Seats wet from rain, now passenger seatbelt alarm - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

Moshpit37 · 07-22-2013, 01:33 PM

Got caught with my windows cracked open during a thunderstorm at work today. The entire interior was wet, with the passenger seat getting the worst of it. Luckily I had some towels in the back seat and I wiped most of it up, but now when I go to drive it to get lunch the passenger seat seatbelt alarm keeps going off. The car hasn't fully dried out yet, I'm hoping it goes away when it does. But has anybody else experienced this? I know there is an issue with cell phones setting off the alarm as well, so could this be related? I'm going to my dealership after work anyways, so I'll be sure to ask them about it and update here.

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FnFast · 07-22-2013, 03:22 PM

I would grab a huge bag of Rice and cheese cloth sheets (can be found in a baking section of a grocery store). Wrap the rice up in these baggies and place them in various nooks of your car. And let it sit overnight and that may draw the moisture out.

Optimus Prime · 07-22-2013, 03:32 PM

That sucks about the rain. I have nothing to add/suggest, but for what it's worth, my passenger selt belt alarm as well as the air bag sensor often thinks there is a passenger when I only have, for instance, a bottle of gatorade or even my wallet. It seems pretty finicky. It's completely random and never reproduces when I take it to the dealer.

OK, sorry to threadjack!

gily25 · 07-22-2013, 03:48 PM

Maybe the seat padding got heavy and is just enough to weigh on the sensor. You could always draw the seatbelt and plug it in. I have a little storage organizer thing on my passenger seat so I order a seat belt plug to stop the alarm from going off.

As far as the actual seat being wet...try a shop vac (if you don't have one, car wash vacuum), it's what I use when my Jeep gets caught with the top down and it does a good job pulling out the water.

Moshpit37 · 07-22-2013, 03:55 PM

I'll definitely be vacuuming when I get out of work. If that doesn't fix it I'll try that rice idea.

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projek_01 · 07-22-2013, 04:00 PM

Rent a industrial blower unit and crank the windows open and let it blow for the day. Thats what we did at the dealership after basically pressure washing the inside of filthy cars (not that i agreeed with what they did). Or rent a dehumidifier unit and close the windows. First option is probably easier on a hot day.

FnFast · 07-22-2013, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moshpit37

I'll definitely be vacuuming when I get out of work. If that doesn't fix it I'll try that rice idea.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 4 Beta

You can vacuum everything and it will still remain wet, just not soaked. The rice should be applied after vacuuming.

Humpie · 07-22-2013, 09:29 PM

Your dealer can disable the passenger saetbelt warning with their Techstrean software to stop the cell phone, etc. alarms. I checked with my dealer, and they are going to disable mine the next time I'm in. This is no guarantee that all dealers will be so willing to do this though. Good luck with the drying process.

Kwaziekeller · 07-22-2013, 11:24 PM

I had a little bit of an energy drink spill onto my passenger seat when I was at the track a few weeks back. (one of the big monsters with the screw on cap). It beeped for a little bit but once it was dry it was fine. Buckle the seatbelt in the meantime and it won't beep.

Moshpit37 · 07-23-2013, 12:05 AM

It dried out and now it's fine. Guess I freaked our over nothin

Bonburner · 07-23-2013, 12:08 AM

btw the sensors aren't based off of weight .. i think it was something to do with electric fields but i dont remember

Tman08 · 07-23-2013, 11:34 AM

Sucks. Had the same thing happen to me with a previous car: the one time I've ever left it slightly open on the passenger (as I was driving with food and didn't want the car to stink up), it poured. Only discovered it the next day.

Had to open up the bottom layer of carpet and soak up all the moisture, as that's the worst spot. Go out and buy a "Damprid" large container. These things are amazing. Grabbed a ton of moisture in the car overnight. Once its full you just pour out and reuse. Cost me 10 bucks. That and air it out (use spacers with the carpet to get air into it) and you'll be fine. Not sure on the passenger warning though.

Scenic Driver · 07-23-2013, 12:28 PM

I'm pretty sure there is something in the owners manual about this happening if the seat gets wet.

KKaWing · 07-23-2013, 04:15 PM

First thing that came to mind when I saw this thread...

[ame]http://youtu.be/GdLM2N0MAuc?t=30s[/ame][ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn5dcWY8RaI"][/ame]

07-22-2013, 03:22 PM	#2
FnFast Doctor Join Date: Aug 2012 Drives: Fast Location: Philadelphia Posts: 496 Thanks: 410 Thanked 203 Times in 126 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I would grab a huge bag of Rice and cheese cloth sheets (can be found in a baking section of a grocery store). Wrap the rice up in these baggies and place them in various nooks of your car. And let it sit overnight and that may draw the moisture out. __________________ Jeremy Clarkson "If you go though the Pearly Gates, backwards, in a fireball, that's a cool way to die!" 2013 White Pearl BRZ Limited 6MT - 15% Tint, Debadged, HIDPowerhouse LED Interiors and Dome

07-23-2013, 12:28 PM	#13
Scenic Driver Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Drives: 13 Subaru BRZ, 02 Audi TTQ Location: Orange County, NY Posts: 456 Thanks: 61 Thanked 321 Times in 168 Posts Mentioned: 7 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I'm pretty sure there is something in the owners manual about this happening if the seat gets wet. __________________

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07-22-2013, 03:32 PM	#3
Optimus Prime Senior Member Join Date: May 2013 Drives: Whiteout 2013 FR-S Location: NEPA Posts: 172 Thanks: 69 Thanked 41 Times in 33 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	That sucks about the rain. I have nothing to add/suggest, but for what it's worth, my passenger selt belt alarm as well as the air bag sensor often thinks there is a passenger when I only have, for instance, a bottle of gatorade or even my wallet. It seems pretty finicky. It's completely random and never reproduces when I take it to the dealer. OK, sorry to threadjack!

07-22-2013, 03:48 PM	#4
gily25 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Drives: Silica BRZ 6MT Location: 06103 Posts: 650 Thanks: 97 Thanked 115 Times in 92 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Maybe the seat padding got heavy and is just enough to weigh on the sensor. You could always draw the seatbelt and plug it in. I have a little storage organizer thing on my passenger seat so I order a seat belt plug to stop the alarm from going off. As far as the actual seat being wet...try a shop vac (if you don't have one, car wash vacuum), it's what I use when my Jeep gets caught with the top down and it does a good job pulling out the water.

07-22-2013, 04:00 PM	#6
projek_01 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Drives: 1996 ST204, Series 10 FR-S Location: Calgary, Alberta Posts: 249 Thanks: 88 Thanked 201 Times in 85 Posts Mentioned: 20 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Rent a industrial blower unit and crank the windows open and let it blow for the day. Thats what we did at the dealership after basically pressure washing the inside of filthy cars (not that i agreeed with what they did). Or rent a dehumidifier unit and close the windows. First option is probably easier on a hot day.

07-22-2013, 09:29 PM	#8
Humpie Can't Re Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Drives: 2013 Argento AT, 2013 Firestorm MT Location: Upstate,S.C. Posts: 25 Thanks: 7 Thanked 8 Times in 7 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Your dealer can disable the passenger saetbelt warning with their Techstrean software to stop the cell phone, etc. alarms. I checked with my dealer, and they are going to disable mine the next time I'm in. This is no guarantee that all dealers will be so willing to do this though. Good luck with the drying process.

07-23-2013, 11:34 AM	#12
Tman08 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Drives: DGM BRZ Limited Location: FL Posts: 192 Thanks: 53 Thanked 58 Times in 33 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Sucks. Had the same thing happen to me with a previous car: the one time I've ever left it slightly open on the passenger (as I was driving with food and didn't want the car to stink up), it poured. Only discovered it the next day. Had to open up the bottom layer of carpet and soak up all the moisture, as that's the worst spot. Go out and buy a "Damprid" large container. These things are amazing. Grabbed a ton of moisture in the car overnight. Once its full you just pour out and reuse. Cost me 10 bucks. That and air it out (use spacers with the carpet to get air into it) and you'll be fine. Not sure on the passenger warning though.

07-23-2013, 04:15 PM	#14
KKaWing Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Drives: Nissan Versa Location: T.O. Posts: 147 Thanks: 30 Thanked 91 Times in 51 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	First thing that came to mind when I saw this thread... [ame]http://youtu.be/GdLM2N0MAuc?t=30s[/ame][ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn5dcWY8RaI"][/ame]

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