First Toyota - Dashboard problems already!

[Yasmine]

Great to meet you all, have never been part of an owners club but found this through googling my dashboard problem and thought - why not?

My first car (M Reg Punto) has finally given up the ghost so I've just bought a 2005 5 door Corolla in shiny black.

So far I love it, going from a 1.0 to a 1.6 has been fun to say the least! And the extra room is great. Today is my fourth day of ownership and set off for work this morning when the seatbelt alarm started going off. When I had my seatbelt on?? Is this normal? Is it an electrical fault inside the dashboard? Who knows... I shall have to get my mechanic to investigate next weekend.

 

For now, I will enjoy browsing the forum. Happy Monday to you all!

[Anthony Poli]

Hi Yasmine,

Welcome to Toyota owners club.

The sensor should be inside the lock mechanism for the seat belt, with any luck it might be just dust or something has got into the slot causing the sensor/switch not to operate.

[craggle]

Hi Yasmine and welcome

You didn't have any luggage on the passenger seat did you? 

I quite often chuck my camera bag, shopping, laptop and things for work etc. on the passenger seat and that can set off the alarm. I guess the weight needed to register a passenger is quite light and the car thinks there is someone with you not wearing a belt. 

Craig.

 

[Yasmine]

Oh dear... Yes @craggle this was the first time driving to work, and I put my coat, handbag, lunch, etc. on the passenger seat.

It was intermittent and only when taking off in first that the alarm was sounding. Makes so much sense now. Should have RTFM, eh?

Will buy some plugs for the seatbelt receivers now.

Thanks so much for solving the mystery(!)

[Yasmine]

Another question, sorry if it's a stupid one. But there doesn't seem to be an AUX in or USB port in the radio?

If I want to play music from my phone is my only option to rip out the whole radio panel? Or is there a hidden connecter port somewhere?

[Anthony Poli]

6 minutes ago, Yasmine said:

Another question, sorry if it's a stupid one. But there doesn't seem to be an AUX in or USB port in the radio?

If I want to play music from my phone is my only option to rip out the whole radio panel? Or is there a hidden connecter port somewhere?

What model of radio do you have fitted?

You can get ipod to cd changer or bluetooth adapter.

[Yasmine]

@Anthony Poli Have ordered an FM transmitter for the cigarette lighter. Problem sorted!

[Anthony Poli]

They work as well, you never know who else could be listening to your music too

My mother had one, and i could pick it up driving in front of her, I was surprised how far i could get before i lost the signal. Probably an illegal import, but that was before they changed the law about the transmitters.