it's not so "secret" for my '09, the instructions are on page 52 of the owners manual

 

Here's my last (after this I am flat out of sense)

Sorry - these are not "secret" codes. Mine is listed in the Owner and Operation Manual for the 09 Ram. If you do not have the O&A Manual anymore, just Google these Keywords "Disable Seatbelt Reminder <Insert Year, Make, Model of your vehicle here>. The sequence for most Ram Trucks is

1 Get in Truck
2 Buckle Seat Belt
3 Start Truck - wait for seat belt light to go out
4 Within 60 seconds of starting vehicle, unbuckle then buckle your belt 3 times, ending with it buckled (this process (3 times of unbuckle/buckle) must be completed within 10 seconds from the first time you unbuckle.
5 Turn off truck - you will hear one 'ding' to confirm.

NEXT STEPS ARE OPTIONAL

1 Unbuckle seat belt.
2 Start truck and drive to the back of your 100 acreage farm (where you may not want to wear your seat belt) (your choice - of course).

Just did this with my truck last night. Yes it is in the O&A Manual, Yes it works - NO it does not require a trip to wreckers. This ability to disable the seat belt reminder has been around FOREVER. No foo foo dust or magic involved, although Kudo's for the ingenuity of using a old belt from the wreckers idea!! Creative and would work but alas... there IS a simpler way.

 

Forever is a long time.

I wouldn't call the no-longer-documented method simpler. I'd call keeping a piece of metal in the ash tray that you insert at will a whole lot simpler, not to mention faster. Reminds me of the commercials for touch tone phones when they were first out - where one person dialed a number with a lot of 9s on a rotary phone the touch tone caller had it done before the first 9 rang back.

 

Touche ... forever may have been an exaggeration. Just as is... "keeping a hunk of old metal in the (Ash Tray) (LOL LOL) a whole lot simpler".

I would venture a guess we are dealing with generation gaps here. References to Rotary Dial phones (btw - what is a rotary dial phone??) and vehicles with Ash Trays suggest someone may not be akin to searching this new fan dangled Interweb thing (its just a fad - it will be gone soon). There is definitely a process to disable the "Belt Minder".

Every Vehicle I owned - aside from my very first car (1969 Camaro) - had a Belt Minder and had a process to disable it (electronically).

A couple links for your amusement


http://www.ramforumz.com/showthread.php?t=87388


Anyways - its all in good humour... no ill mannered comments are intended here.

Cheers - and stay safe.

 

Thanks for the YouTube link, Allen. I guess I was unbuckling and buckling too much (and starting the truck instead of just turning to start). Worked like a charm on my 2013 ram. Also worked on my 2012 caravan.

 

No offense, maybe I don't understand, how is having to physically install the metal clip "every time" faster or simpler? I wear my belt all the time on the road but when I hit the forest road doing 5-10mph, I like it disconnected. (The bouncing tends to tighten it up.) Having to stop, un-belt, dig out that piece from the console, insert and continue seems much more difficult then just un-belting without even stopping. I guess you could leave it installed all the time but I'm old enough to know better.

 

So are you saying you can permanently disable it? Otherwise, the method prescribed involves stopping and shutting off the ignition. I was assuming that it was a per-ignition cycle override.

BTW, I don't think simply re-inserting the cut off tang is any more dangerous and requires stopping any less than "unbelting without even stopping".

 

I guess I'm an old fart. But if so then I also must have been using computers since before you were born...

 

Yes.... I am most definitely saying it can be disabled "permanently".

Now - the word "permanently" needs definition. Once the procedure shown in the Owners manual is performed, the "BeltMinder" Chime feature is disabled. So, once the procedure is performed and then subsequently you are driving and have your seat belt on, and you then remove your seat belt (while driving), the "BeltMinder" (Chime) will not activate. Same as the chime will not activate if you get in your vehicle, start it and drive away (unbuckled). As shown in the attached pictures, the "BeltMinder" can be reactivated just as it can be deactivated - therefore; it is not a "permanent" alteration to the vehicle.

Note - regardless of the BeltMinder status, the seatbelt light will always come on if the belt is not being worn and the vehicle is in motion above a certain speed (8 MPH I think, but don't quote the speed).

Regarding your dangerous vs less dangerous comment - my opinion is that not wearing a seat belt is the most dangerous. Disabling the "BeltMinder" chime and then driving without a seatbelt is by and far more dangerous to the driver vs leaving his/her belt on, but some drivers want the option to decide whether they wear their seat belt in certain situations (i.e.... as others have pointed out... "driving the back 40").

Buckle up and safe driving!!

 

Thanks for the clarification.

It would be really nice if some of the documented user selectable options would also stick after ignition cycle. Such as TC Off, Manual Mode & Tow/Haul On quickly come to mind.