Seat Belt Sensor Disable

Let me start off by saying that I do wear my seatbelt every time I drive. I just hate having my car beep at me if I don't put it on fast enough, I don't need a babysitter. Also, sometimes if I have my backpack in the passenger seat it sets the sensor off and that is annoying. Or if you are driving and you want to take off your jacket or something, don't feel like having the car beep at your while you are trying to do that.

With that aside, let me tell you how I did it. I don't have enough pictures, but maybe I will take some more at some point. I have the 2005 Outback XT. For some odd reason, the driver and passenger seatbelts have different sensors.

Driver side:

There is a switch that is normally closed, that is, when your seatbelt is off, the switch is closed. When you plug your seatbelt in, it opens the switch, and your car knows you put it on.

To disable is simple: disconnect the wire harness under the seat for the seatbelt sensor. The car will think it is always on. You actually don't need any tool to do this if you know exactly where the harness is and how to unplug it, but thats pretty tricky. Just use a 14mm socket to take the four seat bolts out and tilt the seat back. You will see a line of harnesses. The one closest to the door is the seatbelt one. Unplug it. Put the seat back in. You are done. Your car will never complain about your belt again.

Passenger side:

For some reason, there are two switches. One that is the same as the drivers side, which is from as far as I could tell, ignored. The other switch in it is much more complex to disable. Seemed to be some sort of inductance switch; when you buckled up, it pushed a piece of metal into a gap in some plastic.

To disable is hard: Take out the four seat bolts. Tilt the seat back and unplug all the harnesses (there are a lot). Take the seat completely out of the car for some room to work with it (the seatbelt is still attached to the base). Take the housing off of the seatbelt receiver. If you look, you will see a black piece of plastic with a gap in it that a small piece of metal enters when you clip the seatbelt in. The best way I could find to disable this guy was to break the metal off, and glue it into the plastic so it never leaves. **Be careful when you do this, as if you mess it up, you car may think the seatbelt is always unplugged.** Put the seat back in the car, reattach all the harnesses, and put all the bolts back in. You should be all set.

Hope this helps all that are frustrated with the sensors.

-Mike Powers

Or you could just click the belt 20 times to disable the chime....

The 20x thing doesn't work for me, so I'll try the above method.

...Also, sometimes if I have my backpack in the passenger seat it sets the sensor off...

You carry a 50lbs backpack?!?!

Or you could just click the belt 20 times to disable the chime....

I always thought that was a running joke on the board. I guess I'll RTFM

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i can't recall something else in the automotive realms that has spurned so many threads as the dreaded seat belt chime......

i went the 20 click route when i got the car and so far so good....

The seatbelt trick is easily the easiest route. Takes 20 seconds and Ive had to do it only 3 times in a year.

You're lucky, mine came back three times in a month.

The 20x thing doesn't work for me, so I'll try the above method.

The 20 X worked for me FIRST time. I was really amazed with that Easter egg. Are there any other of these WhiteTiger?

You carry a 50lbs backpack?!?!

 

wtf? i didnt say that. dunno what quote u were going after. i asked about the air bag being affected... i.e. drivers side.

The 20x thing doesn't work for me, so I'll try the above method.

If you have an '05 then it will work, you just have to do it properly.

If you have an '05 then it will work, you just have to do it properly.

Yep, I have an 05. I've tried it a bunch of times, but it never works. What's the trick? Turn key to on, insert and remove buckle 20 times in less than 30 seconds. Never works for me.

What are you laughing about? Are you guys shitting me about this whole 20x thing?

It's not that hard guys.

1. Turn the ignition to position II

2. While the start up chimes are still going off, insert fully and remove fully the clasp into the buckle at least 20 times, 30 is better.

3. Turn the ignition off and remove the key.

When you start up again the seatbelt chimes will have disappeared

2. While the start up chimes are still going off, insert fully and remove fully the clasp into the buckle at least 20 times, 30 is better.

Doh! I've been waiting till those initial startup chimes stopped before doing the clicky part. I bet that was my problem. I'll try it again tonight.

^^ u have to know the right combination of curse words to say before it will work. that is clearly ur problem.

Oooooh...is that my problems?!

It's not that hard guys.

 

1. Turn the ignition to position II

2. While the start up chimes are still going off, insert fully and remove fully the clasp into the buckle at least 20 times, 30 is better.

3. Turn the ignition off and remove the key.

 

When you start up again the seatbelt chimes will have disappeared

Now that I think about it, I was turning the key and taking a second to "get into position" to do the key thing fast. Maybe I need to start sooner too...while the chime is still going.

Now that I think about it, I was turning the key and taking a second to "get into position" to do the key thing fast. Maybe I need to start sooner too...while the chime is still going.

Yep, that was my problem. I was giving the car time to stop doing the initial dings before I started the clicking. I tried it again this evening, doing the belt clicking part a second or two after turning on the key. It didn't work the first couple tries, but I finally got it on the third try. Finally!

Glad you finally got it .

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