Any vehicle component does not last forever and tends to break. Sometimes this is not so noticeable and may appear after some time. In other cases, such as with a seat belt, the problem will be noticed immediately. What to do if the seat belt does not extend? For what reasons could this happen? Find out more details below.
What does a jammed belt mean?
If the seat belt does not pull out of the installation socket, it is most likely jammed. To understand what this means, you first need to understand how it works. When the belt does not extend, this indicates a failure of the locking mechanism or that the belts were jammed as a result of an accident. But first, let's look at the principle of operation.
Vehicle seat belt
Inside the blocking device there is a sensitive element responsible directly for blocking, which is made in the form of a ball. This ball, moving through a system of levers, clings to the body of the coil gear. If the belt is retracted too quickly, the spool disc puts more force on the screw surface, thus blocking the ball.
If the lock is jammed and cannot be turned off, this means that over time the security mechanism has begun to function incorrectly.
In such cases, the strap does not retract and cannot be turned off in any way. In such cases, even an attempt to slowly latch the element may not help - it simply jams and no longer retracts, does not work.
How do they work
Before starting repairs, it is important to understand exactly how seat belts work, what are their features, and what devices generally take part in protecting the driver and passengers.
- The coil lock is made on the basis of a ratchet mechanism, which is locked by a sensitive element. Its role is played by a pendulum with a semi-spherical support. In some cases, this is a ball of metal placed in a sphere with a large diameter.
- The pendulum or ball moves, while the ratcheting gear of the reel is fixed to the body through a system of levers.
- A flywheel disc is located on the gear axis on screw splines.
- When the straps are slowly tightened, the disc rotates with the shaft due to friction, but does not lock the reel.
- If you make a jerk, the disk will put more pressure on the screw surface, acting by inertia, overcome the friction force and block the ratchet, moving along the screw splines.
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Checking status
When driving, the driver and his passengers must wear seat belts.
This node will only provide security if it is used. The problem for many of our citizens is that they wear seat belts not for the sake of safety, but to avoid fines for violating traffic rules. That’s why many people simply throw on the tape without putting it into the lock, creating an imitation of a fastened belt for the traffic police.
You should always be sure that your seat belts are functioning properly. Therefore, it is recommended to check them periodically.
There are several useful recommendations for this.
- Check whether the belts are twisted due to improper use.
- If the tapes are twisted, they may jam and retract incorrectly.
- Pull the belt out to its full length, straighten it and return it to its original position.
- Remove the tape completely and let it come together on its own.
- If the device jams when pulling in and out, check the condition of the tape, dirt, grease and other defects.
- Washing can only be done with a mild soap solution. If it is impossible to rinse with a weak solution, the belt must be replaced.
- Make sure the belt attachment points are secure and in good condition. All bolts must be tightened tightly.
- Check the condition of the device's fastenings to the body. Sometimes on a VAZ 2110, traces of corrosion appear in that area. All corroded elements must be replaced.
When replacement is required
There are several situations in which it may be necessary to replace just the tape or the entire device assembly.
We invite you to familiarize yourself with these situations in a special table.
Causes
If your vehicle's security system won't retract, or the lock is stuck and cannot be disengaged, there could be several reasons for this. Before we move on to how to disassemble and disconnect a belt that does not work and does not retract, let's talk about the reasons. There are not many of them, so we will not dwell on this point for long. After all, in order to repair the latch of an unfastened strap, you need to know what is not working and why. So, the reasons:
- First of all, the belt usually does not retract due to wear. Or rather, not specifically the wear of the belt, but in principle the locking system. Also, this may not be related to the entire system, but to one of its components. If the buckle of an unfastened strap is jammed, does not retract, and you cannot disengage it, then, without a doubt, the problem is in the mechanism. But if the element was not fastened, that’s half the trouble. It will be much worse if it jams during operation.
- The second reason is the breakdown of one or another component. As a rule, it concerns not an unfastened belt, but a fastened one. If a breakdown occurs or a defect appears in the operation of one of the components, this is usually associated directly with the fastened structural elements of the system. In this case, only repairs will help you and nothing more. Or, of course, you can always replace failed parts.
- Another reason is blocking after an accident. Typically, the design of the strap is made in such a way that in the event of a traffic accident, the squibs of the mechanism are activated. In this case, the lock of the device jams and it is no longer possible to disable it.
Depending on the car model, the driver may receive a signal that the straps are stuck. This signal can be either audible or appear on the instrument panel. The signal may also appear on the on-board computer screen, if available. In any case, if the car is equipped with “brains”, the driver will receive a corresponding signal.
One more point regarding signals. The driver's warning may look different. The signal may be in the form of a loud click, which is not typical for a security system. The motorist will hear this signal even when driving with loud music. As you understand, such a signal also indicates that the belt needs to be cleaned.
Second option: rack and pinion
If the seat belts were deployed during an accident and are now locked, you can loosen and unlock them using a special device - a rack:
- Remove the mechanism and carefully disassemble the belt tensioner. Secure the spring element in place so that it does not unwind during work.
- The squib device is being disassembled. After this you can see the rack. Its further use is impractical, since it is already broken. To restore working condition, install a new part that you purchased in advance. Gear racks can be of different types; buy the one that is designed for a specific car model.
- After removing the gear mechanism, you will see dirt and debris on the inside. These are products of wear and tear on the plastic components of the device. Remove dirt.
- Reassembling the mechanism is carried out in the reverse order. If the spring element is strongly unwound, then the seat belt is wound by hand. After this, the spring is mounted on the seat.
Using the Toyota Rav4 as an example, user zhenya0164Wende suggests familiarizing yourself with the process of unlocking the seat belt.
Naturally, if the belt is stuck, it is best to turn to professionals. But, if you don’t have enough money, but have a lot of free time, and also if you want to learn something new, you can perform this operation yourself. There are several options that we will now share with you.
Squib with bushing
- First, you need to remove the entire seat belt mechanism. In most cases this does not cause problems. Although in certain cars, to dismantle this device you will have to remove the front wheels.
- Now we are looking for access to the squib (it is the one that blocks the entire system).
- With the mechanism in hand, look for the spring. Carefully unscrew all the bolts to remove it (sometimes it may fly out).
- Next, remove the belt and, without twisting it, set it aside.
- Afterwards you will see the squib shell, which needs to be removed from the belt (use an asterisk key for this purpose).
- The next step: you need to remove the cover of the device (it can be fixed not only with bolts, but also with sealant). In this case, we recommend using a stationery knife.
- In front of you will be a nylon bushing with six copper scraps (they are the ones that block the belt).
- These pieces need to be removed. Do not touch the bushing while doing this.
- Reinstall the squib and screw this device into the mechanism body. It is important that before installing it in place, tighten the belt with your own hands - a few circles will be enough. Why do this? After such manipulations, the spring will weaken slightly.
- Place the spring in its place and secure it.
- The work is completed. If the strap still does not work, it will have to be replaced.
Rack
Using a ribbed strip, it will be possible to unlock the belts if they are jammed after a traffic accident.
- Remove the mechanism, and then disassemble the tensioning device.
- Disassemble the squib.
- Next you will see a gear rack (they are already broken, remove it and replace it with a new one).
- Your next steps: after dismantling the gear, you will notice a lot of debris and dirt - they need to be removed.
- Reassemble in the reverse order of disassembly.
Video “How to repair seat belts?”
The video shows how to properly repair your vehicle's seat belts.
The required side cover is secured with 4 latches. But before removing it, we MUST fix the belt so that it doesn’t get wound into a reel!
One of the difficult tasks when removing the lid is to remove the clips from the box, some are difficult to reach, and you also have to push through, but a small nail will help.
When I opened the first belt, I snapped off the side cover with a screwdriver. In principle it worked, but the blades of two latches broke. No problem, in place of one of them I then screwed it with an M3 screw with a locking washer and a nut. It holds up no worse than before. When disassembling the second belt, I pressed out the latches from the inside with a short drill.
The latch can be seen in the photo to the left of the white part.
The latches fell out, the cover was slightly pryed with a screwdriver and removed. We see the belt mechanism in the position when the ratchet is unlocked by the ball
And when locked
I had a suspicion that the lever above the ball was jammed, because... the gap between it and the mounting points was very small. I bent the nearest petal outward a little and slightly enlarged the holes in which it rotates.
The metal plate with teeth was wiped from dust/dirt. I did the same with the ball and its seat. Put the belts in place. The jamming has stopped.
The seat belt on the VAZ 2107 is sticking. It’s very inconvenient, so I ran out of patience and decided to disassemble it and fix it.
- the lubricant in the locking mechanism has dried out;
- The copper foot on which the ball is acting has bent.
But to find out, disassembly is first required. For the analysis sequence to find out the cause of the seat belt wedging on the VAZ 2107 and its repair, see the photo with comments.
Before removing the belt, we fix it so that it does not get all wrapped up in the reel. They say that if this happens, then it will not be promoted.
The seat belt is a mandatory element of the car interior. It is designed to reduce the likelihood of injury during an accident. Traffic regulations indicate that the use of this device is mandatory. Therefore, if the seat belt breaks for some reason, it must be repaired urgently. This can be done with your own hands.
If the seat belt does not extend, there are a number of actions you can take to help quickly solve this problem. Experienced auto mechanics are ready to give some advice on how to properly fix the breakdown. In this case, you will be able to avoid visiting a car service center and additional costs.
Seat belt device
If the belt does not come out of its slot, it is most likely jammed. To fix the problem, you need to understand the principle of this element of the car. With such a breakdown, there is a high probability that it is the locking mechanism that is not working correctly. Sometimes the belt may not stretch after an accident. There is a special technology for eliminating such breakdowns.
First of all, you should understand the seat belt design. There is a special element inside the locking mechanism that is responsible for fixation. It looks like a ball that moves through levers. At the same time, it clings to the gears of the coils.
The seat belt latch reacts when it is pulled out too quickly, blocking the ball. It is in this system that problems may appear over time. In this case, the belt may not stretch or, conversely, may remain locked in the fastened position.
Design and operating principle
The design of the protective device in question is represented by a retractor reel, a lock and a tape. High-strength material is used to make the tape; this element is fixed to the body in several zones as follows:
- in the area of special traction with a lock;
- on the counter;
- in the threshold area.
The main purpose of the lock, in turn, is to lock the belt. This element is located near the seat. A movable tongue made of durable metal simplifies the operation of the belt; it is located directly on the belt. You can find a retractor coil on the car body pillar. Its purpose is to forcefully wind and unwind the tape. The design of the retractor reel provides for the presence of an inertial locking mechanism, due to which, in the event of a sudden stop, the movement of the belt is stopped and the person remains in a fixed position, not being able to go into free flight through the windshield.
The principle of operation is nothing complicated: the action of a coil with a blocker is based on a gear mechanism that rotates it. The closing of this mechanism occurs through a pendulum; it can have a ball or spheroid support with a lever system.
Smooth unwinding of the tape promotes rotation of the support along with the reel gear, while sudden tension leads to blocking of the flywheel.
Causes of the problem
There are several main reasons why a seat belt does not extend. First of all, it should be noted the banal wear and tear of the system. Moreover, this may only apply to one of its elements; for example, seat belt pretensioners or a locking device may fail due to wear. The roller mechanism may also wear out.
Adverse weather conditions also provoke such malfunctions. Severe frost can cause this phenomenon.
Sometimes seat belt pretensioners fail after an accident. This may cause the coil lock or the entire main mechanism to break. After an accident, in many vehicles the belt may not retract back into its intended location at all. This is due to the activation of the system's squibs.
The main causes of failure of inertial belts
Among the common breakdowns that occur during the operation of seat belts and the mechanisms that control their operation are the following:
- jamming of the belt when trying to fasten, even if pulled out smoothly;
- belts do not stretch due to frost or wear of the roller mechanism;
- the straps do not retract when unfastened;
- The spool lock is broken or the main mechanism is damaged.
Of course, there are other problems, but they are less common, which means that the risk of encountering such a breakdown in your car is minimal. Many people believe that in case of some breakdowns it is possible to drive with faulty seat belts, but, according to traffic rules, if a vehicle is operated with a faulty seat belt mechanism, an administrative fine may be imposed on the driver.
Faulty seat belt mechanism
In addition, the car manufacturer is not responsible for a traffic accident, even if the car is under warranty if the owner does not contact specialists to replace the seat belts. Therefore, before you repair belts with your own hands, you need to understand that all changes are made, as they say, at your own peril and risk.
Most often, owners decide to do their own repairs due to the very expensive maintenance. For example, replacing a belt mechanism or completely replacing belts on a standard middle-class passenger car will cost the owner at least 15 thousand rubles. Not everyone is ready to pay that kind of money, especially if it is a simple breakdown, for example, the need to lubricate or replace the gear of the main mechanism.
What will be required for repairs?
For the reasons mentioned above, sometimes the seat belt does not extend. What to do ? Advice from experienced auto mechanics will help. First of all, you will have to disassemble the casing and remove the coil. In some models, you will have to dismantle the seats in the place where the breakdown occurred.
To do this, you need to prepare screwdrivers (flat and Phillips), as well as spanners. Their diameter should be different. You should also purchase a multi-purpose lubricant. The seats must be protected from accidental contact with oil. You will also need napkins and wire.
Repairs can be simple or more complex. In some cases, you have to completely change the coil. For some machine models, you will need to prepare special tools. But repairing a seat belt yourself will help save quite a lot of money in the family budget.
Features of penalties
If a traffic police officer finds an unbelted passenger in the car, he will issue a double fine. The driver will also suffer the same fate and will be fined RUB 1,000. Why, you ask, since the motorist is not to blame? In fact, law enforcement officials do not think so.
According to the law, it is the responsibility of the car owner (driver) to monitor the condition of the car, including its internal systems, and timely replacement of the seat belt. The driver can make payment within 20 days, in which case the fine will also cost him 500 rubles
Particular attention should be paid to small passengers and restraints for their safe trip.
Coil repair
Do-it-yourself seat belt repairs are most often performed in the reel area. To get to it, you need to remove the side panel trim. It can be fixed with clips or bolts.
To comply with safety regulations, it is necessary to remove the terminal for the negative conductor from the battery. The contacts that lead to the airbags are also disconnected (if possible). The colors of the corresponding wires are specified in the operating instructions.
These simple steps will prevent the squib from accidentally firing. Otherwise, you may be injured during the repair process.
The coil housing needs to be opened. Most likely, the spring of the tape return mechanism has failed. This element can be replaced. It will be easier to get it out than to install it in its original place.
How to disassemble the system?
If the seat belt does not extend, you need to properly disassemble the system. On the lower trim of the door pillar (middle), 4 bolts are unscrewed. Next, the cover is carefully removed.
You need to prepare a paper clip. Now you can remove the belt. It is fixed to a special eyelet using a paper clip. After this, you can unscrew the bolt that holds the coil. To prevent the belt from twisting, it is secured with the same paper clip.
The coil can be easily removed. The locking mechanism is located on the side where the ball will ring. You can shake the device and easily determine the correct direction. The 4 pistons are unscrewed and the cover is removed in a horizontal position. This way you can get to the ratchet.
Sequence
the front seats are moved forward as much as possible, the seat backs are also tilted forward and access to the coil mount is opened; the coil is dismantled; the belt is fully extended and the side of the blocker placement is determined by the presence of a plastic square; Important: an error with the determination will lead to disassembly of the coil from the spring side, which can severely cut your face and hands! by pulling out the four pistons, the housing cover is removed in a horizontal position; the coil is disassembled and access to the ratchet is opened; old thickened grease is removed from all moving parts; The reel mechanism is filled with frost-resistant lubricant, for example,
Effect of frost
Sometimes the seat belt latch may not work due to extreme cold. This will not require changing any parts. In some older vehicles, the insulation of the mechanism may not be sufficient. This causes the belt to jam.
In this case, the oil that lubricates the system becomes thicker in the cold. You will have to disassemble the coil and lubricate its elements with a special substance. It must be frost resistant. This, for example, could be silicone grease or lithol.
In some cases, the situation can be corrected by bending the metal “claw” of the ball mechanism at a smaller angle. When the coil is positioned vertically, the retainer should not come into contact with the gear teeth. This should only happen when the bobbin is tilted.
Replacing the coil
In some cases, do-it-yourself seat belt repair requires completely replacing the reel. If after these steps the tape still does not come out of the reel, this action most likely cannot be avoided.
Typical signs when the coil should be replaced are the absence of changes after cleaning this system. If, after taking it out and lubricating it with a new substance, as well as bending the metal tab, the belt still does not come out, you need to purchase a new mechanism.
For each brand of car it is necessary to select its own special type of device. Therefore, it is necessary to show the old reel in the store. This will allow you to choose the right mechanism.
Diagnostic device
If the seat belt does not extend, a high-quality auto scanner can show the cause of the breakdown. Experts recommend purchasing high-quality devices from trusted manufacturers. This will allow you to accurately determine the cause of the presented breakdown.
In addition, the auto scanner will be able to detect many other faults. Moreover, the program can be installed on a smartphone. The use of such devices will save money. There is no need to visit specialized services and perform expensive maintenance.
Having examined why the seat belt does not extend, you can replace or repair the mechanism yourself. In this case, you will not need to visit a service center and pay for expensive repairs of the presented system.
