Horn relay Whats its purpose?

[DocMel]

If the horn works without a horn realy, why use one at all?   Whats the purpose of a horn relay/how does it work?

[71chally416]

It's there so at some point it malfunctions and the horn stays on making you look like a total ass. 

[GoodysGotaCuda]

The horn relay (or any relay) usually acts as a high current switch that can be controlled by a low current signal.  The signal in this case, is you pressing the horn button on the steering wheel.  The small current signal from the horn button is sent to the relay via a small gauge wire.  This closes the relay switch which allows a much larger current to flow from the battery through heavier gauge wires to the horns themselves.  Hope this simple explanation helps some.   

Yep, keeps high current from also hurting the bearings in the column and burning the contacts out on the horn button

[ted]

HORN botton is the ground for the horn relay.

[UKcuda]

Yep, keeps high current from also hurting the bearings in the column and burning the contacts out on the horn button

Partial yes.

Please someone correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the only reason they fitted a relay on the horn was to protect the steering column bearings - they didn't put a relay on anything else!