Seat belt

Here's an oddball question.

My '00 Accord EX's drivers side seatbelt is a PIA. After unbuckling it
won't rewind because it is folded over at the restraint on the door
pillar. The retractor mechanism works fine. This has been a minor
annoyance all along. Today it just jerked my chain.

When I unfold the belt it retracts. It's just an aggravation. Is this
common? Can it be 'fixed'?

TIA

Jim

 

When you feed the belt all the way back in properly, is the buckle facing
towards the middle of the car or towards the door panel?

 

Toward the middle of the car.

 

So...

If I understand this correctly, the belt experiences NO twist between
pillar mount and buckle? Correct?

If so, I'm having trouble following how it gets twisted. How are you doing
it up?

 

Not correct, exactly.

If I unbuckle and just drop the belt it won't rewind. The belt has a 90
degree fold between the pillar mount and the buckle just below the
pillar mount jamming the belt from feeding through the pillar mount.

Put differently, the belt comes up from the rewind mechanism, through
the pillar mount, folds over itself as if pulled toward the middle of
the car then toward the front, creating the 90 degree fold. (If you're
as confused as this sounds I'll post a picture tomorrow.)

Hmmmm, describing it makes me wonder if the pillar mount is not
swiveling freely toward the front when I put the belt on...

 

My 2003 Civic is the same way. It just seems like the rewinder thingie
needs more umph.

 

That could be it too. Then again, I need more umph these days...

 

Jim,

If you find an answer (other than replacement) let me know so I can
use it on my '98 Sienna. Yeah, old age - the retraction mechanism just
doesn't have that zip anymore and the seatbelt webbing is more pliable
allowing it to twist more easily than when new. But I don't find this
nearly as annoying as a new car payment.

 

That would help.

When these belts come from the factory, there are no folds in them
anywhere. If yours twists 90 degrees, then it's been folded over at some
point, and somebody then tried to fix it by simply turning the buckle
around. There may be another fold hidden inside.

Pull the belt out ALL the way and see if you can arrange to remove the
fold(s). I think once you determine if there are any other folds and
remove them, you may find you need to turn the buckle around again.

Could be. But I've never seen one that didn't swivel unless it had been
taken apart at some point and reassembled incorrectly.

 

$:

It is inappropriate to post binaries in a non-binary group. There are
plenty of places to post pics these days.

 

The pics don't tell much at all.

Did you try pulling the belt out ALL the way until it stops, to see if
there are any more twists in the webbing?

 

Yes, there are none. Maybe the retractor just isn't pulling hard enough.
That would be r&r time or just live with it right?

 

Honda has some tips regarding this problem.

Try cleaning the upper belt mount. Even though it looks clean, it's not.

Get some rubbing alcohol and a dishrag. Soak the rag in the alcohol and
feed it between the belt and the upper mount. Work the rag back and
forth on the mount to clean it off.

What also helps is to wash the belt itself with a solution of laundry
detergent and water, then rinse the water off. You'd also do this with a
rag. I think you'll be shocked at the filth that comes off the belt. And
you may be surprised at how well the belt slides after that.

 

Good tips. Thanks Tegger.

Jim

 

Honda seat belts have a life time warranty. Take the car to a dealer and
if they can't fix the problem with the belt; they will replace the belt.

Power Acura in CA, replaced the lap belt in my '90 Integra, in 2005: no
charge (to me.)

--
Tp,

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----- -\<. -------- __o
--- ( )/ ( ) ---- -\<.
-------------------- ( )/ ( )

 

The warranty only covers functionality. Your '90 'Teg had those awful
"motorized mouse" belts that regularly stopped working.

The OP's belts simply won't retract properly. They still function, so the
warranty likely won't be honored in this case. Plus the warranty only
applies in the United States. Never hurts to check though.

 

I'm gonna take this at face value... The belts in both, the '82 & '83
Civics don't retrac or do so lazily, (like me), so I'm gonna try for a
fix at the Honda dealer up the street when I get 'roundtoit...

<G>

JT

 

-----------------------------

Before booking an appointment, try the fix prescribed in the owner's
manual: Clean the top loop with mild soapy water to remove the GRUNGE
that accumulates where the belt goes back and forth.

'Curly'

 

I'll give that a try Curly... Free is better'n cheap!

<G>

JT