Seatbelt Dashboard Warning Light, function reversed

[Potter]

When a passenger secures their seat belt on our 2000 Sienna, the dashboard warning passenger seat belt light begins to flash. If the belt is released, the dashboard warning light goes off. It's functioning backwards.

Two questions:

1) Will that affect the air bag function?

2) How to fix it? Is there a contact switch I can try some electronic cleaner spray on?

[Potter]

From here:
http://minivanclub.org.ua/info/Sienn...mci/047srs.pdf

but still can't tell if the airbag is nonoperational for the passenger side when that light is flashing.






The SRS is a driver and front passenger protection device which has a supplemental role to the seat belts.
When the ignition SW is turned to ACC or ON, current from the CIG fuse flows to TERMINAL (A) 6 of the center airbag
sensor assembly. Only when the ignition SW is on does the current flow from the IGN fuse to TERMINAL (A) 5 of the center airbag sensor assembly.
If an accident occurs while driving, when the frontal impact exceeds a set level, current from the CIG or IGN fuse flows to
TERMINALS (A) 14, (A) 10, (B) 2 and (C) 5 of the center airbag sensor assembly to TERMINALS 1 of the airbag squibs and the pretensioners to TERMINALS 2 to TERMINALS (A) 13, (A) 11, (B) 1 and (C) 6 of the center airbag sensor assembly to TERMINAL (A) 27, (A) 28 or BODY GROUND to GROUND, so that current flows to the front airbag squibs and the pretensioners and causes them to operate.
When the side impact also exceeds a set level, current from the CIG or IGN fuse flows to TERMINALS (B) 5, (C) 2, (B) 2 and (C) 5 of the center airbag sensor assembly to TERMINALS 1 of the side airbag squibs and the pretensioners to TERMINALS 2 to TERMINALS (B) 6, (C) 1, (B) 1 and (C) 6 of the center airbag sensor assembly to TERMINAL (A) 27, (A) 28 or BODY GROUND to GROUND, causing side airbag squibs and the pretensioners to operate.
The airbag stored inside the steering wheel pad is instantaneously expanded to soften the shock to the driver.
The airbag stored inside the passenger’s instrument panel is instantaneously expanded to soften the shock to the front
passenger.
Side airbags are instantaneously expanded to soften the shock of side to the driver and front passenger.
The pretensioners make sure of the seat belt restrainability.

[Black Sunshine]

I'm pretty sure that it's not at all related to the SRS system. The Sienna doesn't have the ability to disable the front airbag. Don't put little people there.

[Potter]

P14 in the attached link (scroll down for schematic) shows pretensioner input into the control module for the air bags. I know there's not a user friendly switch for the the bag, and do know it'll only fire if there's someone in the seat. Isn't that what the pretensioner input is for, and if it's not working right are you sure that the air bag will still function?

[Black Sunshine]

If this is the case then why does it break so easily? My light has blinked like it was communicating Morse code for years.

You're probably right Potter. I'm perturbed.

[Potter]

Until I learn otherwise I'd venture to say if you were in an accident with a passenger in the car, that the passenger is grossly under protected against personal injury.

And because of what's probably a ten cent item that's malfunctioning in the seat belt retractor - although of course Toyota charges more than that for it. Have been googling this and the malfunction is not an uncommon problem. There are many comments online about a poor design and how Toyota should step up to the plate and fix it.

Is there an expert here that can comment on the issue?

[Black Sunshine]

^^^^^^
That's what I thought. If it affects safety this drastically they should have had a recall.

[Black Sunshine]

I looked up the SRS system while sitting bored in my van the other day. The front passenger bag in my 2000 Sienna cannot be disabled and it will deploy with or without a passenger in the seat. According to my owner's manual at least.

[SiennaDriver]

Mine does the same thing, and never thought much of it until now.

Black Sunshine: I see the retractor has a wire for the air bag and a wire for the dash light. If that retractor air bag switch wire doesn't affect the air bag firing when called on, what's it do?

[Black Sunshine]

I dunno, are we talking about the same model year? I just stated what my manual said. It said that the passenger side restraint could not be disabled and it would fire with or without a passenger.