FAULTY SEAT BELT.

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sadmuddle, Sep 22, 12:16am
We have a ute with a drivers seat belt that's about 2 years old. The belt failed a WOF check.While driving along if I throw weight forward the belt does not lock up.It works fine If yanked by hand. it is an sensitivity issue the inspector stated.Just another way to get killed

bjmh, Sep 22, 12:36am
The purple ones do that

saxman99, Sep 22, 1:14am
Cool story bro, I’ll join in: I have 4 vehicles ranging in age from 29 years to 16 years old. All the seatbelts work fine.

scuba, Sep 22, 1:30am
How did he test the belt? If it works by “yanking” on it surely it passes unless the inspector has a device to test. Braking isn’t enough unless you plan on testing it on a brick wall

sandypheet, Sep 22, 1:40am
Webb sesitivity and vehicle sesitivity are the two features which are tested differently. One by yanking the belt and the other by stopping or slowing the vehicle abruptly which locks the belt mechanism. No special devise required.

scuba, Sep 22, 1:50am
So how do you set a standard for vehicle sensitivity ?lock up wheels at 40 Kph stop within 20 meters from 35 Kph? or depends on the tester? How do you get consistency

kazbanz, Sep 22, 2:17am
A two year old ute you take back to the supplier pretty smartly.

saxman99, Sep 22, 2:31am
Don't do anything, take it back in a couple days, it'll likely pass.

sandypheet, Sep 22, 3:43am
No. Watch the inspector next time you go for a wof, its a simple test, no great speed required.

tamarillo, Sep 22, 3:44am
Is Ute 2 Years old or just the belt?

sadmuddle, Sep 22, 3:44am
No it does not work when it should .I will ring supplier to see if it can be repaired or adjusted. Could be I have fitted it incorrectly somehow.

stevo2, Sep 22, 3:47am
If it was a two year old ute, it wouldn't need its first WoF for another year.
Just saying.

sadmuddle, Sep 22, 3:49am
The belt .The ute is 1987

saxman99, Sep 22, 3:50am
Oh, you fitted it yourself? Right.

m16d, Sep 22, 3:53am
Pull the belt right out and blast it with an air gun to blow all the crap out of the winder. fixed.

sadmuddle, Sep 22, 4:10am
will try that

kazbanz, Sep 22, 4:58am
So WAS the belt working properly when installed? if so what has changed?

gph1961, Sep 22, 5:53am
be sure to be upwind when doing that

sadmuddle, Sep 22, 5:56am
I don't know. may never worked well.Bit like our old wide ramp trailer that suddenly after many years, about 20 years old needed over width lights on mudguards

marte, Sep 22, 6:19am
They have to be pretty much dead level once installed. Mine wouldn't work untill it was, then it worked great.

The WOF guy told me to extend the belt by pushing it out in front of me with my palm, hand horizontal, little finger side upward, then jam the brakes on @ 10 km/h & it should lock.
That test has also worked for me, if it works, it seems to pass WOF.

Blowing compressed air into the unit has also fixed it too.

sadmuddle, Sep 22, 5:53pm
I don't think there is a fault . Our other 2012 ute behaves the same way .lean forward the belt does not lock It takes a shock to lock a belt.

intrade, Sep 22, 6:22pm
There is a few different versions but all airbag cars have a piro charge to go off as one time wonder just before the airbags deploy . called a seatbelt pretensioner . So you cant really know if it works right as there is different designs like ones who pretention your belt across the chest when you heavy brake in more later mercedes for example. while flashing the hazard light automatically all before the impact would come . i guess these are electric motor pretensioners.
as what you refere to is old merchanical non airbag seat belt locking mechanism. All sorts of systems. And you can just hope they did not cut corners on them during manufacturing.
What is important for you is to make sure the belt it self is not damaged in any way as rewebbing a belt is about 300 dollers if you do it your self . removal and refitting not included from car just ship to south island and replace the belt and have it certed by nz government licensed outfit . there is only 1 who does em with offical license with one to come in auckland i was told.

kazbanz, Sep 22, 6:57pm
Sorry Intrade but given the vehicles age im betting its just a old style single grabber. No explosives etc needed.

My guess if I was guessing is the entire mechanism is coated in crud. Spring mech,top mount point (slider) etc. A darn good clean up Im betting will help. I'd also be having a good look at the mount for the mechanism to see if anything has shifted

scuba, Sep 22, 7:45pm
what a bullshit test . too many variables.

strobo, Sep 22, 7:56pm
Retraction and sensitivity are two different things .Sensitivity is tested at 30kms /hr with the back side of hand holding pretension out against the belt and palm on chest side so there is no slack and taught enough but not loose ,then roll to 30kms and then hard down on brakes to test lock up. I don't agree with this test method because it can cause harm to the inspector or assistant but that's how they test them on trucks at work. I cleaned one up the other day was balled up with dust actually thought it ok anyway on retraction .They still failed it on sensitivity and had new one fitted and tried for my self and now see why ! after being shown .Non srs sytem is different from a simple retractable lockup!