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Stuck Driver side seatbelt issue revisited....

blacksheep

Well-known member
Joined
May 1, 2002
Messages
15,485
Location
Urbandale, Iowa 50323
OK guys, As Teet pointed out to me, this may have something to do with the ignition switch as well ???

I thought turning the ignition key off made the drivers side belt retract as well as opening the door? Could this be a problem as well?

My belt seems to work on and off and everytime I am in a hurry to get out, it never fails to piss me off by not working and I 'clothesline' myself.

Its getting old, someone on here has to know what the fix is. This whole click it or ticket law makes me not wanna drive with it off. HELP!

Thanks!
 

iceman69510

Turn Right Racing
Staff member
Joined
Mar 5, 2001
Messages
10,964
Location
Michigan
KC,

There are "open" and "close" switches at either end of the seatbelt track. Also, the door opening is what triggers the belt to move forward and release you. You mentioned in another post that your door switches do not work properly for the dome light. Perhaps a bad contact there is also causing your seatbelt malfunction? I'm not certain if there is also a switch contact located in the door latch mechanism itself, and I don't have the manual here to check. Test the door opening switch affect on the system.
 

4orced4door

Moderator
Joined
Jul 19, 2002
Messages
9,846
Location
Raleigh, NC
There is a switch in the door latch mechanism. Open your door on a working seat belt, and take a screw driver and trick the latch into thinking you closed the door. Your selt belt will go back. Pull the handle to open it and it will retract the belt.

The question is how to replace the sensor?
 

blacksheep

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Joined
May 1, 2002
Messages
15,485
Location
Urbandale, Iowa 50323
Hertz and Dave- you both probably wont believe me, but since my belts work intermitently, it just did on my drive back from work. I pulled into my driveway, shut off the ignition and the belt retracted all of a sudden.

I had to manually click it in this morning and on my way back. But, it was stuck in the closed position all day long since it didnt work this morning. Dunno WTF is wrong with it. I dunno if the dome light trigger could be related. Josh said it was like 7 bux a piece. I am gonna order all 4 just so I dont have to deal with this over and over.

Paul - I tried what you said on my passengers side door, but could not replicate this like you mention.

Thanks to all!
 

4orced4door

Moderator
Joined
Jul 19, 2002
Messages
9,846
Location
Raleigh, NC
quote:Originally posted by blacksheep:
Paul - I tried what you said on my passengers side door, but could not replicate this like you mention. Was the car on when you tried? Just checking. I know I could make the seat belt go by doing what I posted above.
 

teet

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 8, 2001
Messages
1,245
Location
northwest
Mine always retraced when I turned the key off.

Only the drivers side.

I am 99% sure of that. it always bugged me when I would be just sitting in the car and turn the key off to read or something...whirr....then it would be in my way.

I don't live in the salt belt so my car was actually quite un-rusted. it was pretty dang fresh.

john
 

ken inn

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 23, 2001
Messages
7,529
Location
krum texas
my driver's side will not retract unless i take the key out of the ignition, or open the door. the passenger side will not retract unless the door is opened.
 

a_santos

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Joined
Oct 22, 2002
Messages
2,057
Location
San Diego, CA, USA
I'm on the same boat. I have posted about it before, but could never find a solution. I have a spare door that will be going on my car shortly, I will try to find this sensor by the latch. Any guidance on how to get to it. I get nervous every time a cop drives by b/c I don't have my seatbelt on.

There must be a seperate switch besides the ignition switch. If I manually pull my seatbelt back to the closed position, where it should be when you are driving, and open the door with the car on, the belt will not retract, but it will retract when I remove the key from the ignition. This tells me that there are multiple switches that control the actions of the seatbelt, one at the door and one in the ignition.

Really hope we can get this sorted.
frown.gif
 

04DrBlur

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 16, 2002
Messages
1,081
Location
Massillon, Oh.
Mine is as Ken said. Passenger only if door open. Driver if pull the key out or open door. Can you lock your doors with the drivers open and car still on? That feature has helped me out a few times.
 

Hertz

Staff member
Joined
Jul 29, 2002
Messages
13,501
Location
Chicago, IL
Turning the car off does NOT make the belts retract. Opening the door makes the belts retract ("open"), turning the ignition on makes them "close".
 

Hertz

Staff member
Joined
Jul 29, 2002
Messages
13,501
Location
Chicago, IL
quote:Originally posted by blacksheep:
Hertz and Dave- you both probably wont believe me, but since my belts work intermitently, it just did on my drive back from work. I pulled into my driveway, shut off the ignition and the belt retracted all of a sudden.
Okay, so I think we all agree that in a normally operating VR-4, with the door closed, ignition on, the driver's seat belt retracts when you either a) open the door, b) remove the key. The passenger seat belt retracts only when the door is opened, regardless of key.

Both seatbelts only close when the car is on and the respective door is closed.

So at no point should you be stuck with the seatbelt closed and your key removed and the door open because either of those conditions should cause the belt to retract.

I think it is unlikely that BOTH switches/sensors would fail -- so the obvious condition would be that the ETACS thinks that the seatbelt is retracted. Figure out the position sensors on the track itself (if they exist?) and you'll find the cause of the problem.

If you can open/close the door with the ignition on and the seatbelt doesn't move it could be the door switch (likely). If turning the car on/off/on/off with the door closed doesn't move the belt it could be the ignition switch (unlikely).

If you're KC it is neither of the above and you're cursed to be tortured by a sadistic car.
 

teet

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 8, 2001
Messages
1,245
Location
northwest
humm...maybe it is if the key is pulled out. I definitely remember having the seat belt retract before I opened the door.

I don't have a galant vr4 to test it on...at least not one that has a auto seatbelt
smile.gif


john
 
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