Seat Belt Mod - COMPLETE SILENCE

[Dudley]

(I posted this a few months ago on another site...)

I was going to title this thread "Death to the Six Bongs!", but I didn't want to scare off any potheads.

Forget that owner's manual nonsense - it doesn't completely stop the seatbelt reminder on my model. If I turn the key to "run" without my belt buckled, I have to listen to those six surprisingly-annoying dings. Screw that!

This mod is for people who wear their seatbelts, but prefer to start the car before buckling up. I don't know if the air bag system deploys the bag differently depending on whether or not the seat belt is buckled, so USE THE SEATBELT! Then again, if you're dumb enough not to use the seatbelt, then airbag deployment is, ironically, the least of your concerns.

I could have just cut the wire that connects to the seatbelt switch, but that's too Mickey Mouse for me. Instead, I traced the wire and pulled it from the harness in the driver's footwell. On my model, it's on the right side of the harness, third down from the top, and it's red & black. Whenever this wire is grounded, the electronics will think the belt is NOT buckled, so seal the end of the wire with tape or shrink-wrap tubing.

If you don't mind the Mickey Mouse method...

Two wires connect to the seat belt switch - one is black, and the other is red & black. The switch is normally closed, so cutting either wire will stop the seat belt chime. If you have side air bags, DO NOT go cutting wires indiscriminately under the driver's seat; trace the wires from the switch and/or use a multitester to be sure you're cutting the right wire.

[Jeffery]

Or you can use the focus hacks mod. No cutting or modifying any wires at all.

http://www.focushacks.com/index.php?modid=38

[Dudley]

I performed the Seat Belt Minder disable procedure within a week after buying my Focus, but it won't stop those six stupid bongs when you first start the car (not on my 2001 ZX3, anyway).

I also bypassed the door chime (without disabling the chime itself or interfering with the dome light). Now my car will only bong if something goes horribly wrong (loss of oil pressure, fail-safe cooling mode, etc.).

Best mods ever! It's amazing how much more pleasant the Focus is when it's SILENT!

[Smoe]

ya, you know the owners manual has instructions to disable the reminder? lol

also the easiest way to get it to stop dinging is to wear your seatbelt

[Nells]

ya, you know the owners manual has instructions to disable the reminder? lol

also the easiest way to get it to stop dinging is to wear your seatbelt

Forget that owner's manual nonsense - it doesn't completely stop the seatbelt reminder on my model. If I turn the key to "run" without my belt buckled, I have to listen to those six surprisingly-annoying dings. Screw that!

[Z63R]

That procedure is only for the 'BeltMinder'.

It does not prevent the initial six chimes.

I think.

[noresull]

Yeah, and those 6 chimes are so annoying!!

[Nells]

Yeah, and those 6 chimes are so annoying!!

They're about as annoying as that damned upshift light


oh wait.. that thing really DOES irritate me.

[Dudley]

Hehe. I can't even tell if you guys are making fun of me or if you're serious

All I know is that I don't miss those stupid chimes that I had to listen to WHILE REACHING FOR MY SEATBELT!

For the upshift light, you can always shell out the $800 for the Pro Racer package or have a chip burned to change or eliminate the shift points. I like the FocusSport guy's idea to set the light to come on at redline.

Personally, I don't mind the light at all - it's SOUND that bothers me!

[ahmadr]

Does anybody know a way to just disable the indicator chime (beep) which starts the time you turn on the car unbelted, without disabling the belt-minder? Can a Ford dealer do it (on a 2006)?

Even though I always buckle up, it would be nice to have the belt-minder in case some stupid passenger forgets, but I want to start the car first and then buckle up without hearing yet another beep.

Thanks,
Ahmad

[Engien]

I disabled the chime via the owner's manual instructions and I don't have any initial bongs on my 2000 zx3.

[networm]

same here ('01)

[Z63R]

^ ^ ^ That's awesome - but my '03 is different. I followed the 'Belt Minder Disable' and it did exactly that - got rid of the constant reminder if no one buckles up. I always buckle up but, like Dudley, I like to start the car first and would like to get rid of the initial six chimes.

So let me get this straight:

Dudley

I could have just cut the wire that connects to the seatbelt switch, but that's too Mickey Mouse for me. Instead, I traced the wire and pulled it from the harness in the driver's footwell. On my model, it's on the right side of the harness, third down from the top, and it's red & black. Whenever this wire is grounded, the electronics will think the belt is NOT buckled, so seal the end of the wire with tape or shrink-wrap tubing.

In other words, unplugging this particular wire, protecting the end with heat shrink (and securing the wire so that it doesn't flop around) will act as if the belt is clicked?

That's all I want; I don't want to cut any wires or give the PCM or the RCM (Restraint Control Module - it's in the center console) any confusing signals or cause it to stress in any way. LOL.

Just no want teh six bongs...

[Dudley]

Originally Posted by Z63R

In other words, unplugging this particular wire, protecting the end with heat shrink (and securing the wire so that it doesn't flop around) will act as if the belt is clicked?

That's the way the wiring worked on my 2001 ZX3, but I can't guarantee it will work on other model years. Plus my memory is a bit fuzzy at this point, since I made these changes about two years ago.

For those of you who don't have the six bongs, count yourselves lucky. For me, the only way to prevent the six bongs was to buckle the belt before starting the car, which was surprisingly annoying (I'm not good at ignoring auditory distractions).

With the door chime mod and seatbelt mod, I haven't had to listen to that stupid bong sound in over two years. I haven't missed it yet.

[Z63R]

Dudley!

That's the way the wiring worked on my 2001 ZX3, but I can't guarantee it will work on other model years.

Ah yes. Good point.

[Bparks717]

u know the simplest things annoy people sometimes

[OmniFocus]

After two years, you dig up the post to say only that?

Either way, I found that simply unplugging the belt connector made the dash light and noises go away.... which is good, because the bright red seat-belt light is distracting on track.

[G-forces]

Originally Posted by Dudley

I also bypassed the door chime (without disabling the chime itself or interfering with the dome light). Now my car will only bong if something goes horribly wrong (loss of oil pressure, fail-safe cooling mode, etc.).

I'd like to know more about this one. I hadn't heard about that hack before. It sounds great. There's been a few times when I wanted the key on and the door open for access. How did you do that? Did you post a write-up on it?

[ghostrider86]

Originally Posted by OmniFocus

After two years, you dig up the post to say only that?

Either way, I found that simply unplugging the belt connector made the dash light and noises go away.... which is good, because the bright red seat-belt light is distracting on track.

I tried unplugging it, no dice. Here is my delima, I am changing out seats from different years, even though the plugs look alike, something is not matching up.

From what i can see, the new style seats have an Airbag sensor underneath to measure how far away from the steering wheel the driver is. Will that have anything to do with it??

Right now the seatbelt doesn't register, or said another way, when i plug in the seat belt, the light doesn't go off, the bell still rings......

Any help would be appreciated??

[Z63R]

From what i can see, the new style seats have an Airbag sensor underneath to measure how far away from the steering wheel the driver is. Will that have anything to do with it??

Please describe this sensor in better detail... how can you tell that it's a distance-from-wheel type sensor, rather than a typical seat occupancy sensor?

[sportscarfan1989]

Originally Posted by Nells

They're about as annoying as that damned upshift light


oh wait.. that thing really DOES irritate me.

i put tape over mine

[lofocus]

wow this is good to know that damn chime is annoying

[knifecatcher]

I just tried to do this mod because I HATE that bonging sound. Found the two wires under the seat (one black the other red and black) that go to the seatbelt and couldn't find them in the harness so after about 15 min of squirming around on the ground I just said F it I'll just clip the wire. First clipped the red and black, turned on the key and... BONG BONG! Spliced that one back together and clipped the black... BONG BONG! Spliced that back together and gave up because the airbag light started blinking. Not a succesfull day for mods although I did adjust the tention on the cigarette lighter so it doesn't come fllying out anymore when it pops. Nothing like a 1000 degree projectile landing in your crotch when you're driving.