First off, I have tried searching haha.

I have a 1975 XJ6C. The issue popped up yesterday. When I turn the wheel, the horn honks. It seems to let out a beep every time the turn signal cancel clicks while I am turning. Also, my indicators and hazards no longer function. I have the column semi disassembled at the moment. Could one of our wise gurus point me in the right direction here?

 

That large white nylon nut in the center of the steering wheel is the Horn Contact. It holds a long brass probe that grounds when the horn is pressed on the center crash pad.


It's only finger tight but you'll need a socket to get a grip on it. (DON'T OVERTIGHTEN!)
As you can see in the photo, the probe has a sleeve that fits over a contact deep inside the column for proper grounding and horn operation. You can just see it with a strong light aimed down the hole.

As you have horn issues that's the place I would suggest you start, by cleaning the contact areas at the end of this probe and looking for any possible shorted areas here.

Also, there are 2 wipers on the column, exposed under the dash area. These are grounding wipers, curled metal straps in contact with the column.
Here's a photo of them, but this column is vertical. You'll get the idea.


(';')

 

Thank you LnrB, I will give that a shot

 

If it beeps when you turn the wheel also check that the sprung-off horn contacts on the steering wheel are not getting weak and allowing contact to be made onto the metal centre of the nylon nut/probe piece.

 

I had the same problem and cleaned those wipers way too many times to try and make the problem go away. Which it did every time for about a month. I finally got sick of doing that job and resorted to a remote push button to play the horn. Got it off EBay. It looks like a suicide knob on my wheel but works just fine. Problem solved! Yes it's basically the only non-Jaguar OEM solution on the car. But I had to move on to other things that were more important. I could move it off the steering wheel and put in somewhere easily accessible if I wanted, but for now it's on the steering wheel looking stupid.

Universal Wireless Horn Button Car Steering Wheel Horn Button Kit 12V Auto Truck 831343360427 | eBay

 

Great idea, should be easy enough to incorporate it into the steering wheel centre pad, you anyone wanted to.

 

Exactly what I was thinking Greg, I've saved the link.

Dave

 

I’m going to remove the rod and see what happens. My major concern is the turn signals, as they stopped functioning right after the horn issue popped up. The sequence of events was as follows:

took the car for a blast around the neighborhood and returned home. Went inside to grab my phone. Fired the car up, made a u-turn in our cul-de-sac, turned the corner(left) and the horn blared. I thought I had accidentally pressed it as my hand was on the edge of the pad. Next left turn, did it again. I said “f—- it” and drove the 4 miles to the store, with the car making little toots every time I turned left. I could tell it was happening every time that I could hear the turn signal canceller (is that even a word?) click as I turned the wheel. I confirmed this when I reached the parking lot and turned the wheel right and left. I went in the store, got what I needed, and returned to the car. Backed out of the spot (toot) put her in drive, turned the wheel right (toot)….. great, now it does it turning left AND right. Drive back home, have to make a turn. Great, now I have no turn signals. On a whim, I try the hazard lights. Nope. I got home and backed it into the garage, bummed because I had planned to take it to a small local car show that night.

My thinking is that the turn signal switch is tied in with this somehow. I’ll be able to dig in to this some more tomorrow after work.

 

I agree, pull the probe out and see if that fixes it.
(';')

 

Ok, I’m back. I finally had a chance to I’ve deeper into this. I did find one ground wire from the speedometer that wasn’t connected. My indicators will work if the hazard switch is in the up position. The horn rod is removed. The car still honks every time I turn the wheel and click the signal cancel. Any other ideas?

 

Update. It’s the brass wipers on the steering column. I’ve taken them out of the equation for now. That will be a winter garage project, not a summer in southern Utah project.