997.1 DIY Low Tone Horn Replacement, no bumper removal
04-12-2014, 05:50 PM
#1
Instructor
Thread Starter
997.1 DIY Low Tone Horn Replacement, no bumper removal
Ever since I bought my 2006 997 C2 the horn has been embarrassingly (and dangerously) weak. Apparently, low-tone horn failure is common on 997s. Many threads mention that the bumper needs to be removed for replacement. However, as a novice DIYer I didn't want anything to do with jackstands and wheel removal (...yet). The following is the method I used today to replace my low tone horn without bumper removal.
The technique I used was based on:
1. martidamm's thread on 6speed (http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/9...d-working.html),
2. A trick suggested by Professor MSP on a Cayman forum (http://www.planet-9.com/987-cayman-b...placement.html).
Parts:
1. Low tone Horn (420 Hz): Part # 997-635-205-04. Available multiple sites online, including Vertex, Pelican, Amazon. I bought mine locally at Vertex Auto (Mike and crew have been super helpful). Mine is a VEMO brand, about $20. You can buy a Porsche one for about $65 but why spend that much if they crap out all the time anyways...
Fig 1 shows old horn (top) and new horn (bottom). They look very similar other than the origin of the electrical plug (3 o'clock vs 7). Also, the bolt for the old one is 13 mm, vs 10 mm for the new one. Also note that the old one (fig. 2) was made in Spain, and the new one (fig. 3) is German.
Tools:
13 mm socket/wrenches for new horn
10 mm socket/wrenches for the old one
T30 bit for underside body panel (optional)
Method:
The horns are located just inside of a small rectangular hole in the bottom of the passenger (USA) side of the bumper (fig 4). In the figure you see both horns. A is the low tone horn (lower and frontwards). B is the high tone horn (higher and rearwards).
1. Remove the horn by loosening the 13 mm nut on the top of the horn that fastens it to a bracket (Fig 5 arrow).
2. Pull it out of the small hole and let it dangle out. Getting the horns through the hole required moderate force and some bending of the plastic.
3. Release the electrical connection by pressing down on a small plastic tab and pulling apart.
4. Attach electrical connection to new horn. My kids enjoyed honking the horn to test it. You can feel the pressure of the horn blast when you put your hand on the horn opening.
5. Push new horn in and fasten using the 10 mm socket/wrench.
6.
Tips:
1. My car is lowered, so in order to more comfortably get my hand in the opening I jacked the front tires up on 4'x12's (as I do on all 4 corners for oil changes). Others report to have done this without lifting the front.
2. You can theoretically do all your work via the small opening. My nut was on very very tight and I needed more force and space than I could leverage through the small opening. In order to be able to use both hands and a longer wrench I used professor MSP's method:
--remove 5 centermost T30 screws from the underside of the bumper (fig 6)
--lay on your back, pull down on underside of the bumper and slip left hand into bumper space
--insert right hand in the small hole, and work using both hands.
3. If you remove the turn signal lamp housing (using the "credit card" in your user manual) you can get a vantage point on the action from up above though you can't really get your hands in from there (fig 7).
Hope this helps!
The technique I used was based on:
1. martidamm's thread on 6speed (http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/9...d-working.html),
2. A trick suggested by Professor MSP on a Cayman forum (http://www.planet-9.com/987-cayman-b...placement.html).
Parts:
1. Low tone Horn (420 Hz): Part # 997-635-205-04. Available multiple sites online, including Vertex, Pelican, Amazon. I bought mine locally at Vertex Auto (Mike and crew have been super helpful). Mine is a VEMO brand, about $20. You can buy a Porsche one for about $65 but why spend that much if they crap out all the time anyways...
Fig 1 shows old horn (top) and new horn (bottom). They look very similar other than the origin of the electrical plug (3 o'clock vs 7). Also, the bolt for the old one is 13 mm, vs 10 mm for the new one. Also note that the old one (fig. 2) was made in Spain, and the new one (fig. 3) is German.
Tools:
13 mm socket/wrenches for new horn
10 mm socket/wrenches for the old one
T30 bit for underside body panel (optional)
Method:
The horns are located just inside of a small rectangular hole in the bottom of the passenger (USA) side of the bumper (fig 4). In the figure you see both horns. A is the low tone horn (lower and frontwards). B is the high tone horn (higher and rearwards).
1. Remove the horn by loosening the 13 mm nut on the top of the horn that fastens it to a bracket (Fig 5 arrow).
2. Pull it out of the small hole and let it dangle out. Getting the horns through the hole required moderate force and some bending of the plastic.
3. Release the electrical connection by pressing down on a small plastic tab and pulling apart.
4. Attach electrical connection to new horn. My kids enjoyed honking the horn to test it. You can feel the pressure of the horn blast when you put your hand on the horn opening.
5. Push new horn in and fasten using the 10 mm socket/wrench.
6.
Tips:
1. My car is lowered, so in order to more comfortably get my hand in the opening I jacked the front tires up on 4'x12's (as I do on all 4 corners for oil changes). Others report to have done this without lifting the front.
2. You can theoretically do all your work via the small opening. My nut was on very very tight and I needed more force and space than I could leverage through the small opening. In order to be able to use both hands and a longer wrench I used professor MSP's method:
--remove 5 centermost T30 screws from the underside of the bumper (fig 6)
--lay on your back, pull down on underside of the bumper and slip left hand into bumper space
--insert right hand in the small hole, and work using both hands.
3. If you remove the turn signal lamp housing (using the "credit card" in your user manual) you can get a vantage point on the action from up above though you can't really get your hands in from there (fig 7).
Hope this helps!
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Sadeeq (10-19-2022)
05-07-2014, 08:55 AM
#2
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Great, thank you. My low one is shot so I bought two factory (mistake) ones.
05-07-2014, 08:58 AM
#3
My low horn on my 09c2s has gone. Bought a new one from the dealer, tried to install but couldn't get my hands in there far enough by dropping the under guard which connects to the bumper.
I think my front bumper has to come off..........back to the dealer
I think my front bumper has to come off..........back to the dealer
05-07-2014, 10:42 AM
#4
Instructor
Thread Starter
Some people have done it just through the access hole and not using the underguard. In my case the nut was on tight enough that I needed both hands in there to loosen it and thus used the underguard to get my left hand in also. From what I've read the access hole on the 997.2 is much smaller than on the .1.
05-07-2014, 10:49 AM
#5
Rennlist Member
i just replaced my low tone. my hand barely fit in the hole (that's what she said) but was enough to maneuver. i was able to do the whole job without removing underside bumper screws BUT i discovered a couple tricks by going thru the fog light access: one benefit was being able to use a couple universal sockets and extensions in order to loosen old nut. but the biggest use of the fog light access was, while holding the new horn in place with my left palm, i was able to lower the washer and the new lock nut via a magnetic wand and then grab them and place them with my free thumb/forefinger. and i simply hand tightened the new lock nut with a claw foot which gave me enough leverage. should be good 'nuff. easy peasy.
05-07-2014, 11:35 AM
#6
Instructor
Thread Starter
i just replaced my low tone. my hand barely fit in the hole (that's what she said) but was enough to maneuver. i was able to do the whole job without removing underside bumper screws BUT i discovered a couple tricks by going thru the fog light access: one benefit was being able to use a couple universal sockets and extensions in order to loosen old nut. but the biggest use of the fog light access was, while holding the new horn in place with my left palm, i was able to lower the washer and the new lock nut via a magnetic wand and then grab them and place them with my free thumb/forefinger. and i simply hand tightened the new lock nut with a claw foot which gave me enough leverage. should be good 'nuff. easy peasy.
05-19-2014, 01:33 AM
#7
Drifting
This thread was very timely--thanks for the write-up and pics, JCGMS. My low horn has been out on my '09 for several months and it's been driving me nuts.
$14 bucks at Pelican, plus $14 for shipping (I sprang for two-day so I could fix it this weekend), thirty minutes on the lift and I've got my horn back.
I'd been shying away from doing this because I thought the whole bumper cover needed to come off. The hole in the bumper cover is way too small to do anything through but once I pulled the six screws under the bumper, I got enough access to do everything through there. Good thing I haven't been working out much lately--if my forearms were any bigger it never would have worked.
This is probably the cheapest, easiest fix I've done in ages.
$14 bucks at Pelican, plus $14 for shipping (I sprang for two-day so I could fix it this weekend), thirty minutes on the lift and I've got my horn back.
I'd been shying away from doing this because I thought the whole bumper cover needed to come off. The hole in the bumper cover is way too small to do anything through but once I pulled the six screws under the bumper, I got enough access to do everything through there. Good thing I haven't been working out much lately--if my forearms were any bigger it never would have worked.
This is probably the cheapest, easiest fix I've done in ages.
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05-08-2018, 03:10 AM
#8
Instructor
Sadly I couldn't get my arm in well enough to replace the low frequency horn in my 2009, so I ended up pulling the bumper off. At least I got to do a good clean of the air intakes and wheel liners...
09-07-2019, 12:08 PM
#13
Great write up! On my '05 997.1 I was able to do this removing the bumper screws, I also needed two hands to loosen the nut and to get the nut on the new unit installed. It's pretty easy once the nut is loose, but the edges on the access hole are pretty sharp, I'd sand them down first.
I'm happy that my horn doesn't sound like a girly-scooter anymore.
I'm happy that my horn doesn't sound like a girly-scooter anymore.
09-07-2019, 09:14 PM
#14
Instructor
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by groovy dude
Great write up! On my '05 997.1 I was able to do this removing the bumper screws, I also needed two hands to loosen the nut and to get the nut on the new unit installed. It's pretty easy once the nut is loose, but the edges on the access hole are pretty sharp, I'd sand them down first.
I'm happy that my horn doesn't sound like a girly-scooter anymore.
I'm happy that my horn doesn't sound like a girly-scooter anymore.
10-10-2020, 09:23 AM
#15
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My cars been running with just the high tone horn since I got it. Yesterday, some ***** in a Range-rover pulled out infront of me and my horn didn't work at all, which I guess means they've both now failed. Is it possible to get to the high tone horn with the bumper on? My guess is no.