Seat Belt Won't Retract - Warranty?

[PabloCruise]

'99 LX 470

I drove the truck to the pool this morning - seatbelt worked fine.
When I came back out, I put my bag in the passenger side, reached over and started the truck and then got in the driver door. I went to put my seat belt on, and it will not retract.

I pulled the cover panel - no obvious obstructions. I can manually roll the drum back to retract, but it does not want to automatically retract at all.

If I pull on the belt suddenly, the inertia mechanism locks.

I saw online that seatbelts are a lifetime warranty item. When I called my local Toyota Parts counter, they said "no, no warranty on seat belts".

Does anyone have any experience here?

This is not a slow retraction issue, it is a sudden no retraction issue.

 

[TXLX100]

'99 LX 470

I drove the truck to the pool this morning - seatbelt worked fine.
When I came back out, I put my bag in the passenger side, reached over and started the truck and then got in the driver door. I went to put my seat belt on, and it will not retract.

I pulled the cover panel - no obvious obstructions. I can manually roll the drum back to retract, but it does not want to automatically retract at all.

If I pull on the belt suddenly, the inertia mechanism locks.

I saw online that seatbelts are a lifetime warranty item. When I called my local Toyota Parts counter, they said "no, no warranty on seat belts".

Does anyone have any experience here?

This is not a slow retraction issue, it is a sudden no retraction issue.

Seat belts fall under the SRS warranty which is like 7 years or so. You can try cleaning the belt and the hangar and see if it improves retraction. Might just need a new belt assembly

 

[Hokie LX]

Look up how to get a seatbelt lock to release on YouTube. It can happen on any seatbelt with a lock from what I’ve read when the seatbelt does not spool up tight enough inside the mechanism. Happened in one of my other cars the other day. Try tanking on it hard to see if you can tighten the spool of seatbelt inside the mechanism and get it to release

 

[PabloCruise]

Toyota and Lexus say these are not covered by any kind of lifetime warranty.

Bummer. My little Honda Civic has a lifetime warranty on the belts.

 

[PabloCruise]

In other exciting news, it sounds like the Ivory seat belts are NLA. Black is...

Bad enough I broke the seatbelt in the wife's rig. Not sure how she will like 1 black seat belt.

 

[trdcorolla]

Have you checked the part out threads in the classifieds? Ivory interior is common, gray interior like mine isn't. Good luck!

 

[Hokie LX]

I would try to get it to release first before buying a new one. Also try working the belt in and out slowly. Pull it out slowly then back in 90% of the way and then out again. Repeat. It’ll slowly give you more and more belt. Pull hard every now and then to try and tighten it up inside the mechanism. It’ll release eventually but may require some time and patience. Once it’s released you should be good to go

 

[PabloCruise]

Have you checked the part out threads in the classifieds? Ivory interior is common, gray interior like mine isn't. Good luck!

No I had not, I was still reeling from the $280 price tag for a mis-matched color belt, and then wondering if I could fix the existing unit.

Solid plan - thank you my man!

 

[hoser]

Can try..... https://www.safetyrestore.com/seat-belt-repair-service/9-seat-belt-repair.html

 

[PabloCruise]

Can try..... https://www.safetyrestore.com/seat-belt-repair-service/9-seat-belt-repair.html

I am going to dig into this over the weekend and see if a bobby pin got pulled in with the webbing (I found them all over the hose - including in the vacuum cleaner!).

If not I will try Safety Restore.

Thanks

 

[YardPig]

Yes Ivory is NLA, subbed to Grey (Stone?). I've been through this already. I repaired one of mine, seem to think I sneaked some penetrating fluid into the gear portion plastic cover on the side for the Inertia cam, the grease from the factory dries out and catches the Inertia cam not allowing it to float. I do have some belts here I can look at and snap some pictures if required.
The other problems with them is the belts choking people. My wife used to complain of the passenger side slowly tightening while driving. Had to disconnect, retract and then reattach the belt. Same game, I sprayed some MOOVIT in the gear portion and magic happened...

 

[PabloCruise]

Yes Ivory is NLA, subbed to Grey (Stone?). I've been through this already. I repaired one of mine, seem to think I sneaked some penetrating fluid into the gear portion plastic cover on the side for the Inertia cam, the grease from the factory dries out and catches the Inertia cam not allowing it to float. I do have some belts here I can look at and snap some pictures if required.
The other problems with them is the belts choking people. My wife used to complain of the passenger side slowly tightening while driving. Had to disconnect, retract and then reattach the belt. Same game, I sprayed some MOOVIT in the gear portion and magic happened...

Yes please, I would take a picture.
I plan on taking the retractor out tomorrow.

 

[Ayune]

By the way, don’t mess with the parts near the yellow connector, that’s the explosive pretensioner. Kinda like a tiny airbag for your seatbelts. If you’re going to remove the assembly disconnect the battery and wait a few minutes beforehand, at least that’s what they say.

 

[PabloCruise]

By the way, don’t mess with the parts near the yellow connector, that’s the explosive pretensioner. Kinda like a tiny airbag for your seatbelts. If you’re going to remove the assembly disconnect the battery and wait a few minutes beforehand, at least that’s what they say.

Thank you! Yes, my understanding is that the yellow harnesses are for SRS, and you should disconnect battery before working with these.

 

[PabloCruise]

It is the retractor.

I wonder if I can pirate the one from the 3rd row belt?

This piece:

 

[PabloCruise]

Looks like the 3rd row belt uses a different retractor.

Curses!

 

[Ayune]

What’s wrong with it?

 

[Alibaster]

If that’s the piece can you get one 3D printed?

 

[PabloCruise]

What’s wrong with it?

There is no spring tension.

Think of those old window shades some houses used to have - you would tug a little on the shade and it would roll up based on spring tension

 

[Ayune]

There is no spring tension.

Think of those old window shades some houses used to have - you would tug a little on the shade and it would roll up based on spring tension

Sorry, I meant to ask what’s wrong with the retractor? Is the metal spring broken, or a plastic part broken, or something else. I.e. is it reparable without having to replace it outright?