How to disable seat belt chimes

My dealer refused to turn off the seat belt chime on my 2017 SR5 so I figured it out myself. First, to separate the seat belt cover you need to pry the two tabs apart on each side of the cover at the black arrow. I couldn't figure out how to get it apart without marring the cover, but once it's reassembled you can't see the marring due to the location. Once you have the cover apart, the switch can be removed from the cover by unlocking the tab at the white arrow and pulling the switch out by the end with the wires.

Once you have the switch removed you will see the white spring-loaded plunger that holds the magnet for the magnetic switch. Using a small screw driver, from the end of the switch where the white arrow is in the below image, lift the tab at the bottom of the white plunger and slide the plunger and spring out. Discard the spring.



Cut off the tab that protrudes from the side of the plunger so it looks like the image below, then reassemble in reverse order.


I originally tried just removing the spring - it worked until I buckled the seat belt and then the plunger tab somehow reengaged and my chimes worked as before despite the missing spring. I then tried removing the entire plunger and magnet, but it still chimed as before. Once I cut the tab off the plunger and reinstalled (without the spring) so it was unable to reengage - no more seat belt chimes!

I didn't simply unplug the connector beneath the seat because one connector is used for both the seat belt switch and another switch that appears to indicate the fore and aft seat location. I did not want to disconnect unknown sensors that provided information to the airbags, so I decided to simply make the seat belt switch always think it was buckled.

EDIT and WARNING: See post #38 - this modification to the passenger seat will result in the passenger side airbag remaining OFF. DO NOT PERFORM THIS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT!

 

Thanks for putting this up. I like this better than messing with the dash cluster.

 

Leave it alone, (for a multitude of reasons) and find a different dealer. Mine was done with no questions asked on the first service.

G.

 

Good for you. That's not an option for me.

 

I did mine via the steering column which also gets rid of the door ding when the door is open.

 

you could also get that one app that i cant think of the name of... and pay 10 bucks for a weeks access to change this stuff. Good on you for figuring that out though!

Carista is the app

 

That would suck, my dealer balked at it too. After 3 times of the service counter telling me oh sorry we forgot. I called the owner on his cell on his day off and handed the phone to the service guy.
My chime was turned off within 5 minutes.

 

I also did the steering column to get rid of the door chimes (unpluged the key switch) but that didn't disable the seat belt chimes.

I also considered Charista, but read in a few places that if the dealer ever reflashed the computer it would turn the chimes back on. I wanted a more permanent solution.

I told my dealer this was a serious issue for me and I would go elsewhere in the future if they didn't disable it. It went all the way to the owner, and they basically told me to walk.

I looked at all the options, including seat belt extenders. For me, this was the best solution. I thought I would offer it to others as I had not seen anyone do this yet. If you don't like it, don't do it.

 

I wonder why though. It takes 30 seconds to change it and there is no liability associated.

 

That was their excuse - too much liability.

 

What's the purpose behind this? Do you often drive without your seat belt?

 

I not betting my life on $4 stamped Chinese sheet steel.

 

https://thetikit.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQi...IkzQwBHZYF6aovKMNeXqVnjHxlqqNtFgaAvsnEALw_wcB

This for $5.

 

Driving on frozen lakes, on fields where I am getting out of the truck a lot, from the boat ramp to the parking lot to strap my boat down.......yes, quite often.

 

Thread title is misleading. It should read "How to break seat belt chimes".

 

As opposed to the $2 stamped Chinese OEM buckle?

 

Lol valid point

 

yep! this is what i did over a year ago. like $10. on Amazon also i stacked one on top of the other making the seat belt connector up higher, easy to connect when buried under your coat.