apart maybe..