Stupid lock up on seatbelt (1 Viewer)

[calfj60]

Okay Itried searching and found a thread but the link is bad??

Anyway here is the issue...I finally take the wife out in my 80 and she sits in the passenger seat..everytime she moves the seatbelt locks up on her..she has to unbuckle it to move or reach for anything...

Can anyone help??

 

[retrofive]

So I have zero experience with 80s seatbelts. But I would tear it out and open it. My old school cars had a simple little ratchet system with the bar type thing across to allow for movement. My acura had the "ball" style system, when the brakes or momentum was thrown a type of swing ball type thing would lock it up. Possible same type of thing and the swing arm, etc is sticky or stuck. Dont think they like big gulps etc spilled in them lol

I haven't had to deal with my LC's. Sorry for the lack of info, but t thats my .02.

 

[retrofive]

EDIT: Sorry I just posted and this one dup'd it.

 

[calfj60]

Thanks...I am all about taking stuff apart...

 

[slamd58]

Make sure she isn't pulling it all the way out when she is putting th seatbelt on. When you pull it all the way out you put it the Child seat mode which allows the seat belt to go in but locks it so that you can't pull it out.

Try it so that you can see how it works. You must pull the seat belt all the way out and then you will hear it rachet as it goes back in. It will lock immediately when you try to pull it back out. The only way to get out of the "child seat mode" is to let the seat belt go all the way back in.

Hopefully this helps.... I don't think I would try to "rebuild" a seat belt mechanism... way safer to get a good used one that works.

My $0.02

 

[josepo]

I had to do this "repair" myself... no need to rebuild or anything like that... just a simple cleaning procedure and voilà!

Follow this:

1. Take upper belt bolt appart (the one besides the shoulder)
2. Take out the B pillar plastic cover (do not recall if lower bolt need to be removed first)
3. Remove belt mechanism from inside B pillar (2 bolts)
4. Remove clear plastic cover (has a couple of nail-kind plastic locks, push them out gently)
5. Clean the steel ball and the plastic cup it is in
6. Re-assemble everything

Had not a single problem since.

 

[calfj60]

Jose...thanks will give it a try...

 

[96r50]

I thought I remembered reading something on here about auto manufacturers having to replace faulty/non-functioning seatbelts and only charging labour for it? Not a specific recall or anything, more of something to do with safety etc. I may be way off base with this, and I'm sure some one will chime in soon if that's the case

 

[josepo]

Don't panic with re-calls, manufacturers, or anyrhing... it's just a simple cleaning job.

10+ years of dirt & dust will obviously build up everywhere... including your seatbelts.

Glad to help Cal.