Mado52

Not covered under lifetime warr.


Seatbelt extends normally, will lock if pulled quickly.


But when buckled in, it will only lock. Not extend with normal movement.


No SRS light.


Dealer quoted 260 & labor to replace Belt & Buckle.


**Anyone know if this is JUST the buckle needing replaced ??

ezone

Which belt does this?

Sounds like you discovered the 'car seat' function.


If you pull a seat belt all the way out, it engages a one-way ratchet mechanism that only allows it to retract. You have to let the belt go all the way in before you can pull it out again.

You want this feature when strapping a car seat in the back, but it's annoying when you do it to yourself in the front seat.

This should not apply to the drivers belt but does apply to all other belt retractors in the car.

Pretty sure it's explained in the owners manual.



Simple solution: Don't pull the belt all the way out when strapping yourself in, and the belt will work normally.




Did I guess correctly?

Mado52

This is the passenger front.


Pulling out the seatbelt as I would in any other car, no over extending.


The locking doesn't happen until I buckle it.
Was just wondering if it's both the buckle & belt needing replaced or just one of them. Thank

ezone

What year is the car?

Buckling should have no effect on how the retractor acts, they are not linked in any way--- other than the physical lock between buckle and tongue while assembled.

The only thing that engages the ratchet mechanism is pulling the belt out all the way ........maybe 95% of the way will engage the ratchet.
(Overweight people tend to pull the belt out this far more often than skinny people. Don't ask why I know this.)

The belt may lock (inertia) if the car is tilted (or upon accel/brake/turn), but it should release when the car is stopped and level again.
If the retractor spool mount is misaligned it may tend to lock when it shouldn't.




The buckle and retractor (belt) are purchased separately. No need to buy a buckle unless it's broken or cannot latch.

Mado52

07 sedan EX.


The reason I mentioned the buckle/belt together, is because the belt acts as normal. *Until its buckled. Then the ratchet engages and will not release until unbuckled.


Just trying to determine if the belt OR the buckle is to be replaced.
Since only the buckle is wired, I'm thinking the ratchet system engages and locks once it reaches a certain extension **Maybe the car was in an accident & the ratchet is blown at that particular length.
Thanks

ezone

I'd do just the belt.

You could connect the pass belt to the drivers buckle and see what happens, you could hook the drivers belt to the passengers buckle to see what happens.


Buckles are wired to the SRS control unit, the input is used to operate the warning light on the dash and to help the control unit judge which stage of the 2 stage airbag to deploy and/or deploy the seat belt and/or buckle preteisioners (when equipped).

That's weird as ....
Maybe someone attempted to rebuild the belt after its pretensioner deployed, instead of buying new.

Mado52

Ok. Thank You for your time and info.


Greatly appreciated !