2023 Lexus (ES350) seat belt chime disable?

[dnewton3]

There are several YT videos about disabling the seatbelt chime in Lexus vehicles. All of the videos I've watched show vehicles from the mid-2000s up to around 2015. More than a decade's worth of various models can have the chime turned off manually (no computer intervention required). The process is fairly simple and straightforward, and seems to be common among models for those years. I've seen ES, IS and other models successfully have their chime system disabled using a simple process of sequential button pushes and belt clicks.

I have a new 2023 ES350, and I've tried that process seen in the videos, but to no avail.

I called two different Lexus dealerships and spoke with both the technology person as well as the service department. Both sources told me there is no way to disable the chime; can't be done - and never has been done. Obviously they are wrong about past models; the videos fly in the face of their objections, as it most certainly can be done to many Lexus models over many years. I nearly got into an argument with one lady; she said I was mistaken and repeatedly told me there's no way it has been done before. "Lexus values safety .... They would never put a defeat feature in the vehicles ...." Blah, blah, blah ....
I told here I had just watched more than 5 distinctly different videos of various models and years, and yet she still insisted it could not be done. That's just being deaf to the customer's conversation!

So I'm left wondering ...
- did the new ES/Avalon/Camry platform (2019 on up) REALLY change, and there is no process to disable the chime? Or,
- did the new ES/Avalon/Camry platform change, and the process is different from what is described in the videos? (yet to be discovered, but does exist)
I've searched some other forums and not come up with a definitive answer.

Either way, it's obvious the dealerships are oblivious to what has been achievable in the past, so I don't trust what they are telling me now, based on their ignorance of what can be done to older vehicles.

QUESTION:
Does anyone here know of a process to disable the chime relevant to reasonably new Lexus models (2020 on up)?


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[Trav]

These work. They now list them as dog extenders and all sorts of things because they want to ban them from being sold.

Amazon.com

 

[dnewton3]

These work. They now list them as dog extenders and all sorts of things because they want to ban them from being sold.

Amazon.com

Thanks Trav; I appreciate the effort.

Unfortunately, it won't really be what I want; which is to disable the system. With that "tool" I'd have to constantly insert/remove that bypass key device each time I went from private to public roads.

I should have perhaps included details regarding the situation I'm in ...
I always wear my seatbelt when on the road. I am a fanatic about wearing the belts.
But when I drive at my farm down the long gravel driveway (about 1/2 mile) , or on my neighborhood gravel lane (about 3/4 mile) at probably 10-15mph on those drives, I don't wear my seatbelt. Often I'm jumping in/out opening and closing gates, moving dead wood off the drive, stopping to look at something in a ditch, etc. So I wear my belt when driving anywhere but private property. But when I'm on the property, I never wear the belt; it's just not needed.

I just want the stupid chime to shut up!
I'm smart enough and dedicated enough to know when to wear the belt for the proper reasons.

 

[KrisZ]

I would try searching for an app with enhanced functionality.
I recently paid for one for my Dodge Grand Caravan, but it work with all Chrysler/Stellantis products, as I was chasing a misfire after installing wrong rocker arms and needed a reader that would show each cylinder. It has the enhanced features like ABS bleeding, reading various modules, resetting them and programming user features, one of them being the annoying seat belt beep. Which I promptly disabled once I discovered it.

They usually work with a bluetooth scanner like this one (I have it):
https://www.amazon.com/Veepeak-OBDCheck-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Supports/dp/B073XKQQQW

Here is a chat from the Prius forums.
https://priuschat.com/threads/gen2-obd2-app-review.232741/

 

[Oro_O]

Thanks Trav; I appreciate the effort.

Unfortunately, it won't really be what I want; which is to disable the system. With that "tool" I'd have to constantly insert/remove that bypass key device each time I went from private to public roads.

I should have perhaps included details regarding the situation I'm in ...
I always wear my seatbelt when on the road. I am a fanatic about wearing the belts.
But when I drive at my farm down the long gravel driveway (about 1/2 mile) , or on my neighborhood gravel lane (about 3/4 mile) at probably 10-15mph on those drives, I don't wear my seatbelt. Often I'm jumping in/out opening and closing gates, moving dead wood off the drive, stopping to look at something in a ditch, etc. So I wear my belt when driving anywhere but private property. But when I'm on the property, I never wear the belt; it's just not needed.

I just want the stupid chime to shut up!
I'm smart enough and dedicated enough to know when to wear the belt for the proper reasons.

Software disables it, you need Techstream or similar. I was looking for this also for an ES350 recently; similar reasoning as yours.

Clublexus is a great resource for anything Lexus like that.

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/es...ble-seatbealt-warning-sound-es350-2023-a.html

 

[edyvw]

There must be some software that disables it. I have it disabled on all my vehicles. However, European brands have much better aftermarket support than Asian or American when it comes to software etc. I still think there must be some Toyota software that enthusiasts use for something else and has that function there.

 

[dnewton3]

Thanks guys. I'll look into these suggestions.

 

[eljefino]

There are a bunch of options in Techstream's options for my car, and probably yours too:

Touch the turn signal, get three blinks for a lane change. Want 1, 5, or 7? Can do.

Window switches, do you want one touch down? One touch up? How about the passengers, they can have it different.

Want to get rid of your back up beep?

The possibilities grow every year. eBay has a compatible dongle and "software" for <$25.

 

[dnewton3]

Success!

Apparently that driver-selectable process is no longer available in the newer models, but the ability to defeat the chime still exists using OBD tools.

I wasn't able to do it myself directly (via the procedures in the past model years), but I was able to get a local ASE shop to do it for me. Cost me $25 for about 10 minutes of work, and probably 9 minutes of that was just finding it buried down in the menu tree. You can disable the chime for each seat, individually. Doing so does not stop the light blinking on the dash; that's fine by me. I do wear my seatbelt when on public roads, so the light isn't an annoyance like the chime is.

I really like my local ASE shop. The owner is an acquaintance (not a close friend, but we recognize each other easily). He runs a very honest shop. He told me he didn't think it could be done, but would not charge me if he couldn't do it. He invited me to pull the car into the back area of the shop, and he plugged his diag tool into the OBDII port. We scrolled down through several control module options and couldn't find it at first. I told him to look in the IP module because that's where it showed up when it was a driver-selectable function. And sure enough, there it was in the IPC "customize settings" menu!

I love it when a shop actually listens to the customer, and is willing to experiment!

If you live near the Indianapolis market area, and need an honest, fair ASE shop, check out Marino's Automotive.

 

[Luftmasse]

Yes, you can disable the seat belt chime with Carista, Techstream or Xtool.

 

[dnewton3]

Yes, you can disable the seat belt chime with Carista, Techstream or Xtool.

That would have been my next step. I've done Forscan for my F-250 software updates before, so I'm not immune to trying stuff myself.

But honestly, for $25 and 10 min of my time, it was a no brainer to try my local trusted shop first. In this case, it paid off.

 

[Oliveoil2]

If you don’t want to wear a seatbelt, just buy an extra metal connector and just keep it plugged in. No brain damage.

 

[dnewton3]

If you don’t want to wear a seatbelt, just buy an extra metal connector and just keep it plugged in. No brain damage.

Already suggested by Trav, and I decided against it.

 

[Oliveoil2]

Yes, Trav is a smart man. Sorry I did t catch that. Glad you got it sorted.

Already suggested by Trav, and I decided against it.

 

[Luftmasse]

That would have been my next step. I've done Forscan for my F-250 software updates before, so I'm not immune to trying stuff myself.

But honestly, for $25 and 10 min of my time, it was a no brainer to try my local trusted shop first. In this case, it paid off.

$25 is ok. But with Carista is also a no brainer. You can customize as you wish under your finger tips. You can also view live data. I paid $30 for the dongle back then.

 

[fdcg27]

I don't mean sound naive, but couldn't you just locate the device that chimes and unplug it?

 

[edyvw]

I don't mean sound naive, but couldn't you just locate the device that chimes and unplug it?

It would be speaker that does other functions too.