Kill switch for passenger airbag sensor?

[Lewis&Clark]

Good morning folks,

Wondering if any of y'all have found a way to put in a switch capable of disabling the passenger airbag sensor? When no one is sitting in the seat but I have groceries or boxes sitting there, it's pretty annoying to have the airbag sensor going off and not being able to disable it.

'08 Ltd. V8, if it matters.


dt

 

[KingPrat]

If there's no weight in the seat, the air bag will turn off and not deploy.

Once there is weight in the seat, it will sense that, even if it's 20-30lbs.


Solution - don't put anything on the front seat! It's safer for you at the end of the day to secure things all the way in the back or in the back seat.

 

[Lewis&Clark]

If there's no weight in the seat, the air bag will turn off and not deploy.

Once there is weight in the seat, it will sense that, even if it's 20-30lbs.


Solution - don't put anything on the front seat! It's safer for you at the end of the day to secure things all the way in the back or in the back seat.

Understood how it works----but not the answer I was looking for ;-) But thanks!

I'm certainly well aware of the potential safety ramifications, and storing a small but moderate to lightly heavy box or my laptop bag or carry-on suitcase on the seat next to me is a relatively small risk I'm willing to take when needed.

Several cars on the market have on/off switches on the dashboard for the passenger airbag, so I was hoping there might be a way to hack one here.

 

[nevada]

i found this thread searching for the same thing.
i want to be able to turn it off.

im certain it can be done. theres got to be a plug that goes to the weight sensor. would just have to tie into that, maybe with a couple OE style connectors.

i'll have to dig around under the seat, and see what i find.

 

[Lewis&Clark]

i found this thread searching for the same thing.
i want to be able to turn it off.

im certain it can be done. theres got to be a plug that goes to the weight sensor. would just have to tie into that, maybe with a couple OE style connectors.

i'll have to dig around under the seat, and see what i find.

Please...please post back here with whatever you find or thoughts you have. I'm still looking for a solution.

dt

 

[KingPrat]

Several cars on the market have on/off switches on the dashboard for the passenger airbag, so I was hoping there might be a way to hack one here.

Those vehicles come with the switch, yes. However, you need to apply and prove that you are in need of shutting the air bag off - for example, driving a single row pickup and needing to transport a child in a car seat. They don't just hand the keys out like candy.

Whatever floats your boat man. I hope that if you do this "hack" you don't forget to turn the airbag back on for your passenger when you're jumping in in a hurry.

 

[gshadow325]

This is what the sensor looks like with the seat skin off

The plug is in the middle of the bottom seat cushion. The best way to do this is with a dvm aka digital volt meter. Test for continuity between two wires down there. When there is something on the seat there should be continuity. Once you find that wire thats when you cut open that wire and add in your switch.

 

[nevada]

Please...please post back here with whatever you find or thoughts you have. I'm still looking for a solution.

dt

i'll try.
it may be a while, the runner is still at the shop for repairs..

Those vehicles come with the switch, yes. However, you need to apply and prove that you are in need of shutting the air bag off - for example, driving a single row pickup and needing to transport a child in a car seat. They don't just hand the keys out like candy.
Whatever floats your boat man. I hope that if you do this "hack" you don't forget to turn the airbag back on for your passenger when you're jumping in in a hurry.

they use a different key?
im sure the ones ive seen, you just used the ignition key.

also, thats the reason i want to turn it off, so i can put one of my kids up front.

This is what the sensor looks like with the seat skin off

The plug is in the middle of the bottom seat cushion. The best way to do this is with a dvm aka digital volt meter. Test for continuity between two wires down there. When there is something on the seat there should be continuity. Once you find that wire thats when you cut open that wire and add in your switch.

awesome. thanks for the pic.

and yes, i dont think it will be too difficult, i just have to get around to actually doing it.
i think the hardest part would be finding the OE connectors, so i can just plug everything in.

 

[gshadow325]

Just had your scenario happen to me. Except mine was lunch sitting on the passenger seat. I just got pissed! Pulled the climate control unit out and undid the bulb. No beeps no blinks nothing!

 

[nevada]

I have no experience with this, but you might look in to this...
Toyota 120 Platforms Forum - View Single Post - Redswan's 2005 4Runner 4x4 Sport

very nice.
bypass module. good to know.

 

[Lewis&Clark]

I found a solution to this, and it's already built into the car!

Digging around some old posts here in the forums, I found an awesome thread on "secrets" of the 4th gen 4Runners.

Somewhere around page 7 or 8 there was discussion about a factory option to turn off the seatbelt beep. It's super simple to do, actually:

• Turn the car to ON
• Immediately after turning it to ON, make sure your odometer is in ODO (not Trip A or B) mode and press and hold the trip reset button for 15 seconds. Make sure you time it -- I stopped 1 or 2 seconds short of 15 seconds the first try and it didn't work.
• Once you hit 15 seconds, buckle the driver's seatbelt.
• The odometer display should now read "B-on" or "B-off" according to its current status. Press & release the trip reset button to change it to the setting you want.
• Turn off the car.

That's it! Now when I turn the car on, it beeps 5 times to remind me to buckle my seatbelt. Not that I need a reminder, I have never gone anywhere without a seatbelt (nor should you!)

And that's it. It doesn't continue to warn you if you don't buckle, but the part that's actually useful is that it doesn't beep 63 times at me if I have a backpack or a box or something even slightly heavy sitting on the passenger seat next to me.

Problem solved. No hacks. No undoing the stitching in my seat or digging around in the electronics.

BTW -- lots of other fun things in that same thread too. Worth a read through all 27 pages.


dt

:attention: ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SEATBELT! :attention: