Air Bag On light

[sqwerty]

Why does the '10 PRIUS have an airbag on light when there is a passenger in the front seat? It is annoying and distracting to look at it. Any suggestions other than the unglamorous black electrical tape to hide this glowing annoyance?

[Bobsprius]

None that I can think of. I don't even notice mine anymore. I would get a piece of black/grey or depedning on your color sponge and just cut it for the size of the lamp area and out it there when your having an adult in the seat. I have got used to it so it doesn't bother me now. The light is there so that it detects if a child is in the seat and will de-activate the front airbag but sustain the use of the side curtain bags. It's based on weight and displacement on the seat area. It has a purpose and like I mentioned, I am used to it. It does remind the occupant (Adult) to buckle up too. In NYS it's Click it or Ticket.

[a64pilot]

Don't have a clue. There's no light telling me any of the other air bags are on?

[dogfriend]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Don't have a clue. There's no light telling me any of the other air bags are on?

All of the other air bags are always active. But the passenger front and side air bags may be deactivated when the front seat passenger does not meet the minimum weight requirement. The passenger side pretensioner is deactivated as well. There is a sensor built into the passenger seat to determine what the passenger weight is.

In my car:

GF sitting in passenger seat > Airbag is on and Airbag ON light is on.

Dingo (25 lbs) > Airbag is deactivated, Airbag OFF light is on, and Passenger Seat Belt flashing red warning light is on along with a warning beep for the front passenger seat belt. Eventually the warning beep is silenced, but the flashing warning stays on as long as Dingo is in the seat.

Digby (15 lbs) > Airbag is deactivated, No Airbag light or Seat belt light is on because Digby doesn't weigh enough to trigger the system.

[tumbleweed]

Originally Posted by dogfriend

All of the other air bags are always active. But the passenger front and side air bags may be deactivated when the front seat passenger does not meet the minimum weight requirement. The passenger side pretensioner is deactivated as well. There is a sensor built into the passenger seat to determine what the passenger weight is.

In my car:

GF sitting in passenger seat > Airbag is on and Airbag ON light is on.

Dingo (25 lbs) > Airbag is deactivated, Airbag OFF light is on, and Passenger Seat Belt flashing red warning light is on along with a warning beep for the front passenger seat belt. Eventually the warning beep is silenced, but the flashing warning stays on as long as Dingo is in the seat.

Digby (15 lbs) > Airbag is deactivated, No Airbag light or Seat belt light is on because Digby doesn't weigh enough to trigger the system.

15 lbs must be close to the limit then, my dog (Willy) lights the Airbag Off light sometimes and sometimes not, he weighs about 17 lbs. I read somewhere that the requirement for the Airbag On light was about 80 lbs but that seems high?

I didn't like the Airbag On/Off lights at first either but I guess I have gotten used to them. I don't think they can be turned off anyway unless there is someway to do it with the Techstream software but then you would have to pay a dealer to do it for you.

[rachaelseven]

Can't be turned off with the Techstream, but the activation weight can be calibrated.

[HTMLSpinnr]

I kinda appreciate the light - my middle daughter is 8 years old and ~50lbs (she's short like me) - when the rear seats are down for cargo, she can only fit up front (seat all the way back). It's piece of mind that I *know* the airbag is off for her. My oldest daughter (who's old enough to not share weight), however, activates the system - and is of an appropriate age/weight to be sitting up front.

[a64pilot]

So what piece of information does the light give you? Does it's presence alter your use of the car in any way?
Point I make is I can't alter the air bag in any way, why do I need a light telling me it's status?
I think it's there from some lawsuit and gives no useful information whatsoever

[dogfriend]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

So what piece of information does the light give you?

If there is an adult sitting in the passenger seat and the status is Airbag OFF or unlit (unoccupied) then the owners manual suggests that you should take your car in for service.

[timo27]

Originally Posted by dogfriend

If there is an adult sitting in the passenger seat and the status is Airbag OFF or unlit (unoccupied) then the owners manual suggests that you should take your car in for service.

My parents have an '08 and I have a '10. In either case, my Mom turns the airbag off (she's small and light). We've taken them to the dealer for calibration, recalibration, frustration, etc., and no satisfaction. Their advice (good, given the circumstances) is to jam the seat as far back as possible. I dunno if other cars have this same problem; itseems in tractable in the Prius. Just my $0.02.
Tim