Disable a Seat Belt Alarm

It is common knowledge that you should wear your seat belt while driving. Yet, there are many situations where a factory seat belt alarm can become a nuisance. For example, if you are driving on a farm at low speeds with many stops, you may not need a seat belt. More urban situations, such as taking your wallet out in a drive-through or letting your dog ride shotgun, can also be unpleasant with a constant ding. Sometimes, it is even possible for the alarm to get “stuck” and ding constantly whether you are buckled or not. Luckily, it is usually possible to disable this alarm.

Steps

Installing a Seat Belt Alarm Stopper

  1. Choose a seat belt alarm stopper. There are two basic products on the market that are referred to as a seat belt alarm stopper. One is simply an unattached seat belt clip that can be inserted into the receptacle. The other is an extender that clips into the receptacle, but also provides an additional receptacle so that you can use your seat belt without removing the alarm stopper.
  2. Purchase your seat belt alarm stopper of choice. If you plan to use a seat belt on the same side as you will be using the stopper, buy the extender. If this is not the case, go for the basic stopper. Both are inexpensive and can be found at a local parts store or by shopping online.
  3. Install the seat belt alarm stopper. Make sure that your stopper fits your seat belt receptacle. Then, simply click the stopper into your receptacle. You are now free of the dinging alarm sounds.

Disabling the Seat Belt Alarm with Manufacturer’s Tools

  1. Beware of the airbag risk. On many cars, the seat belt sensor is also used to trigger the airbag. Investigate whether this is the case on your car before doing anything drastic to your seat belt alarm.
  2. Check the user manual or ask your reseller to disable it per software. Almost all manuals give instructions on how to disarm the seat belt alarm without cutting any wires. This usually consists of doing a series of tasks in the car while parked. As an example, the sequence for turning off the seat belt alarm on a Toyota Camry (2004 and newer) is given below.[1]
    • Insert the key and turn the power on. You should not crank the engine.
    • There is a knob on your dash panel that toggles your trip and total odometer readings. Press this knob until you see “ODO” on the instrument panel.
    • You should turn the key off, and then back on.
    • Hold the same knob for 10-15 seconds. While still holding the knob, put on your seatbelt, and then release the knob.
    • You should see “B OFF” flash on the instrument panel. This indicates that you turned off your seat belt alarm.
  3. Disable your alarm. This may mean following the steps in the owner’s manual for reprogramming your alarm, which, as described above, is often a series of actions taken while the car is parked. Alternatively, you can take the vehicle to your dealer to do this. Some vehicles may have to go to the dealer to be reprogrammed with specific software.
    • It is worth noting that dealerships are often reluctant to fulfill this request due to legal and liability issues.[2]

Bypassing the Alarm from Inside the Receptacle

  1. Locate the torx screws on the seat belt receptacle. These are usually on the back side of the receptacle. Typically, you will see non-tamper torx screws. You will need to find a torx bit that fits them in order to remove them.
  2. Remove the screws using a hollow T10 bit. Fit the bit into a screwdriver handle with a changeable head. Turn the screws counterclockwise until the they come out. This will allow you access to the inside of the seat belt receptacle.
  3. Remove the plastic side cover. It should just pull out. Once removed, you will see underneath the cover. It should contain a spring loaded slide switch.
  4. Remove the small spring and slide the switch down to its lowermost position. This will indicate to the sensor that your seat belt is on all the time. This will prevent the alarm from ever going off.[1] You can double check by watching the seat belt light on the dash go out.
  5. Replace the plastic cover and screws. Slide the cover back on. Use your T10 bit to replace the torx screws. Turn the screws clockwise until tight.[1]
  6. Store the small spring for use in the future. You may want to reinstall the spring sometime in the future. For example, if you ever decide to sell your car, the buyer may want the seat belt alarm to work.

Cutting the Seat Belt Sensor Wire

  1. Proceed with caution. You should not cut any wires until you are sure that this will not interfere with your airbag deployment. If you find you do have a need to cut the wires on your seat belt alarm to disable it (and if you're sure that it won't affect the airbag in your car), you will need to carefully identify the correct wires. Also be warned that cutting the wires may void all or part of your warranty.
  2. Look under the driver seat. You will see a wire that connects to the buckle with the release button. It should be towards the rear on the right hand side. This is the wire you are looking for.
  3. Trace the wire under the seat. You want to trace the wire back to an area under the seat that is easily accessible to you. This will allow you to get your hands under the seat and work efficiently. It may be difficult to find a good position to get your hands under your seat.
  4. Look for two wires running together. These two wires are connected when your seat belt is latched, and disconnected when it is unlatched. That is how the seat belt sensor knows when to ding. You will need to connect them permanently.[3]
  5. Cut through both wires. This will disconnect both wires from your seat belt receptacle. It will also give you the wire ends you need to splice these wires together. That will connect them permanently.[3]
  6. Connect the wires. You want to connect the two pieces of wire that are coming to/going from your seat belt sensor. That means, do not connect the ends of the wire that go to your seat belt receptacle. To connect the wires, twist, crimp, or solder them together.[3]
  7. Insulate the wire ends. This will prevent them from shorting out on metal underneath the seat. You can do this by covering them in electrical tape. Heat shrink tape also works well.
  8. Tuck the wires away from the seat brackets. This will prevent them getting tangled if you move your seat. Tangled wires may eventually be pulled apart or broken. This would ground the wires and cause your alarm to ding constantly (until it was fixed).

Tips

  • You might need a flashlight to see better under the seat.
  • Drive your vehicle afterwards to check if it worked; if you cut the wrong wires, just use butt connectors to re-connect them.
  • It should make no difference whether the belt was plugged in while you do this, but it may be different on the different varieties of vehicles.

Warnings

  • Tampering with the seat belts will void your warranty.
  • Tampering with your seat belt sensor can affect airbag performance. This can put you and/or your passengers at serious risk. Be sure that your airbags will not be affected before altering your seat belt alarm sensor.
  • Do not cut wires with your vehicle's ignition/engine on.

Things You'll Need

  • Installing a Seat Belt Alarm Stopper
    • Seat Belt Alarm Stopper or Extender
  • Disabling the Seat Belt Alarm with Manufacturer’s Tools
    • Owner’s Manual
    • Software Update (if needed/available)
  • Bypassing the Alarm from Inside the Receptacle
    • Screwdriver or Drill with Torx Bit
  • Cutting the Seat Belt Sensor Wire
    • Flashlight
    • Electrical Tape or Heat Shrink Tape
    • Wire Cutters
    • Wire Strippers

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 http://www.cargurus.com/Cars/Discussion-t10210_ds41211
  2. ↑ http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16471
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/mk1-interior-mods-upgrades/157642-cutting-seat-belt-reminder-wires-under-seat.html

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