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I Have A New Chevy Silverado, and This Thing Says ‘Buckle to Shift,’ I Have to Buckle My Seat Belt in Order to Shift Out of Park

You know what Rico is talking about if you own a new Chevrolet Silverado. He can't move the gear shifter out of Park until he buckles his seat belt. Are automakers taking safety too far? Here is what Rico says. What do you think of the new safety tech?

Are automakers like Chevrolet taking this safety thing too far? 

If you own a newer General Motors vehicle like the Chevrolet Silverado pickup, you know that you have to buckle up your seat belt before you can shift the truck out of the Park position on the gear shift lever. 

General Motors has put the new feature on many of its vehicles, and the Silverado is the next in the automaker's lineup to get it. But many owners don't like it. Rico Watkins is one of them. 

As Rico Watkins (@ricowatkins215) sits in the driver's seat of a 2024 Chevrolet Silverado, he shows how he can't shift the gear lever in the TikTok video. 

Rico tries to move the shift lever repeatedly, but the gear shift lever will not engage.

Rico says, "My brand new 2024 Chevy Silverado truck has a message on the dash. It says I have to buckle the seat belt in order to shift out of Park. How crazy is that? "It's insane."

He turns in the seat, grabs the belt buckle, pulls it over his lap, and buckles it.

"All right, let's see what we got. Welcome to seatbelt. There you go. Now I can drive the truck. It's insane." 

While Watkins may have been surprised by this feature, it is something that General Motors said they would implement in their cars and trucks starting with the 2021 model year.

Safety features like the new "Buckle To Drive," as GM calls it, are becoming more common on new vehicles like the Silverado pickup. 

More new safety tech is coming that customers may find suspicious. 

I recently reported that the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) strongly encourages automakers to adopt another new technology. Louder seat belt chimes. Yes, they will get more annoying. Check out my report here.

The IIHS, a non-profit organization that evaluates vehicle safety, works to reduce the number of injuries, deaths, and property damage from car crashes. However, to get the highest IIHS test scores, automakers must meet the new safety tech standards.

The louder seat belt chimes are its next target.

The IIHS says, "Automakers have moved quickly to install louder, more persistent seat belt reminders since we began rating the features in 2022."

A look at recent posts on Reddit reveals you don't like the new longer and louder 2024 Crosstrek seat belt warning reminder. 

"Hi all, I get that the warning chime is necessary, and I don't want to turn it off… but wow, it's loud! Has anyone found a way to turn it down?"

Another reader writes,

"Yeah, the first time I heard it while checking my parking placement, I almost hit the gas."

It's so annoying that many on Reddit are asking how to turn off the seat belt warning chime. One customer had the front passenger seatbelt warning go off, and no one was sitting in the seat.

"I don't know how it happened, but the passenger seatbelt chime started to go off when I drove. There's no person in the passenger seat. It's driving me nuts. How do I disable it in a 2024 Crosstrek?"

Louder and longer seat belt warnings like the "Buckle To Drive" feature from GM are coming to more and more vehicles. 

Expanding Buckle To Drive 

General Motors initially launched the Buckle to Drive feature for select 2021 Chevrolet models. These vehicles included the Chevrolet Traverse, Chevrolet Malibu, and Chevrolet Colorado. 

Now, Buckle to Drive will be expanded to the Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Canyon, Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Blazer, Cadillac CT4, Cadillac CT5, and several others. 

GM says the feature is becoming standard on all its full-size trucks and SUVs. Chevrolet has planned a wider implementation for 2025 at Chevy dealers. 

Even though the louder seat belt chimes and Buckle to Drive features are annoying, they save lives, according to the IIHS.

The IIHS report says that failure to buckle up significantly affects crash deaths. In 2022, about 92% of front-seat occupants and 82% of rear-seat occupants were belted in the government's on-road observational survey of seat belt use. 

But a much smaller percentage of the vehicle occupants killed in crashes — half of those in the front seat and a quarter of those in the back — were belted during the crashes that killed them.

An IIHS study found that a persistent reminder was much more effective at getting part-time users to buckle up than a minimal reminder and just as effective as a speed-limiting interlock that kept the vehicle speed under 15 mph unless the driver was buckled in.

The IIHS says," Automakers can boost a vehicle's performance in this test with just some small software changes," IIHS President David Harkey said. "These easy tweaks can have a big impact on safety."

Unfortunately, louder and longer seat belt warnings and Buckle to Drive features on the Chevrolet Silverado are here to stay because automakers want to get better safety ratings from the IIHS. 

What's your stance on this issue? Your opinion matters.

What's your perspective on the new safety features in the Chevrolet Silverado and other models? Do you find them intrusive? We want to hear your thoughts. Join the conversation by clicking the red 'Add new comment' link below . 

Check out this Chevy Silverado story. 

I Bought a New Chevy Silverado, 4 Months In, the Bank Wants $35K From Me On My Old Truck, the GMC Dealer Never Paid It Off. Read David's incredible story here

I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Reporter since 2012. My 30+ year tenure in the automotive industry, initially in a consulting role with every major car brand and later as a freelance journalist test-driving new vehicles, has equipped me with a wealth of knowledge. I specialize in reporting the latest automotive news and providing expert analysis on Subaru, which you'll find here, ensuring that you, as a reader, are always well-informed and up-to-date. Follow me on my X SubaruReportAll Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierlFacebook, and Instagram.

Photo credit: Denis Flierl via Chevrolet

Comments

Duke Woolworth (not verified)    December 19, 2024 - 5:13PM

We have two cars with non-adjustable seat belt upper mounts that cause the belts to ride on our necks, uncomfortable and unsafe, as they are supposed to ride on the collarbone. We use extensions that reposition the belts a little lower and safer. The connection of the extension tang tells the system that the belt's already attached. We always buckle up, so we are not defeating vehicle safety. Our local sheriffs buckle the belts behind the seats with the same result except for safety.

Joseph Ryan (not verified)    December 19, 2024 - 5:48PM

I bought a product called Tikit for like $6. It plugs in like the seatbelt, to keep the seat belt chime off. I will not wear a seat belt in my work truck, it's a '24, glad it didn't come with that feature.
Doubles as a bottle opener also, lol.

Brandon (not verified)    December 19, 2024 - 6:35PM

If I'm not mistaken you can disable that, my dad has a 2025 2500hd with the same thing and you can go into the settings and disable it.

Mark (not verified)    December 19, 2024 - 7:59PM

I just went into the settings and turned the buckle to shift off. I use ny seat belts all the time anyway.

Bernie Maxwell (not verified)    December 29, 2024 - 12:34AM

In reply to by Tim (not verified)

Sure thing, pal. We'll also be sure to remove the seat belts in the cars your kids, and eventually your grandkids ride in. Then we'll remove the airbags, and reinforce the engine compartment so it's much stronger, that way it won't crumple in case of a front-end crash.
Those should go a long way in helping to put an end to your branch of your family tree!

Jeremiah (not verified)    December 22, 2024 - 5:43PM

In reply to by Kristopher Elder (not verified)

Because it costs more to make the repairs than it used to. Look at the bumpers amd fenders. They aren't simply metal or plastic any more. They have all sorts of unnecessary sensors in them, or the fenders are made out of super lightweight alloys instead of just steel.
As an auto-body technician, not only do I have to replace the fender and any interior bracing that may have been damaged, I also have to calibrate or adjust sensors, and many of them also get damaged and need to get replaced.
Many cars have active aero fins that open and close depending on speed, engine temp etc., to help with mpg. When a single rear end happens, many times those get damaged or destroyed. If they are damaged, some times they can be repaired, but mostly they disintegrate.

Many times a fender can not be repaired, because the metals are so fragile they crack even more when hammered back into the shape.

But the labor rates haven't increased in vehicle repair since somewhere around the mid 1990s. The insurance companies still think it takes the same amount of time and energy and tools to change a bumper today as it did in 1995.

Ron (not verified)    December 20, 2024 - 8:00AM

What happens if im being attacked or in an emergency situation... Oops sorry can't flee that danger, gotta put my seat belt on first. Same goes for the vehicles that won't let you shift to drive with the door open... if you're too stupid where you leave your child in the back seat of a hot car, or the door open the whole drive, or not wear your seat belt, then so be it... let natural selection take out all the idiots, because the world is getting dumber by the second.

Scott Ervine (not verified)    December 20, 2024 - 12:30PM

I think GM should refocus their attention and resolve the transmission and lifter issues on the silverado, if worried about improving driver/passenger safety

Ed (not verified)    December 20, 2024 - 12:49PM

While in India, I saw barricades - little more than regular pipe bicycle racks - placed in freeway lanes. Cars would merge way to the left to avoid them, then half a mile later merge right to avoid them. It was an insane slalom that brought traffic to a near standstill. I was told that this helped reduce highway speeds to 11 mph, and as a result traffic fatalities were greatly reduced.

When safety is paramount, things like traffic flow and driver satisfaction become secondary. I imagine, statistically, we are all much safer to not own a car at all.

Alan (not verified)    December 20, 2024 - 12:59PM

How many of you remember back in the 70's AMC made it where all occupants had to fasten their seat belt to start the car? Im talking front and back.....it only listed a few years, don't know why the stopped it, it was a good idea to get people to buckle up as the ads say.

Sam (not verified)    December 20, 2024 - 4:11PM

Ok, Karen. It's a setting that can be turned off. The entire article could have been avoided if someone just read a manual 🤣

Barry Davis (not verified)    December 20, 2024 - 5:28PM

They made it a law. They made it a ticket able offense. They made it a primary offense. No visible seatbelt and you can get pulled over for that alone. Yet, apparently a large number of people STILL DON'T WEAR THE SEATBELT. Insurance companies don't like to pay out money. So now you have to put it on before putting in in gear. Here's the hack that will allow you to drive and crash then still get thrown from the vehicle and the insurance company will have to pay. Just latch the belt first and sit on top of the belt.

Albert L Scales Sr (not verified)    December 20, 2024 - 6:09PM

I also own a 2024 Chevy Silverado, I would be ashame to write that how lazy can you be. Definitely wouldn't complain about it publicly. Just trying to remind you to put your seat belt on.

Justis (not verified)    December 20, 2024 - 6:11PM

Let's mandate anyone who is overweight not be allowed to buy sugary foods, ban all non essential activities that can result in death (ie skydiving, motorcycles, racing, general aviation flying, etc). Why give anyone the ability to do anything that involves what a relatively small group of people deem "too risky".
Anyone can carry out a study to find the results they want. Cars that beep loudly and endlessly, or don't shift into drive because you aren't buckled is such an unnecessary overreach. There are in fact scenarios where putting your car in drive without being buckled makes sense. I hope we boycott buying cars with these features so manufacturers take these annoying systems out, and let people take care of themselves.

Karen (not verified)    December 20, 2024 - 6:38PM

As to your article on the 2024 Silverado seat belt safety issue, you can actually go in your settings and turn that feature off.

Casey (not verified)    December 20, 2024 - 9:59PM

77% of motor vehicle crashes happen within 10 miles of home. Maybe it is common for people to not wear it for short trips.

Haweater (not verified)    December 20, 2024 - 10:29PM

What about new vehicles sold in the state of New Hampshire? This is the only state with no mandatory seat belt usage laws (for adults). Dealers there as a courtesy to new car customers will deactivate the seat belt chime warnings.

Tom Berg (not verified)    December 21, 2024 - 12:36AM

In 1974 I bought a new Audi Fox that had something similar: I had to buckle up before I could start the engine. The feature was mandated by a federal safety agency. I believed in seat belts but this was crazy because I had to buckle up to move the car out of the garage, unbuckle to get out and close the garage door, then rebuckle to drive. Guys at an automotive shop knew how to disconnect the feature and did (they unplugged the weight sensor under the driver's seat).

Eventually enough angry motorists complained to Congress that it passed a law that canceled this regulation.

Clyde Guevara (not verified)    December 21, 2024 - 1:38AM

On my new 2023 Silverado is the sss add me buckle up before shifting into gear however go to settings and displays it can be changed my grandsons did for me I’m old school younger generation are good the future. He changed it for me now I don’t have to buckle before shifting into gear. Try it it works it’s only an option.

TS (not verified)    December 21, 2024 - 3:48AM

People like me who use trucks at home and out as trucks and not just something you drive to work or put 30k worth of mods in to compensate for something will find this super annoying and overkill

J S (not verified)    December 21, 2024 - 4:01AM

Yeah.. They are taking "safety" to far.. Cause.. sorry . But if you are rushing.. god forbid.. whether it's jumping in the car to race away from someone chasing you...a woman in a dark parking lot being followed..
You rushing to take someone to the hospital and you don't buckle your seat belt case won't start,. Possible Prince sets in..
And the sue happy society we live in..
Na..i don't see any lawsuits with this..

Russ Rutter (not verified)    December 21, 2024 - 5:43AM

Guess ill be looking at older GM vehicles or just get a toyota. This is beyond ridiculous. I get a seatbelt chime when my cell phone is on the passenger seat.

Mike (not verified)    December 21, 2024 - 6:57AM

Maybe manufacturers should stop putting things in vehicles that distract drivers like giant TV screens in front of you. Or have a drivers education program like they have for motorcycle drivers. There will always be a way to get around the seat belt alarm.

Mark Davie (not verified)    December 21, 2024 - 7:27AM

I believe that we the people of a free and sovereign nation should have the rights to how we need to remain safe not big corporate or government. I personally have lost two friends in car crashes due to having their seat belts on. I personally was in a head on collision without a seat belt on thankfully or according to car crash experts I would have probably been paralyzed because the belt stops the body not the head and neck from going forward.
It's your life to walk through and make your own decisions. If people need this type of government control then they have bigger issues obviously.
Has anyone tried unbuckling it after the vehicle is in motion to see what happens?
Has anyone buckled it behind you to bypass this intrusive feature?
I rely on my intelligences to remain safe and sure the hell don't need bleeding heart law maker's unwanted help!