Failed horn relay, which is the most common cause of a B0960 code.; Open or damaged wiring in the horn relay control circuit between the BCM and the relay.; Corroded or loose connector terminals at the relay, BCM, or horn.; Short to ground or short to voltage in the control circuit, often due to chafed wiring.; Faulty body control module (BCM) driver for the horn relay circuit.; Blown fuse or poor ground connection affecting the relay coil circuit.

DTC codes / B09xx · Airbags, seats, doors, lights and comfort systems / B0960

B0960Horn Relay Circuit

Q: What does code B0960 mean?

Horn Relay Circuit. B0960 indicates that the body control module (BCM) has detected a fault in the horn relay control circuit, meaning the electrical path that commands the relay to sound the horn is not behaving as expected. The BCM monitors the circuit for open, short-to-ground, or short-to-battery conditions and sets this code when the voltage or current falls outside the expected range.

B0960 indicates that the body control module (BCM) has detected a fault in the horn relay control circuit, meaning the electrical path that commands the relay to sound the horn is not behaving as expected. The BCM monitors the circuit for open, short-to-ground, or short-to-battery conditions and sets this code when the voltage or current falls outside the expected range.

SystemBody

Code typeGeneric (all makes)

SeverityLow

Fix difficultyIntermediate

AreaAirbags, seats, doors, lights and comfort systems

Symptoms you may notice

The horn may not sound at all when the steering wheel pad is pressed.
The horn may sound continuously or intermittently without driver input.
A warning light or message on the dashboard indicating a body system fault.
The horn may work only intermittently, often depending on temperature or vibration.
Often no symptoms besides the warning light, especially if the fault is in the control circuit rather than the horn itself.

Common causes, most likely first

Failed horn relay, which is the most common cause of a B0960 code.
Open or damaged wiring in the horn relay control circuit between the BCM and the relay.
Corroded or loose connector terminals at the relay, BCM, or horn.
Short to ground or short to voltage in the control circuit, often due to chafed wiring.
Faulty body control module (BCM) driver for the horn relay circuit.
Blown fuse or poor ground connection affecting the relay coil circuit.

How to diagnose and fix it

Verify the horn fuse and relay coil ground are intact and clean.
Swap the horn relay with a known-good identical relay and retest the horn operation.
Disconnect the BCM connector and check for battery voltage and ground on the relay control circuit with the horn commanded on.
Perform a resistance and continuity test on the control wire between the BCM and the relay, looking for opens or shorts.
Inspect the wiring harness for chafing, corrosion, or loose pins at the BCM and relay connectors.
If the circuit tests good but the BCM does not command the relay, test the BCM output with a scan tool and consider BCM replacement or reprogramming.

Before you replace the body control module

A failed horn relay is far more common than a failed BCM, so always swap the relay with a known-good unit before condemning the module.
The horn relay control circuit often shares a ground with other body systems, so a poor ground can set B0960 alongside other unrelated codes.
Intermittent B0960 codes are frequently caused by chafed wiring near the steering column or under the hood where the harness flexes.
Some vehicles use a solid-state driver inside the BCM instead of a conventional relay, and the code can set even when the horn still works because the driver is only partially failing.
A scan tool that can command the horn relay on and off is the fastest way to separate a control circuit fault from a horn or relay fault.

Can I keep driving with B0960?

The vehicle remains safe to drive because the horn is a convenience and warning device, not a safety-critical system, but you should avoid situations that rely on the horn for alerting others until the fault is repaired.

Tools that help

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Guidance is general and written for all OBD-II vehicles. Exact tests and values vary by model, so confirm the fault before replacing parts.