Seatbelts, retract but don't pull out

[Willdat?]

In the back of my Corolla BZ Touring, the passenger side seatbelt retracts, but does not pull out.

If I want the seatbelt to work, I can unbolt the underseat mount, let the belt retract fully (ie more than what it can while still bolted under the seat), then pull the seat belt all the way out, and hold it while I bolt it in again. The passenger then gets in, seat belt retracts around them, and you're away,

This is a bit of a hassle everytime a passenger gets in, is there an easy fix?

Thanks, Will

[DeeCee]

its the gimbal
you need to shake the belt retraction unit around so that the sealtbelt retention mechanism unlocks.

[Willdat?]

Sweet, will shake it like a mad man...

Thanks - better than the $700 Toyota want for a new unit last time I asked!

[Alex B]

You may find its just installed on the wrong angle, this will have an effect. Might want to look around for a second hand one if it keeps up. Legally they cant sell the belt without the buckle new. Hence the price i would think.

[fangsport]

You may find its just installed on the wrong angle, this will have an effect.

x2.should have the correct mounting angle stamped on it. 5 degrees makes all the difference

[1hypo3]

Sweet, will shake it like a mad man...

Thanks - better than the $700 Toyota want for a new unit last time I asked!

is it a pre-tensioner type belt?, usually the pre tensioner belts are around that price.

[postfach]

You don't *have* to buy from toyota. I bought a pair of front belts from seatbelt specialists in wairau park, auckland a few years back when i first started working on my project car, only cost like $250 all up IIRC.

[rolla_fxgt]

You don't *have* to buy from toyota. I bought a pair of front belts from seatbelt specialists in wairau park, auckland a few years back when i first started working on my project car, only cost like $250 all up IIRC.

I had to do the same a few years back, Toyota in Dunedin didn't even deal in them. Though I was pee'd off cause the replacement was a different colour & had a different clicker to the original & they wouldn't let me or even a mechanic swap the clicker over to match

[Lloyd]

Thats because only authorized people are supposed to swap bits like that over.

And you don't have to buy new anyway, go to the wreckers. Surely someone around is wrecking a BZ-T

[Willdat?]

Done, was all in the angle, for some reason the locating screw held it at 10 degrees from vertical, where as it actually had to be more like 5. This one came from someone that was wrecking one up north.

[Willdat?]

Not fixed it would appear, it mentions something about "pulling the seatbelt all the way out puts the belt in locking mode suitable for attaching child restraint" this is what it feels like has happened. Is there a way to get it out of locking mode, due to the nature of the way it works I can get the car through a warrant, but it's a pain having to use the car like a 4 seater

[Lloyd]

Is it the child restraint bit actually catching thats the problem? You'll hear it ratcheting all the way back in if it is. Easy fix it to take the seatbelt out and remove the bit that does the ratcheting and then it cant be an issue

[Willdat?]

I can't "hear it" as such. But the motion is something like a ratcheting motion. If you're wearing it, it just pulls tighter and tighter until you can't move at all.

At this stage the way to fix it is to unbolt the end of the seat belt under the seat and let it retract all the way back in, then you can pull it out and use it as a normal seatbelt.

Will see if I can see this ratchet mechanism you mention Lloyd, it looks to be a sealed unit from the few times I've had it out.

[Lloyd]

If its ratchet you'd hear it

[Willdat?]

Ok, so it does actually ratchet in just noticed today, definite clicking sound. It looks like a sealed unit, how do you remove the ratcheting mechanism?

[Willdat?]

Removed the part that says, Do not remove, was surprisingly easy to get into for what looked like a sealed unit! And she's all go, just removed the ratcheting part, cheers HRT for pointing out its existence!

[Lloyd]

All good. As long as you take bits off that side and not the otherside otherwise nothing on it will work

[Rob]

That part you removed is probably what they look for in a warrant...It must lock otherwise you might aswell have 3 lap belts in the

[Lloyd]

No, ratchet bit is on the other side and not required for a warrant. Its a feature for child seats and the like. You pull the belt to full extension and it ratchets back in until its most of the way before you can pull it out again.