Seat Belt Audible Alarm And Flashing Red Light

[nevica]

Hello,

This morning, the red lit alarm on the top dashboard was flashing accompanied by the audible bleep (first quiet and then loud). It goes off after a while and then comes back on although it is intermittent. The seat belt red light is not lit on the main dashboard. I definitely had the driver side seat belt plugged in so I presume this alarm is for the other seat belts which aren't plugged in.

I haven't had chance to read the manual yet but what could be the problem and how do I fix this please?

Thanks,

Nevica

[FROSTYBALLS]

Possible problem with seat belt pre-tensioner system (the seat belts automatically tighten to hold the driver/passenger firmly in place in the event of an accident)? You could check that any connections beneath the front seats are OK/haven't come loose. Otherwise I think it is a trip to a Toyota dealer.

[nevica]

Could it be a fuse problem?

[tarquin]

Do you have something heavy on one of the other seats? Do you have the rear seats folded flat and things stored there. The changing intensity is the two stages of the seatbelt alarm, the last being ear shattering. the fact its intermittent could be an object on the seat that increases weight due to gravity as you drive over bumps and pot holes. There is a delay when its triggered so not easy to associate that the bump,dip, in the road caused the alarm to activate.

David

[Mike169]

Hi, i'd like to change the subject here slightly if i may......i really don't like the bleeper that goes off on my Rav4 purely as i drive a bit of off road at times and with the passenger seat it stops shopping or whatever going on there as it sets the system into bleeping mode, would simply unplugging a connector under each seat stop it from coming on if so can you describe the colour, size, type and exactly where it is for both front seats please..............is it the same for the rears if the bleeper comes on at all as i am unsure as i know i have put items there without the annoying bleeper sounding off?

Thanks Mike169

[nevica]

Wow, thanks for your analysis of what could be going on with the alarm.

So, am I right in saying that that there are pressure sensors in the seats by the way you describe what could be happening?

[Mike169]

Hi Nevica, yes there are definitely pressure sensors in the seat pads, a reasonably heavy bag of shopping will set the passenger seat one off, personally i find them a bit annoying! So of course if you are in the driving seat within a few seconds and the vehicle moving the system 'kicks in'.

Regards Mike169

[nevica]

I think I now know what the problem is. :) There was in fact a very heavy object on the passenger seat which I am very certain is the culprit.

Thanks for all of your advice!

[Mike169]

You are very welcome, looks like you have a 'free' repair to your car. I see we have different Toyota's but i feel confident they all use this system.

Mike169

[tarquin]

Ok generally the pressure pad connectors are designed fail safe, so if you were to unplug them, they would continually alarm. For off road use i suggest you get from eBay dummy belt clips that just clip into the seatbelt catch replacing the meed for havin the actual belt on. Obviously not condoned for general use. You can get the alarm turned of by Toyota. You may have to give a good reason though

David

[Mike169]

Hi David, thank you for that information, it was most welcome.

Mike.

[Mike169]

Hi again David.

My car is actually going in for it's annual service in 3 weeks and i have been emailing them about it. I have just asked them about the bleeper and awaiting their reply. If they say 'sorry no', if the system works fail safe would not unplugging the seat pad plug and bridging out/joining together the 2 wires that feed the pad do the same job and by pass the seat pad altogether? I have heated seats in my car so i am just trying to work out which plug is which or is it one big multi plug?

Mike

[tarquin]

Have you identified which seat is causing the problem

David

[FROSTYBALLS]

I think I now know what the problem is. :) There was in fact a very heavy object on the passenger seat which I am very certain is the culprit.

Thanks for all of your advice!

Hopefully it wasn't the wife ...

[FROSTYBALLS]

Mike - have a look at the following (might be similar for the Rav 4): http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/tutorials/article/23-guide-how-to-disable-the-seatbelt-alarm-on-auris/

[Mike169]

Hi David

I am not sure who your comment was meant for?

In my case say my wife and I often go through a farmers type gate and then drive about 100 metres and the seat belt thing is a bit of an issue and a pain for the short journey.

I can see another reply to this thread has arrived so i will go and have a look.

Incidently on eBay they do short buckle extensions which make the car think the seat belt is fitted but when i entered my vehicle details it said they were not compatible, i think a different size chrome part.

Mike

[tarquin]

Ok got disjointed with the posts.

Recap

seat alarm resolved heavy object

Next. Option us clip or drive with your bum off the seat

Next get toyota to turn off seatbelt alarm

Sorted

David

[Mike169]

Hi Frostyballs, because my car has the stop/start keyless entry it doesn't work. I have spoken to Mr T and they are capable of doing it with their Techstream OBD kit, if they will or not i have yet to find out but thanks for your advise. I was informed it needs to be an expensive bit of kit rather than the £20 jobbies we get off eBay as they can't do it.

Mike

[tarquin]

Hi Mike

Off topic i know but could you explain/ talk me through the operation of your heated swats as i would like to fit some in mine

Cheers David

[Mike169]

Hi David

I don't know for sure but i think it's a job you won't be able to undertake as the heating in the seats are all part of the seat itself and i am guessing some sort of pad under the velour/leather seat pad. On top of that there are two switches on the dashboard and of course a part of a wiring loom going to them which you may or may not have. I very much doubt if you can buy the heated part of the seat on it's own and even if you could you would have to de-upholster the seat pad so i am guessing you would have to buy from where ever two seats with the heaters already in. No matter how strongly i wanted heated seats i don't think i would bother, far too much time, a lot of money and aggro involved. To be honest i have never even used mine but that is probably as we had no snow or was cold enough to use them. My best suggestion is if you ever change your car then make sure they are already fitted.

Sorry i couldn't of been more help, Mike.

[tarquin]

Hi Mike

You probably don't know but I already have personally upholstered my seats in leather. The iQ seats are a bit weird as the covering is glued to various bits of fibre and polystyrene type material. I can lift the bottom sections of my covering but not the back as it has to be glued to the original covering to keep the contour or would sit like a drum. The leather was a Toyota kit but you need to borrow upholsters tools to fit it and its hard work stretching the material.

Wiring looms are not a problem as I am a Electronics Broadcast Design Engineer.

If you can remember, the mention of a walk through was to tell me .

1, exactly where the switches are ?

2, method of operation (Do they time out for instance, or do you have to manually turn them off)

3, Are both parts of the seat heated?

4, Can each of the front seats be controlled individually?

Cheers

David

[Xophe]

Hello,

I don't like the annoying sound of this alarm.

Fortunately the software allows disconnecting the function, for every seat.

I used a cheap "mini VCI" from eBay to connect my PC to the car, for this kind of software adjustment.

[tarquin]

Hi Mike

Its Ok I have found the wiring diagram now all is clear cheers

David

[Mike169]

Well done David, fyi the switch is located below the heater controls in the 'sunglasses' recess, a single oblong switch with 2 buttons, one for each side, they are simply on/off, adjacent to the cigarette lighter. I am unsure if they time out and i don't think i can control what heat they get to. The only part of the seat that is heated is the seat pad itself.............please let us know how you get on.

Mike

[tarquin]

interesting

The circuit diagram shows the backs of the seat also heat up and the rear seats are meant to as well unless it was an option to have just the front only. The 2 heating elements are shown as one seat unit and work together. The power to them comes via a relay, again via a 15A fuse and operates from ACC (when the ignition is on)

Will check with MR T to see what the pads cost . my guess its going to be £1,000,000 at least

After market on eBay £12.99

Need a cooler version now Leather freezing cold in winter, Ouch, Ouch, Ouch in summer. Mind you thats only for 3 days a year

David