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2015 Crosstrek seat belt warning chime


Nadanutcase
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Let me preface my post by saying that I always use my seat belt when I'm going somewhere; I just automatically put it on.

 

That said, I bought a new Crosstrek early this year, so far so good, I like it though I've not used it all that much. Just getting to where it needs the first oil change (free from the dealer).  There is one thing I'd like them to change, but I'm told that they cannot (legally).  We live at the very end of a private lane that's a bit over 1/3 mile long and our mail box is out by the highway. Because of how it's mounted I really cannot reach the mail without getting out of the car. After I do that I find it a major PITA to refasten my seat belt, but, of course, if I don't I get to hear that obnoxious warning chime.

 

I know this can be shut off. From reading the manual it appears that in the ones sold outside of the U.S. this setting is accessible via the touch screen. Both the dealer and an independent shop I trust tells me it's illegal for them to change it.

 

I have a couple interrelated questions about this:

 

1) Does anyone know if, regardless of the legalities, the scanners available to either the dealers or the  after market repair shops provides access to this setting?

 

2) Can anyone point me to some sort of hack sight that has a means of a DIY project to get into this level of the configuration?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

DAve P

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No doubt there's a way to do it with a Subaru select monitor, but finding someone willing to hook up the scanner and dig around in the settings will be tricky.

 

Simple fix... Buy a spare seatbelt buckle and pop it in the latch when you go get the mail. Keep it in the center console.

 

You could get a bit more complicated and wire in a resistor so the computer thinks the buckle is latched all the time. This would probably require removing the seat to get to the wiring for the latch. And some knowledge or experience with wiring repairs.

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Thanks.... yes, if nothing else I figure I can keep 'dummy' buckle handy.  Since I DO use my belts whenever I'm actually going somewhere I don't want to jerry-rig it. Another possibility is to make or buy a seat belt extension and just leave it attached all of the time,

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Thanks...

 

As a follow up reply to my own post, yesterday I took it to the dealer for it's first oil change (a 'freebie') and discussed this with their service guys.  They told me that they don't even have access to that setting in the U.S. models. I wondered out loud how Subaru deals with people who have a medical exemption and cannot use a seat belt. 

 

The salesman who'd sold me the car was standing nearby and heard the exchange.  Then he GAVE me a free (used but free) seat belt extender.  It DOES turn out that the firmware in the car isn't 'smart' enough to figure out that a seat belt in but seat not occupied = alarm. So you can leave the extender plugged in full time and use the seat belt with that.

 

A couple more things for anyone who wants to use this work around. 

 

#1 It turns out that the extenders used by Ford will work and Ford GIVES them to any customer who asks for one

 

#2 I found, on Ebay, a "mini-extender" for Subarus that is a short, rigid assembly that could be used for this avoiding having the short belt of a standard extender in the way, flopping around as you get in and out of the car.

 

SO - problem solved with a relatively simple work-around.

 

Dave P

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  • 3 weeks later...

You can turn off the chime. I did it on mine. No matter what it will chime for a few seconds when you start the car but it will turn off and not come back on even if you are unbuckled. There is no legal thing I am aware of for it being off and it doesn't hurt the warranty. It is a dealer programmable feature.

 

To turn it off you have to turn the ignition switch to on (all the dash lights should come on) and fully cycle the seat belt in and out of the latch 30 times in 1 minute. It took me a couple times to get the timing down right, but it does work. I did the same thing to my 2012 Outback (that's where I learned the trick) and it still applied to my 2015 CXV. This has only worked for the driver seat. The passenger seat will still chime if unbuckled and it has a passenger in it. I am not sure if the trick will work for the passenger seat as I have never tried it.

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  • 5 months later...

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