Seat belt retractor

[Seguin]

My wife's "Misty" went to the shop yesterday for some minor things we had hoped to address prior to the warranty running out. One of which was the rain sense wipers not consistently working. I messed with the fuse once and got them going, but they are now out again. the jury is still out on whether the dealer can figure it out and we hope to have the car back today.

Naturally, the rattle in the dash and the top intermittently failing to open/close were not acting up when the dealer was looking.

We got a quote for $670+ (and that's American Dollars!) to fix the seat belt retractor on the passenger side.

Symptoms are that the belt will allow enough slack to be buckled, but with almost any movement of the car, the belt ratchets tighter. I believe it is an inertia reel belt tightener, designed to lock on a sudden impact, but it seems to be engaging the lock-up function after fastening.

I don't have the car available to try and visualize what is going on, but I am guessing that a lot of interior trim must be removed to make the replacement and that is the reason for the high estimate.

So, has anyone encountered this? Were you able to fix it without removing the interior?

Any help is appreciated.

 

[cubby558]

Not sure this is your problem, but most all seatbelts if pulled out to its full capacity, when retracted lock to the position it ' settles at'. (not sure the drivers belt does this) It is designed that way to 'lock in' the car seats, booster seats for children. Perhaps when you are buckling up, you are pulling the seat belt to its max and that is causing the problem. Just my guess, you could have a problem.

My wife's "Misty" went to the shop yesterday for some minor things we had hoped to address prior to the warranty running out. One of which was the rain sense wipers not consistently working. I messed with the fuse once and got them going, but they are now out again. the jury is still out on whether the dealer can figure it out and we hope to have the car back today.

Naturally, the rattle in the dash and the top intermittently failing to open/close were not acting up when the dealer was looking.

We got a quote for $670+ (and that's American Dollars!) to fix the seat belt retractor on the passenger side.

Symptoms are that the belt will allow enough slack to be buckled, but with almost any movement of the car, the belt ratchets tighter. I believe it is an inertia reel belt tightener, designed to lock on a sudden impact, but it seems to be engaging the lock-up function after fastening.

I don't have the car available to try and visualize what is going on, but I am guessing that a lot of interior trim must be removed to make the replacement and that is the reason for the high estimate.

So, has anyone encountered this? Were you able to fix it without removing the interior?

Any help is appreciated.

 

[Seguin]

Thanks, Cubby

The car will be back this afternnon and I will check that out.
Appreciate your response.

 

[XLRATING]

It might just be an '08 Caddy belt problem, unfortunately. I have an '08 sedan that had that problem with the passenger rear seat belt & they replaced it (still under warranty). I fussed at my kid for pulling it out all the way & breaking it ... but now the unused middle belt is doing the same thing so I guess the first one wasn't his fault after all. Since no one uses that one I'm not going to bother fixing it.

 

[Seguin]

Thanks, Cubby!

You were exactly right! Pulling the passenger seatbelt to its full extended length and buckling it and then letting it pull in its own slack was the problem.

Solved by pulling out only the length needed to buckle.

Love the forum and the collective knowledge that is here.

 

[cubby558]

Glad I could help and more importantly, glad to hear there isn't a problem with your wife's new ride!!

You were exactly right! Pulling the passenger seatbelt to its full extended length and buckling it and then letting it pull in its own slack was the problem.

Solved by pulling out only the length needed to buckle.

Love the forum and the collective knowledge that is here.

 

[ChicagoDave]

You were exactly right! Pulling the passenger seatbelt to its full extended length and buckling it and then letting it pull in its own slack was the problem.

Solved by pulling out only the length needed to buckle.

Love the forum and the collective knowledge that is here.

Cubby - You are brilliant! I'm aware of the "child car seat" locking mechanism, never would have thought of that as his problem in the XLR. Whenever I read threads like this, it just reinforces my love of this forum community. Its great how we can help one another out like this. Good call, Kevin!

 

[graytoad]

Speaking of car seats.............

Is there a way to shut off the air bags they don't tell you about in the owners manual, pertaining to the passenger side? Occasionally I may pick up my granddaughter if I am in town and inspired to do so. Apparently I should not have her in the car? When I do, she is on a booster seat and I put the cars seat all the way back and as high up as it will go so if the air bag goes off it wont hit her directly in the face or top of head.......... I also drive like a granny....

 

[Crimson Pearl]

Is there a way to shut off the air bags they don't tell you about in the owners manual, pertaining to the passenger side?

Doesn't your car have a switch for this in the glovebox?

 

[XLRATING]

I'm not sure because I'm not where I can check my XLR, but I think the switch is only on '04 & '05. The later models have a sensor in the passenger seat that is supposed to cut the airbag off if the person doesn't weigh enough. You'll see at the bottom of the rearview mirror "Passenger Airbag Off" if the seat is empty or the person doesn't weigh enough.

Even with that, they still recommend that kids sit in the back - that helpful reminder is on the visors of our cars, which my kid always says is stupid to have there because there isn't a back seat ....

 

[graytoad]

Doesn't your car have a switch for this in the glovebox?

Geez, you made me blush I thought I was being blonde there for a minute.....no the only switch in the glove box of my '09 is a Valet switch (and the glove box compression switch for the light)

 

[graytoad]

I'm not sure because I'm not where I can check my XLR, but I think the switch is only on '04 & '05. The later models have a sensor in the passenger seat that is supposed to cut the airbag off if the person doesn't weigh enough. You'll see at the bottom of the rearview mirror "Passenger Airbag Off" if the seat is empty or the person doesn't weigh enough.

Even with that, they still recommend that kids sit in the back - that helpful reminder is on the visors of our cars, which my kid always says is stupid to have there because there isn't a back seat ....

Ok, so I checked for a switch without Evelyn around, so next time she is with me I will pay better attention to the idiot lights and see if there is a sensor light in my mirror. If there is not, I guess I better put her in the trunk! (don't worry, I wont)

Those idiot lights must be for people who pay attention to them, I must be a different kind of idiot...

 

[GizmoQ]

... I must be a different kind of idiot...

OOOhhh.... that's just too easy.


C'mon give me a hard one.

 

[XLRATING]

If there is not, I guess I better put her in the trunk!

I've tried that with my kid many times, but he refuses to get in .... He is capable of making me have my own idiot light come on.

 

[graytoad]

OOOhhh.... that's just too easy.


C'mon give me a hard one.

Ya, I know eh! ........ just a reminder to be careful Weiner Boy: I could spread some pictures around......

 

[05 GRAND DADDY]

Is there a way to shut off the air bags they don't tell you about in the owners manual, pertaining to the passenger side? Occasionally I may pick up my granddaughter if I am in town and inspired to do so. Apparently I should not have her in the car? When I do, she is on a booster seat and I put the cars seat all the way back and as high up as it will go so if the air bag goes off it wont hit her directly in the face or top of head.......... I also drive like a granny....

On my 05 i am almost positive the key that you would use to open the trunk in emergency situations there is a key slot in the glove box to turn off the passenger side air bag! I will check exactly where it is when I'm at the car when I can!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Thanks Dan

 

[thewheelman]

Hey GizmoQ ! I will be on the track at Charlotte gunning for that record, hope you'll be there. Your car is AWESOME !!!