Dealer Will NOT Program 'Seat Belt Buzzer'

[Dot Calm]

I purchased the TE over the weekend when their service dept was closed. So, I go in yesterday to have all the "Customizable Features" programed.

Mr. T provides a programmable option to turn OFF the "vehicle speed linked seat belt reminder buzzer". However, my dealer won't do it! They give me some liability b.s. and tell me no dealers will do it? This makes absolutely no sense. They would have no liability for configuring a vehicle within the design specifications as provided by the manufacture. This is not a modification, the truck was designed to allow the owner to “personalize a variety of electronic features to suite your preferences.”

So, it is true that no dealers in So. Calif. will turn off the seat belt buzzer?
Can I program this myself? If so, how? Need some input here.

On soap box:
This is a prime example of how the lawyers and courts have put so much fear into businesses that any possibility of litigation trumps common sense. If you need a buzzer as a reminder great, keep it on. If you don’t need a reminder and occasionally have a briefcase or bag of groceries that set the damn annoying thing off, you should be able to program the vehicle as it was designed and turn it off.
Off soap box.

 

[ant-ny]

I don't know about the seat belt buzzer, but I have now been to two dealers asking them to do different programming and they both have looked at me like i have a third eye. Both have claimed they cannot do any type of programming and it is not an option, even after i have shown them the toyota sheet that lists all of them.

 

[SOcalTRAIL]

You just hafta find the right service writer or dealership. It took a few tries but I finally got mine programmed out.

 

[nw_4Runner]

On soap box:
This is a prime example of how the lawyers and courts have put so much fear into businesses that any possibility of litigation trumps common sense. If you need a buzzer as a reminder great, keep it on. If you don’t need a reminder and occasionally have a briefcase or bag of groceries that set the damn annoying thing off, you should be able to program the vehicle as it was designed and turn it off.
Off soap box.

At least with the seat belt chime you can find another dealer who isn't so paranoid (or that's the word on the boards). But man, the Navi/Phone/Audi interface has been lawyer-ed to levels of insanity. My favorite is it's not even consistent (e.g. you can select a speed dial while driving, but not from your contacts ... WHAT?!, or better, you can scroll up/down for songs in USB mode, but get locked out when in CD mode ... Seriously?!).

How do I get off this soap box? :biggrin2:

 

[Eagle]

I actually find the search feature difficult to use sometimes. However, I did test it out with this issue and searching "buzzer" produces more than enough related results to satisfy your interest.

Now, as far as the lawyers being responsible for causing litigation to trump common sense... I think the problem is common sense died off long ago, even without fear of litigation. I tend to believe that most people need their hands held to help them take care of even the most basic, simple, obvious tasks. (See paragraph 1, above)

Still need a solution? see this.

 

[Mason]

Find another dealer or better yet, go and talk to a tech working there. All they need to do is hook up the Toughbook laptop and run the Techstream software.

I've gotten the liability and a "you will need to set up an appointment" excuse before. Talked to a tech and he just grabbed the computer and helped me change what I wanted.

If your comfortable with computers and hooking up cables, take a look on ebay and search techstream.

 

[Jeremy556]

Search eBay for Toyota Techstream. You can get a cable and the software to DIY for like $30.

 

[Stifler]

I have found that if I put my seat belt on it doesn't make a noise and no lights go blinky blinky

 

[phillyd2]

Did you try hitting him? :boxer:

You should have searched here before picking up your truck so you would have learned he is a no good stinking liar. At this point tell him that if he does not confess to his sins, apologize sincerely and turn off your idiot buzzer you will post his details here and we will make it our mission that he never sells another 4Runner.

 

[MacRunner]

Go back to the sales department and speak with the sales manager. They want you to report a postive customer experience, if the service dept won't change it now they will when you tell the sales manager that your not happy!

I boought my trail a week ago and ran into the same issue, but I didn't leave until they turned it off. The sales department knows that toyota calls to make sure your satisfied and they desperatly want you to say yes! I received my call yesterday. Good luck - be polite but demanding and you will get your way.

 

[Hardrunner]

Search "seat belt chime disabler". Gives you flexibiliy

 

[Dot Calm]

Search "seat belt chime disabler". Gives you flexibiliy

I tried some of the DIY options posted without success. I have not heard of the Techstream software before and think I will go that route as would be to change the other settings as well without having to go back to the dealer.

It it good to hear that SolcalTrail who is also in So. Calif. was able to find a dealer to program. But, I'm sure another dealer would charge $$ to program, so I will check into the Techstream.

 

[harper7]

Search "seat belt chime disabler". Gives you flexibiliy

I searched.........If you know something about 5th Gens that we don't know give us a link as that comes up with what we are already discussing in this thread.

Techstream or seatbelt clip without the belt is what we know of and works.

 

[phillyd2]

What we DO know is that there is no Federal, State or Local law forbidding it being turned off.
What we DO know is that there is no Toyota policy forbidding it being turned off.
What we DO know is that dealer after dealer has turned them it off - even if they initially protested as was true in my case.
What we DO know is that any dealer stating otherwise is lying.

OP - put your big boy undies on, go back to the dealer and demand they do as you asked.

 

[jspagna1]

I searched.........If you know something about 5th Gens that we don't know give us a link as that comes up with what we are already discussing in this thread.

Techstream or seatbelt clip without the belt is what we know of and works.

These can readily be had from E-Bay Motors.

UNIVERSAL CAR SUV SAFETY SEAT BELT BUCKLE ALARM CANCELLER ELIMINATOR BLACK NEW | eBay

 

[SOcalTRAIL]

What we DO know is that there is no Federal, State or Local law forbidding it being turned off.
What we DO know is that there is no Toyota policy forbidding it being turned off.
What we DO know is that dealer after dealer has turned them it off - even if they initially protested as was true in my case.
What we DO know is that any dealer stating otherwise is lying.

OP - put your big boy undies on, go back to the dealer and demand they do as you asked.

Big boy undies, love it.

 

[Eagle]

What we DO know is that there is no Federal, State or Local law forbidding it being turned off.

You confuse the absence of a law with the absence of potential liability. And it's not limited to the owner... if a passenger is injured while not wearing a seatbelt, a suit against both the driver and Toyota would be pretty likely.

I say that not to indicate you shouldn't disable the chime, just that the dealer's resistance may be legitimate. What incentive does a dealer have to disable the safety feature when it may ultimately subject them to liability? If they protest on liability grounds, you could offer to sign a waiver... but sheer insistence and demands may not be very effective.

 

[harper7]

These can readily be had from E-Bay Motors.

UNIVERSAL CAR SUV SAFETY SEAT BELT BUCKLE ALARM CANCELLER ELIMINATOR BLACK NEW | eBay

That would be the seat belt clip without the belt I mentioned. Any junkyard that has a Toyota in it has them too as they are all the same.Sharp knife would relieve them from their belt in 2 seconds flat!

 

[phillyd2]

You confuse the absence of a law with the absence of potential liability. And it's not limited to the owner... if a passenger is injured while not wearing a seatbelt, a suit against both the driver and Toyota would be pretty likely.

I say that not to indicate you shouldn't disable the chime, just that the dealer's resistance may be legitimate. What incentive does a dealer have to disable the safety feature when it may ultimately subject them to liability? If they protest on liability grounds, you could offer to sign a waiver... but sheer insistence and demands may not be very effective.

I very much look forward to reading about all the cases where something even close to this has ever happened. I'm guessing it's right up there with the class action law suits against car companies for allowing drivers to turn off their head lights and then running into a bus full of nuns and orphans.

Until then I'll continue to habit the real world here on a little place we call earth.

And on the very off chance that any of this could even be remotely true, Toyota would have done with the buzzer what they did with the nav system.

 

[Bay33saw]

I tried some of the DIY options posted without success. I have not heard of the Techstream software before and think I will go that route as would be to change the other settings as well without having to go back to the dealer.

It it good to hear that SolcalTrail who is also in So. Calif. was able to find a dealer to program. But, I'm sure another dealer would charge $$ to program, so I will check into the Techstream.

Pffffttttt The Republic of California wins again, dude take a trip to Vegas in your new ride and go to my dealership, I just had my 5k check up and I asked them to do my seat belt chime and lower the windows off the remote, "No problem Sir anything else?" all for free.