[WX4WTF]

Has anybody has recurring problems with electronics in the passenger seat causing the service air bag DIC message and airbag light to come on? I've had this happen several times and can reproduce it. My dealer confirmed to me that the seat sensor is very sensitive to interference from electronic devices.

As I write this I'm sitting in the passenger seat with a macbook pro in my lap connected to a rooftop GPS antenna, an external hard drive and the power plug, and the service airbag keep chiming on and off while m wife drives.

It's rather unsettling that you essentially cannot use electronic devices in the passenger seat because as we all know, when the airbag light is on, the system will not function properly in the event of a crash. GM/Chevrolet really needs to address this as we all know electronics are a part of everyday life and something as easily solvable as this should not cause a major safety issue for drivers of GM vehicles.

Imagine the bad press if a driver or passenger were killed because an iphone or ipad was sitting in the passenger seat...

 

[WX4WTF]

I've had the PPS replaced once already by my dealer and this is when they said they are sensitive to EMI from electronics. I'm sure they are activated by pressure, but obviously there is some issue with interference causing the airbag control module to flake out and throw a warning.

Point is, even after having the seat sensor replaced, i should be able to use a laptop in my lap without risking my life on the road.

EDIT: I'm almost wondering if i lay down a sheet or two of aluminum foil in the seat if it would keep this from happening. If that worked, i could permanently install a layer of it under the seat cover between the cover and cushion to keep the system from failing.

 

[WX4WTF]

Chevymgr, I think you misread my original post. My problem is not that the car is asking me to fasten the seat belt. My problem is that sitting in the passenger seat using a laptop computer causes the "SERVICE AIRBAG" DIC warning as well as an airbag light on the cluster, not the airbag light by the passenger seat. This in turn means that in the event of a crash, at minimum the passenger airbag will not deploy, at maximum, the entire system will fail to deploy.

I realize there's a little confusion, and everyone has put a bag of groceries in the passenger seat heavy enough to make the car think there's a human sitting there, but this is not what I'm describing. I'm describing a fundamental engineering flaw in the airbag system that has to potential to cause loss of life.
You as well as JerTM seem to think its unusual for a passenger in a GM vehicle to be using an electronic device while riding in the car. it's 2015, everyone has a cellphone in their pocket, and its not at all unlikely that a strong enough EMI field could wreak havoc with these faulty or overly sensitive seat sensors that GM is installing. I'm a broadcast engineer specializing in RF transmission technologies for broadcast television, i know how electrical interference can cause problems.

As a side note, I'm surprised that the GM customer service account hasn't commented on this. Usually they are one of the first offering to assist...

I hope it doesnt take 10+ years for GM to act on this like it did with the ignition switch defect.