Airbag light on after new seat covers

I put in some Rough Country seat covers yesterday now I have the orange “Pass Airbag” light on. Doesn’t appear anything is knocked loose under the seat. Any ideas why the light is on?

 

I think there’s a sensor in the seat, detecting when pressure is applied, and the same (or another sensor) is factoring how much weight is applied, so it will then decide to enable or disable the air bag function should there be an accident that might set them off.
My guess is; your seat covers have enough force, that it recognizes, what it thinks is a load, but not one heavy enough, to enable the air bags for that side.
When I put my gym bag and another object on my passenger seat, that light comes on, but goes out if an adult sits there.

I’d start by attempting to loosen the covers, or reinstall them. If that doesn’t work, I’d send em back.

 

I have the same issue with the Rough Country seat covers. I keep meaning to take the passenger side off and re-install but haven't yet. Doesn't help you, but it sounds like Rough Country seat covers need to figure out the sensor issue. I think there is a sensor in the side of the seat by the door... Maybe cut a hole...?

 

I’ll try loosing the straps a bit. They are a really tight fit

 

Parents had a rav4 and hooked the covers underneath onto a wire that pulled something out. $1100 fix

 

That light is suppose to be on, if no one is seated in the passenger seat. Like said, its pressure activated.

 

Edit, edit, edit, Chew is right, the below is bullshit. Skip this post.


I'm going to have to disagree. If it's triggering the sensor then the red seatbelt light would be shining in your face.

The next bit is where I'm fuzzy, and I'm currently at a public space with beer in hand, otherwise I'd stumble out to the parking lot to look. I think there are two airbag lights - the instrument cluster for when there's a malfunction, and the one on the dash for when the passenger is disabled.

And from super duper fuzzy memory, I thought the one on the dash stays lit every time the pass seat does not have a lardass sitting in it.

Crap. Someone go verify. I'm drinking my way into the weekend.

Oh, and verify that both black and yellow plugs are secure underneath the seat. It might require undoing the bolts and tilting it back to check.

 

In my 2020 SR the light was off when the seat was empty, if I put some weight on it like a bag of groceries or something the light would come on, so I’m thinking that the covers are to tight telling the seat someone is sitting on it

 

When I had my SR the light was always off , it went on if there was weight in the seat

 

I wash completely wrong. I take it back. I learned something new.

Turns out, if you put a small bit of weight in the seat, the light lights up. Huh.

So yeah, your bottom is too tight. You're right.


Fuck.

 

Meh, no big deal. So, if the airbag is off how do you turn it on? Wouldn’t that make the light go off? I haven’t tried loosening it yet, was busy fighting the rear covers into place

 

So apparently it's a two position sensor. If there's a little weight, the light says "I know something is in the seat, but the airbag still isn't engaging." However, if it's over 50 pounds (from memory, that's the national standard), then the passenger airbag is good to go.

 

You need to do the occupant detection zero calibration. No idea how without a techstream.

 

Correct, that’s a better way of saying it.
Essentially it’s deliberately not arming air bag system for that side, if it suspects a child in the seat, which could do more harm than good. That’s what I think anyways
Personally; I’d send them back if they interfere with the air bag system, and it sounds like others have the same issue with this brand.

 

The indicator comes on to alert you that the front passenger's front airbag has been turned off. This occurs when the front passenger's weight sensors detect 65 lbs (29 kg) or less, the weight of an infant or small child, on the seat.

Or maybe a seat cover too tight ???

 

Mine shows off when I have a passenger....Not good

 

I just checked this out again...
The light actually said on when I sat in the passenger side seat. A small portion of the OFF light looked like it was lit up from my original picture but it wasn't.
When I placed a box weighing about 25 lbs on the passenger seat, the light clearly switched to off. (child safety)

So all in all, I was wrong, my air bags seem to be ok after the seat cover install...

Good luck OP, did you try to loosen the seat cover?

 

I loosened the side up a bit this morning but light stayed lit, I’ll try loosening the main straps when I get home

 

Also check the wires underneath, hopefully those weren’t affected though

 

So I undid the seat cover straps one by one and when I got to third one the light went off. Looks like I had it attached really close to what looks like one of the sensors. Thanks all for the replies!