Seat belt not fastened
The red seated-figure-with-belt icon reminds you to buckle up. If it stays on after fastening, the sensor in the socket or the buckle is faulty.
What this indicator means
The sensor in the buckle socket detects belt engagement. An additional seat sensor determines whether an occupant is present. When there is a mismatch ("passenger present, belt not clipped"), the system triggers the indicator and starts an audible reminder that gets louder over time. On modern cars after 5–10 seconds the sound does not turn off at all.
Common causes
- Belt not fastened (the obvious one)
- Buckle contamination (dust, spilled drinks)
- Damaged buckle sensor after a child-seat install
- Broken wire between the seat and the control unit
- False weight-sensor trigger from luggage on an empty seat
What to do as a driver
Cycle the buckle a few times to clean contacts. If the belt is fastened but the light stays on, pull the connector under the seat and inspect it. False alerts from cargo on the passenger seat are cured by redistributing the weight.
Safety
Important: without a belt the risk of fatal injury in a crash rises 3–5×. Fix the fault, do not get used to the chime.
Related DTC codes
- B0016
- B0020