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Horn and EGI Main relay pin 85 has 12v

4K views 7 replies 4 participants last post by  DropW 
#1 ·
Hi everyone . I have been following these forums for some time as I have a 2000 Kia Sephia with 185k miles on it . I decided to check the fuse box and found that I have 12v on the 30 pin and 85 pin for the Horn and EGI Main relays while the car is in the off position . The 85 pin is the ground so it should not have 12v is my understanding . The other relays do not have power on the 85 pin . I disconnected the wire plugs from underneath the fuse box, and pulled the fuse box out . I then probed the 30pin and 85pin for those two relays with my multi-meter to conduct a continuity test . Sure enough, there is continuity which means they are shorting together inside the fuse box . By the write up that Loyale did on the internals of the fuse box, I am betting those bare copper wires inside are messing things up .

My question is, before I go and buy a new box, I just want to be certain ... The EGI Main and Horn Relays are not supposed to have that continuity correct ? Currently my Horn doesn't work (hasn't for years, might be in the steering column though as my air bag light is also on) and the car shakes a good bit when at a stop and I am wondering if the EGI Main isn't getting proper voltage readings to the computer due to that continuity short and causing it to shake intermittently at a stop ... I can just slap the box back in and drive off no problem if I want, but this finding of the 12v on the 85pins has got me excited to maybe fixing that shake :)
 
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#2 ·
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#3 ·
The 85 pin is the ground so it should not have 12v is my understanding.
By convention the 85 is the ground terminal, but that's not always the way relays are wired. Sometimes the 86 is ground.
Remove the relay, switch the ignition on, and measure the voltage on each terminal of the relay socket. You should have two terminals with 12V. If that's what you have then there wouldn't appear to be a problem. Not with the relay power supplies anyway.

If I helped you fix it, why not...

Your support is greatly appreciated
 
#5 · (Edited)
Greetings.

Remember that the Horn is one of the few accesories that actually works without key in ignition, for safety / emergency purposses; thus explains why it has power permanently in Nº 86 and Nº 30 terminals, as the Ground (Pin Nº 85) is the switching signal, that comes from the steering buttons. Other relays doesn't have power (12V +) on both terminals while key is not in ignition. That explains what you found with your tester and it is normal.

So, I kindly suggest you to check the mere Horn itself; by taking it off the car and carefully wire it provisionally to the battery, in order to be sure that you don't have a faulty horn on your Sephia. Furthermore, you can check the voltage at the horn's plug, which may be the culprit, because some plugs on these Sephias, are prone to disintegrate and fail.

If both Horn and Plug are alright, and there is no power signal at the Horn's plug, you should check for a burnt fuse, prior to toy with the Relay & Fuse Box; even you can try the mere horn's Relay in other position at the box, where an identical relay is used, 'cos there's a chance that the relay is faulty.

Finally check the mere Steering's wiring for the Horn buttons, as it is a single ground wire that might be disconnected.

I bet you'll find the fail on your horn, among these posibilities.

Kind Regards.
 
#6 ·
Greetings.

Remember that the Horn is one of the few accesories that actually works without key in ignition, for safety / emergency purposses; thus explains why it has power permanently in Nº 86 and Nº 30 terminals, as the Ground (Pin Nº 85) is the switching signal, that comes from the steering buttons. Other relays doesn't have power (12V +) on both terminals while key is not in ignition. That explains what you found with your tester and it is normal.
Hello Loyale . I have question about the EGI Main relay as well . Is it also supposed to have 12v on the 85pin with the key off ? My EGI Main relay has 12v on the 30 and 85 pin with key off and those terminals sit side by side with each other and they give continuity when I have the entire fuse box pulled off the car unhooked from the wire plugs . Thank you guys for your time .
 
#7 ·
One thing is that they have continuity between Terminals; and other thing is that they do have permanent power (12V +) without key in ignition.

First, let me tell you that you might find continuity due to various reasons, main reason is interconnected circuits that also powers On / Off depending on a main circuit. In example, the A/C system, usually has three relays, one is the main relay that gets On with the switch, and it feeds power to the A/C Compressor; this relay has two slave relays that receive signal from the main relay to power on and off; one for the A/C Blower inside the car, and the other for the Condenser's Fan, in the engine's bay. In such circuits you'll find continuity but not necessarily they are being live (or powered with 12V +) permanently.

Second, Yes, many, many relays' wirings, shares the same power feed (12V +) for the input (Terminal Nº 30) and for the internal switching coil (terminal Nº 85) in order to use a single ground signal wire ( - ) to close the circuit, powering on the device.

_ _ _ _

Still everything seems to be pretty normal on your Sephia's Relay & Fuse Box for me; I insist to check somewhere else, as pointed in my post above.

Remember: The Relays that suffers from being on and getting hot, melting the plastic on their base, are the ones with high current draw; such like the ones for the Headlamps, the Starter, the A/C Blower... but the one for the horn doesn't get too hot... Unless you drive honking like crazy around the town and use a big aftermarket horn with high current draw; wich I doubt so much.

Kind Regards.
 
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