Seatbelt warning light comes on randomly.

pounc007 · 07-21-2017, 04:09 PM

Hey everyone. About a month ago my seatbelt warning light started coming on in my 2014 m235i seemingly at random. After a few times I pulled over and pulled out my phone to try to take a video I could show to the service tech, and when I turned the phone on the light stopped. I thought it was random bad luck and finished my drive in to work. The next morning the same thing happened. As soon as I unlocked my phone the alarm stopped. I experimented with this several more times and concluded that if I unlocked the phone, the alarm would go away. This only seemed to happen if I had there phone connected to charge via USB. I chalked this up to a weird bug that I'll address the next time I go in for service, then today the arm went off and I had to pull over and stop to get it silenced.

I have checked the seatbelt buckle and emergency stop and they appear to be working fine, so I'm not concerned for my safety, but the alarm is annoying as hell. Has anyone else experienced this?

If it matters I have a Google Nexus 5x phone.

pz619 · 07-21-2017, 04:59 PM

Anything in the passenger seats?

B_Rice · 07-21-2017, 08:17 PM

That happens if you have your phone in the passenger seat

pounc007 · 07-21-2017, 08:43 PM

I'll try to keep the phone out of the seat and see if that helps. I am pretty sure the alarm has been tripping with the phone in my lap. Is the sensor that sensitive that a phone will set it off? I've definitely left other things larger than my phone in the seat and it hasn't went off.

I'll update in a few days.

MarcoZandrini · 07-22-2017, 09:10 AM

Use a vacuum cleaner to suck any crap out if the seat buckle. You'd be surprised as to what gets into the buckle.

pounc007 · 07-23-2017, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarcoZandrini

Use a vacuum cleaner to suck any crap out if the seat buckle. You'd be surprised as to what gets into the buckle.

Already did that.

SizzlerWA · 08-12-2018, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pounc007

Hey everyone. About a month ago my seatbelt warning light started coming on in my 2014 m235i seemingly at random. After a few times I pulled over and pulled out my phone to try to take a video I could show to the service tech, and when I turned the phone on the light stopped. I thought it was random bad luck and finished my drive in to work. The next morning the same thing happened. As soon as I unlocked my phone the alarm stopped. I experimented with this several more times and concluded that if I unlocked the phone, the alarm would go away. This only seemed to happen if I had there phone connected to charge via USB. I chalked this up to a weird bug that I'll address the next time I go in for service, then today the arm went off and I had to pull over and stop to get it silenced.

I have checked the seatbelt buckle and emergency stop and they appear to be working fine, so I'm not concerned for my safety, but the alarm is annoying as hell. Has anyone else experienced this?

If it matters I have a Google Nexus 5x phone.

I just had this happen to me today for the first time ever. And I had my iPhone plugged in via USB (I never do that). It happened twice, once while I was stopped at a red light and once while was driving slowly. My phone was in the passenger seat but as soon as I unlocked it to take a photo of the warning, it disappeared.

So maybe the phone via USB is causing this?

Sportstick · 08-12-2018, 07:58 PM

I have read other similar reports. Apparently, the occupant sensing system reacts to the cell phone. Just place it elsewhere and issue should be gone.

SizzlerWA · 08-12-2018, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sportstick

I have read other similar reports. Apparently, the occupant sensing system reacts to the cell phone. Just place it elsewhere and issue should be gone.

Sounds plausible. But it only seems to react to the cellphone when it's on the passenger seat AND plugged in via USB. Just placing it on the seat doesn't seem to be enough ...

hwntime · 08-12-2018, 11:32 PM

I always thought the sensor was supposed to be rated at like 42lbs or some odd number like that? And a cell phone weighing ounces is setting it off?

aerobod · 08-13-2018, 12:56 AM

From the owners manual, ‘Automatic Deactivation of the Front-Seat Passenger Airbags’:

“The system reads if the front passenger seat is occupied by measuring the human body’s resistance” ....... “Do not place any electronic devices on the passenger seat if a child restraint system is to be installed on it.”

Sportstick · 08-13-2018, 05:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hwntime

I always thought the sensor was supposed to be rated at like 42lbs or some odd number like that? And a cell phone weighing ounces is setting it off?

It’s not the weight. It’s due to the electronics.

DaleHeinz · 08-17-2018, 07:08 PM

Bimmercode, and disable the warning all together. I'm smart enough to know when my seatbelt is on and not on.

07-21-2017, 04:09 PM	#1
pounc007 New Member 1 Rep 13 Posts Drives: 2014 mineral grey M235i Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: Birmingham, AL iTrader: (0)	Seatbelt warning light comes on randomly. Hey everyone. About a month ago my seatbelt warning light started coming on in my 2014 m235i seemingly at random. After a few times I pulled over and pulled out my phone to try to take a video I could show to the service tech, and when I turned the phone on the light stopped. I thought it was random bad luck and finished my drive in to work. The next morning the same thing happened. As soon as I unlocked my phone the alarm stopped. I experimented with this several more times and concluded that if I unlocked the phone, the alarm would go away. This only seemed to happen if I had there phone connected to charge via USB. I chalked this up to a weird bug that I'll address the next time I go in for service, then today the arm went off and I had to pull over and stop to get it silenced. I have checked the seatbelt buckle and emergency stop and they appear to be working fine, so I'm not concerned for my safety, but the alarm is annoying as hell. Has anyone else experienced this? If it matters I have a Google Nexus 5x phone. Last edited by pounc007; 07-21-2017 at 08:45 PM..
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07-21-2017, 04:59 PM	#2
pz619 Brigadier General 3279 Rep 3,256 Posts Drives: F87 M2C 6MT, Tesla 3 Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: San Diego iTrader: (1)	Anything in the passenger seats?
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07-21-2017, 08:17 PM	#3
B_Rice Lieutenant 219 Rep 518 Posts Drives: 6spd Estoril Blue M235i Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Los Angeles iTrader: (0)	That happens if you have your phone in the passenger seat __________________ Estoril Blue 6spd M235i LSD Sunroof delete AWE touring exhaust Fabspeed sport cat
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07-21-2017, 08:43 PM	#4
pounc007 New Member 1 Rep 13 Posts Drives: 2014 mineral grey M235i Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: Birmingham, AL iTrader: (0)	I'll try to keep the phone out of the seat and see if that helps. I am pretty sure the alarm has been tripping with the phone in my lap. Is the sensor that sensitive that a phone will set it off? I've definitely left other things larger than my phone in the seat and it hasn't went off. I'll update in a few days.
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07-22-2017, 09:10 AM	#5
MarcoZandrini Major 444 Rep 1,264 Posts Drives: 2018 M240i Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Virginia iTrader: (0)	Use a vacuum cleaner to suck any crap out if the seat buckle. You'd be surprised as to what gets into the buckle.
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08-12-2018, 07:58 PM	#8
Sportstick Major General 4653 Rep 6,028 Posts Drives: '15 228i and '24 X3 sDrive30i Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Southwest USA iTrader: (0)	I have read other similar reports. Apparently, the occupant sensing system reacts to the cell phone. Just place it elsewhere and issue should be gone.
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08-12-2018, 11:32 PM	#10
hwntime Captain 270 Rep 823 Posts Drives: F22 Raptor Join Date: Jun 2018 Location: PNW iTrader: (0)	I always thought the sensor was supposed to be rated at like 42lbs or some odd number like that? And a cell phone weighing ounces is setting it off?
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08-13-2018, 12:56 AM	#11
aerobod Car Geek 3621 Rep 3,590 Posts Drives: Caterham R500, M2-G87, Macan S Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Calgary iTrader: (0)	From the owners manual, ‘Automatic Deactivation of the Front-Seat Passenger Airbags’: “The system reads if the front passenger seat is occupied by measuring the human body’s resistance” ....... “Do not place any electronic devices on the passenger seat if a child restraint system is to be installed on it.”
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08-17-2018, 07:08 PM	#13
DaleHeinz First Lieutenant 221 Rep 314 Posts Drives: M240Xi Estoril Blue Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Washington DC area iTrader: (1)	Bimmercode, and disable the warning all together. I'm smart enough to know when my seatbelt is on and not on.
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