A MK 7 observation - weight on empty passenger seat

leicaman

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2004
Location
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
TDI
2015 Golf TDI SE, 2005 TDI GLS, RIP
I've noticed when I hop in my car to go to a job if I place my camera on the passenger seat, the little seatbelt is unbuckled icon appears on the dash. The seats seem to be very sensitive to the weight of a DSLR. I had a Canon 5d MK III with a 70-200 f2.8 L zoom on it. A solution is to snap the seat belt. My old b5.5 was not that sensitive.

Have any of you found that too?
 

MichaelB

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2009
Location
SE Wisconsin
TDI
2014 Passat SE DSG
Have any of you found that too?
Does it really matter? Yes, any weight on my passenger seat......camera (mine is very similar to yours but I don't have to expound upon what make or model and lens it is) my laptop or groceries etc will also set off the alarm. I also have a dog and he sets it off to. Big deal I was never looking for a cure or cared how sensitive it was. Why do you ask? Is there some fix your looking for?
 

leicaman

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 24, 2004
Location
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
TDI
2015 Golf TDI SE, 2005 TDI GLS, RIP
Does it really matter? Yes, any weight on my passenger seat......camera (mine is very similar to yours but I don't have to expound upon what make or model and lens it is) my laptop or groceries etc will also set off the alarm. I also have a dog and he sets it off to. Big deal I was never looking for a cure or cared how sensitive it was. Why do you ask? Is there some fix your looking for?
I was wondering if others had the same issue. I am a newspaper photographer and usually have a camera with me in the car. For now I am putting it on the floor behind the passenger seat. If I plan on cruising alot, I will merely pull over the seatbelt and click it. I would rather not of course. I have even had it go on when I had two iPhones and a small iPhone battery recharger sitting on the seat. They must be worried that some idiot will place a child in the front seat. I bet that is why it is hyper sensitive.
 

MichaelB

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2009
Location
SE Wisconsin
TDI
2014 Passat SE DSG
For now I am putting it on the floor behind the passenger seat.
I set my camera or other stuff on the floor in front of the passenger seat. Quicker to access if I spot something worth photographing while I'm driving. I don't have to get out of the car. I hunt nature with my camera as a hobby and you never know what you may see while driving such as the cougar that crossed the road in front of me in Upper Michigan. Unfortunately, by the time I stopped and turned back, it disappeared into the woods.
 

CrazyMonkey

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 20, 2015
Location
Albany, OR
TDI
2015 Golf SportWagen TDI SE 6M
I've had that happen, but only at freeway speeds. For example, I'll run to the convenience store and grab a few beverages for the family, set those on the seat, and no biggie. But I had a small stack of paper (preliminary drawings for a project) on the passenger seat that I know weighs less than a few bottles of pop (or soda if you prefer) and the seatbelt warning light illuminated, but not until I was on the freeway.
 

demagxc

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2012
Location
Massachusetts
TDI
2015 Golf TDI SEL
Does it just turn the warning light on or does it set off the seat belt alarm? Disabling the seat belt alarm was the first VCDS tweak I did shortly after buying the car.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
I've noticed when I hop in my car to go to a job if I place my camera on the passenger seat, the little seatbelt is unbuckled icon appears on the dash. The seats seem to be very sensitive to the weight of a DSLR. I had a Canon 5d MK III with a 70-200 f2.8 L zoom on it. A solution is to snap the seat belt. My old b5.5 was not that sensitive.

Have any of you found that too?
The B5 did not have passenger occupancy recognition. Only the newer cars have this, and only for North America. At least, on the A5s that was how it was. And the component that fails in the seat is jaw dropping expensive, which is why lots of BRM cars are running around with the SRS warning lamp on. :rolleyes:
 

compu_85

Gadget Guy
Joined
Sep 29, 2003
Location
La Conner, WA
TDI
... None :S
If you go into the instrument cluster with VCDS you can change the seatbelt warning version - I think USA w/ the passenger warning is type 2, and type 1 is the "old" way of just chiming a bit at startup if the driver's side is undone.

-J
 

Larry@FixMyVW

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 22, 2015
Location
Atlanta
TDI
2015 GSW 6MT
The MK7 has a capacitive seat sensor, not weight. Mine would go off if I set my iphone on it. Just code out the warning with VCDS.
 

Mike in Anchorage

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2009
Location
Anchorage, AK
TDI
2016 Touareg Lux, 2015 Golf Sportwagen SE, new 4 Sept 2017;2009 VW Jetta TDI Sportwagen (Ruby) sold to VW on 22 SEP 2017
I've been noting this problem as well. Looks like I'll need to invest in a VCDS system of some sort.
 

kjclow

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 26, 2003
Location
Charlotte, NC
TDI
2010 JSW TDI silver and black. 2017 Ram Ecodiesel dark red with brown and beige interior.
I see it happen more with electronics on the seat than groceries. Even when the groceries weigh more than my IPhone or tablet. Remember that's is actually safer to place all that stuff on the floor anyway.
 

dubStrom

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Joined
Aug 6, 2007
Location
Kansas City Missouri
TDI
2003 A4 Jetta (sold), 2010 JSW (sold), 2013 Passat 6MT traded for 2014 JSW with 6MT-TOTALED in November 2016, 2003 ALH 5MT conversion (sold), wheezing 2015 GSW/DSG and a new 2021 Tacoma Access Cab 4x4 p'up
Backpack with lunch and odds and ends, sometimes heavy

I usually have my backpack along and toss it on the passenger seat. It can be heavy sometimes, and I've never seen the seat belt warning on. I should put known weight in there and see when it triggers (barbells). Never thought about it. Glad it isn't triggering. I could put it on the floor instead. Yeah. That's it. I'll just put it on the floor if it lights up.
 

pebjr

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2013
Location
Eastern North Carolina
TDI
2009 Jetta; 2015 Golf S
I have the same problem as the original post.



Has anyone found a solution of changing the sensitivity of the front passenger seat?
 

740GLE

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Location
NH
TDI
2015 Passat SEL, 2017 Alltrack SE; BB 2010 Sedan Man; 2012 Passat,
Mk7 seat occupancy detector is "inductive" rather than the older style of capacitive or resistive (i forget which it is).

Anything metal or electronic will pick it up as a disturbance in the inductive field (kinda similar to a metal detector).

My solution on all VWs we own is disable the seat belt alarm with VCDS.

NH has no seat belt laws for anyone over 18, our VWs are complaint with live free or die state.

(that being said I always wear my seat belt, i just hate that chime)
 

alext91

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Joined
Mar 26, 2015
Location
Northwood, New Hampshire
TDI
1996 Passat TDI, 2013 Jetta Sportwagen TDI 6MT Pano (Sold), 2015 Golf S 4DR 6MT (Sold), 1999.5 Jetta TDI Tornado Red (Sold)
Mk7 seat occupancy detector is "inductive" rather than the older style of capacitive or resistive (i forget which it is).

Anything metal or electronic will pick it up as a disturbance in the inductive field (kinda similar to a metal detector).

My solution on all VWs we own is disable the seat belt alarm with VCDS.

NH has no seat belt laws for anyone over 18, our VWs are complaint with live free or die state.

(that being said I always wear my seat belt, i just hate that chime)
Live free or die!
 

bigb

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2018
Location
Arizona
TDI
2015 Sportwagon S
hmmmm, haven't had that issue. I have put a lot on that seat too, briefcase, my travel backpack with tablet, ipod, various chargers and a small revolver. Maybe the sport trim with manual seats is different.
 

bitslop

Member
Joined
Apr 9, 2018
Location
Indiana
TDI
2015 GSW TDI S Manual
I too have noticed this when placing my phone on the seat... My simple solution for this is to just buckle the passenger seat belt, and leave it buckled until I have a passenger (most of the time it is just me commuting).
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
The seat on my '15 GSW isn't that sensitive. The couple times my dog rode in the car he didn't trigger the sensor, and he weighed 26 lbs. But the sensor in my BMW is very sensitive: if I accidentally rest my hand on the seat it will set off the warning, and it won't stop until I fasten the belt. I think sensor location matters, too.

I think fastening the belt is your option.
 
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