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Technical Seatbelt Alarm

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Technical Seatbelt Alarm

From the Grand Punto message board.
ricec87 said:
if you look in your hand book it says:
1. turn the key to the position before start,
2. put your belt on and wait 20 seconds,
3. start the car,
4. take off your belt,
and it does not beep or flash just stays on constentley, i have tryed it. but do you want to sit on the drive for 20 seconds before every time you start the car ?
Click to expand...
I wonder if this works with a 500?

This idea would work. It usually takes Mrs Mick F more than 20secs to get in a sit down, so I have plenty time. lol.

I'll be experimenting later today.

Thanks,
Mick
 
Under the seats, on the outsides ( O/S on driver's side and N/S on passenger side ) there are two electrical connector plug/sockets. One is large and orange, and the other is small and light grey.

The light grey one has two wires and they are cased in a dark grey sleeve that runs to the underside of the seatbelt buckle units. The "car side" goes down a flexi conduit and into the carpet undergrowth.

Next time we're going out in the 500, I will take a suitably bent/cut paperclip or something and disconnect this plug and short out the two connections on the "car side".

Maybe later today or tomorrow.

Regards,
Mick.
 
Short out the two connections? What the hell are you on? You do realise that there are airbags in the seat right?
 
ahmett said:
and you think the insurance company is smart enough to tell if the software of a written off car has been modified? good luck with that!
Click to expand...

Yes they are, you think you're smart enough to fool a big insurance company :rolleyes: :ROFLMAO:

(although its unlikly to be an issue where its a option in the software like this, normally if its a major change like a remap etc that it can become an issue).

OP main dealer should be able to do it. Ask them to for you at the next service they do (y)
 
Most Easterly Pandas said:
Yes they are, you think you're smart enough to fool a big insurance company :rolleyes: :ROFLMAO:

(although its unlikly to be an issue where its a option in the software like this, normally if its a major change like a remap etc that it can become an issue).

OP main dealer should be able to do it. Ask them to for you at the next service they do (y)
Click to expand...
in my opinion insurance companies are more bullies than smart. as in they will try not to pay you but if you fight them in most cases they'll have to pay. of course if you obivously lie on a major thing such as a remap or you were drink driving, then they prob wont cover you. but over minor things they have no right although they will try their best to scare you off!
 
ahmett said:
but over minor things they have no right although they will try their best to scare you off!
Click to expand...

Well infact they do have rights, they're the ones underwriting your risk and indemnifying them, if the change you've made would have affected their rating of the risk, no matter how small, then they're entitled not to cover you.
 
Most Easterly Pandas said:
Well infact they do have rights, they're the ones underwriting your risk and indemnifying them, if the change you've made would have affected their rating of the risk, no matter how small, then they're entitled not to cover you.
Click to expand...


They cannot refuse cover over stupid reasons though it is their duty to cover you under the law . That's why you need to read all the small print to know what they can get out of and what they can't !
 
306maxi said:
Short out the two connections? What the hell are you on? You do realise that there are airbags in the seat right?
Click to expand...
I don't know if you read what I wrote .........

You will see that I said there are two connectors and one of them ONLY goes to the seatbelt buckle.

These two wires either short out when you connect your seatbelt, or they break contact when you connect your seatbelt. It can only be one or the other.

My bet is that they are open circuit until you connect your seatbelt. Therefore if I disconnect the plug, the car will assume I haven't connected my seatbelt even if I have, and the alarm will sound continually until I re-connect the plug.

Next test will be to disconnect the plug and short out the car side. This will tell the car that the seatbelt is connected even though it may not actually be connected.

Hopefully everyone will understand this experiment.

TTFN
Mick.
 
Mick F said:
I don't know if you read what I wrote .........

You will see that I said there are two connectors and one of them ONLY goes to the seatbelt buckle.

These two wires either short out when you connect your seatbelt, or they break contact when you connect your seatbelt. It can only be one or the other.

My bet is that they are open circuit until you connect your seatbelt. Therefore if I disconnect the plug, the car will assume I haven't connected my seatbelt even if I have, and the alarm will sound continually until I re-connect the plug.

Next test will be to disconnect the plug and short out the car side. This will tell the car that the seatbelt is connected even though it may not actually be connected.

Hopefully everyone will understand this experiment.

TTFN
Mick.
Click to expand...


Let us know how it goes
 
Yes, will do.

I have to go out in a few hours but twilight may preclude a full trial, but I should be able to test the idea of the plug undone easily enough.

If the alarm sounds continually after going fast enough along the road even though my seatbelt is on correctly, and there are no other alarms evident, it means I've got the correct plug.

If the then stop and re-connect, then drive away again and it's silent. That's a good test.

Next test after that is to disconnect, short out, then drive away.

Yes, I'll keep people informed.

Regards,
Mick
 
ahmett said:
They cannot refuse cover over stupid reasons though
Click to expand...

They can if they deem that 'stupid reason' a reason that they'd have refused cover or charged a different premium.

Just because you see something as stupid doesn't mean that it is, or is seen the same way by everyone else, or more importantly and insurance company ;)
 
Experiment complete. :)

I drove away as normal with seatbelt fastened.
No alarm.

I stopped in a local carpark and undid my seatbelt, allowed it to retract, and drove round the (empty) carpark.
Alarm sounded as soon as I reached to speed threshold.

Continuing along, I pressed the release button.
Remember, the seatbelt wasn't connected.
As I pressed the button, the alarm stopped.
As I released the button, the alarm resumed.

I stopped again, got out, unclipped the light grey plug - discussed earlier.
I drove away again without using the seatbelt.

Nothing happened.
No alarm.
No indication of anything.
No indication on the dash.
Nothing at all.

I repeated the whole scenario and confirmed it all again.

This now tells me that I was wrong in my bet.
This tells me that the seatbelt switch is short circuit until until you engage the seatbelt buckle when the connection goes open circuit.

I wrongly expected an open circuit until you engage the seatbelt buckle, but it's closed circuit normally and open circuit when you engage.

By disconnecting the light grey plug, the car thinks you have your seatbelt fastened correctly.

Whether anyone wants to do this, is entirely up to them, but if they do, silence will prevail. :)

Thanks guys,
Mick.
 
As a matter of curiosity would a car fail an MOT if the buzzer didn't work if it was fitted as standard? (Yes I am aware that the method described above is fully reversable ;) )
 
During an MOT, the mechanic doesn't drive the car.
He/she needs to drive at 10mph(?) to reach the speed threshold, but as they don't drive it, they wouldn't know.

All they check is the operation, condition, and security of the seatbelts.

Regards, and thanks for reading,
Mick.
 
Mick F said:
During an MOT, the mechanic doesn't drive the car.
He/she needs to drive at 10mph(?) to reach the speed threshold, but as they don't drive it, they wouldn't know.

All they check is the operation, condition, and security of the seatbelts.

Regards, and thanks for reading,
Mick.
Click to expand...

Its goes on a roller to test the brakes ;)
 
Mick F said:
During an MOT, the mechanic doesn't drive the car.
He/she needs to drive at 10mph(?) to reach the speed threshold, but as they don't drive it, they wouldn't know.

All they check is the operation, condition, and security of the seatbelts.

Regards, and thanks for reading,
Mick.
Click to expand...

OK got that, thanks.

Next question - the seatbelt light comes on regardless of speed so could a very vigilant tester fail for a non functioning light? (Not being difficult just asking for my own curiosity :D )
 
scout said:
OK got that, thanks.

Next question - the seatbelt light comes on regardless of speed so could a very vigilant tester fail for a non functioning light? (Not being difficult just asking for my own curiosity :D )
Click to expand...

Although if it doesn't come on then its not there surly ;)

No different to all of the other none functioning lights like Diesel glow plugs on a petrol model etc.
 
Mick F said:
Experiment complete. :)

I drove away as normal with seatbelt fastened.
No alarm.

I stopped in a local carpark and undid my seatbelt, allowed it to retract, and drove round the (empty) carpark.
Alarm sounded as soon as I reached to speed threshold.

Continuing along, I pressed the release button.
Remember, the seatbelt wasn't connected.
As I pressed the button, the alarm stopped.
As I released the button, the alarm resumed.

I stopped again, got out, unclipped the light grey plug - discussed earlier.
I drove away again without using the seatbelt.

Nothing happened.
No alarm.
No indication of anything.
No indication on the dash.
Nothing at all.

I repeated the whole scenario and confirmed it all again.

This now tells me that I was wrong in my bet.
This tells me that the seatbelt switch is short circuit until until you engage the seatbelt buckle when the connection goes open circuit.

I wrongly expected an open circuit until you engage the seatbelt buckle, but it's closed circuit normally and open circuit when you engage.

By disconnecting the light grey plug, the car thinks you have your seatbelt fastened correctly.

Whether anyone wants to do this, is entirely up to them, but if they do, silence will prevail. :)

Thanks guys,
Mick.
Click to expand...

Can you cobble it up to a switch that disconnects the alarm like the grey plug does.. then re-enable it (switch the alarm back on) when you're back on the road? Everybody happy and saves messing about.. just flick the switch. :)

Ralf S.
 
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