DIY Horn Upgrade Mod - Updated Jan 12

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For the 2013 model, you can make 2 pigtails one for ground and one for power and connect them to the leads that go to the old horn and to each of the new horns. Just make sure that if your new horns don't have a floating ground that you hook to power lead from the car to the power leads for each horn, and the ground to ground.
 
Welp, tried today on my 2013 SL. All ai managed to do was blow three fuses(wife is pissed that I ran out of daylight and now we have NO horn lol). I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong -- I fashioned two pigtails (power to black stock connector with white wire, and ground to brown stock connector with green wire). I believe the fault lies in the shodiness of my pigtails. Can anyone help by telling me what's taboo when creating them? Or does each stock connector suppose to carry power, and the ground is the bolt or something?
 
If you blew a fuse, then you have the polarity of the leads backwards. The horns do not have a floating ground.

Do a continuity test on the leads of the horns to the mounting stud to find the ground. Then connect the hot lead to the other lead. Make sure you have identified the ground lug for both horns and connect one pigtail to each of the grounds, and the hot Lugdunum together with the other pigtail. Then make sure you connect the hot pigtail to the hot lead of the car, and the ground pigtail to the other connector.
 
Ok, I forgot to mention that I am a complete novice when it comes to electrical stuff (outside of safety). I'll borrow my friend's multimeter and see what I come up with. Does anyone have a pic with a clear view of the pigtails and grounds connected to the El Grande?
 
Check out the original post in this thread: http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=4000&start=380#p94153

This one was for a 2011 car that did not have a discrete ground lead. The newer cars are the same, but have a Power lead and a ground lead. Just figure out which is the power and which is the ground on both the wires from the car, and on the horns, then connect the correct wires to the correct horn connections. There is also a photo of what the pigtail looks like.

Power goes to power, and ground goes to ground.
 
You don't need 2 leads.... There is one wire going to the old factory horn. THat is the +. The new horns usually have 2 contacts...

Test the horn to see which is the + and - connector... Connect the old wire to the +. Then make a negative wire from the new horn (-) contact to the bolt of the horn bracket where it is bolted to the body. that is all you need...

ps... the Leaf has a puny 5 amp fuse... that will burn out with any new horn. just put in a 10 amp fuse and you are good.
 
it depends on the horns that you are upgrading to. If they have a floating ground then a ground lead is necessary, and it is important to get the power lead to the right lug, or you will short the power to ground, and blow the fuse. but regardless a 5 amp fuse is more than adequate for any horn on the market. They key is making sure that the power lead is to the right lug on the horn.
 
I'd like to do this on my 2014. Is there any reason why most people seem to be using the dual horn replacements? Wouldn't just replacing the single horn with another single horn be easier?
 
A dual horn set up is louder, and makes the sound more prominent. Dual horn setups have the two horns each with a different tone, one a low tone and the other a higher tone.

Dual horns are also more compact than enlarge horn, and they use lest power.
 
jake14mw said:
I'd like to do this on my 2014. Is there any reason why most people seem to be using the dual horn replacements? Wouldn't just replacing the single horn with another single horn be easier?
Because instead of having the car sound like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBCucybHuAQ

We want it to sound like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z9HaVvvpjA

FYI, I do not recommend the horn from harbor freight. It stopped working after one winter. I've since replaced it with this Wolo horn. Not only is it lasting longer than the one from harbor freight, but it's actually a little louder too.
 
Thanks. I did not read back through all the pages of this, but is there no single horn that sounds like a normal car horn? If a dual horn is required for that heavy horn sound, then I have learned something.
 
I put in a "wolo Badboy" single horn. Got it at hARBOR FRIEGHT... It has the high and low tone together in the single unit...

I has been working fine for 3 years..
 
Yeah, there's no reason why the twin tones *have* to be in different housings. Seems like a pain to make them that way instead of in a single housing.
 
I upgraded both Leaf's The VW and the Mercedes already have dual horns.

I have the meepers on the shelf if anyone wants them, Why? The dual horns were around $10 at Autozone and they make the car sound like a car! It is a very worthwhile upgrade and very easy. The existing wiring is fine.
 
Here's a couple of Air Horns I installed in March 2018. They sound Awesome!

Install pics and links to what I bought on this page: http://www.salsleaf.com/truck_horns/index.htm

Video comparing Stock LEAF horn from a friend's LEAF and my Two pairs of Aftermarket horns:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzWY9H9EYYI

Sal
 
I'm in the process of working on the DIY for horn upgrades for the 2018 LEAF.

It is a bit more difficult this year, as the front radiator is completely surrounded by ductwork to funnel outside air through the engine compartment and back over the traction battery now. Getting to this area to work will require the entire front bumper cover to be removed.

The horn is in the lower righthand side of the front bumper cover, and it is quite tight in there, so I am working on a rig that will put the horn in the motor compartment and run a power/ground line back to where the original horn is at. To get at this to connect the wires, It will best be done by removing the right front wheel and the wheel well liner.

I have other things in the queue to finish first, but the wiring will be the same as the older car, with just the packaging being new.
 
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