Drivers Seat Belt

[Jude Monaghan]

My grandson has a 2014 Mk1 AYGO 

He cannot put on his seat belt when the car is parked on an incline, with the engine pointing up.

He can put it on , on the incline if the engine is pointing down.

He can put it on when he moves  the car to level ground, a short distance away.

Should I try for a replacement from a breakers yard, or try to fix the one on the car, or buy a new one ?

Jude

 

[Cyker]

What do you mean he can't put on his seat belt? You mean it doesn't extend, or it doesn't latch, or he can't reach it...?

 

[FROSTYBALLS]

Or do you mean the belt locks - probably due to the incline? 

Personally I wouldn't trust one from a breakers, as you don't know it's history, but the choice is yours.

There are companies who repair seat belts (try a web search), so this could be an alternative, and that way the belt would be checked for correct operation and repaired accordingly.

[Jude Monaghan]

Cyker- I mean the belt docent extend- it is locked- he can't fasten it - he can reach it !

I seen on tube videos it might be related to the movement of a ball bearing that forms part of the locking mechanism at the side of the belt mechanism.

Jude

 

 

[flash22]

2 options get it rebuilt or get a used item, the belt reel uses a pendulum to lock the belt under a load

 

what may help is to pull the seatbelt out as far as it goes and slowly release it back in

[Puglet]

We had similar many many years ago on a Ford Fiesta, the reel inertia belt bit failed, so I bought a brand new one from main dealer. For such a safety critical part I wouldn't trust a breaker but back then seat belts were all we had, no airbags etc. iirc back then Ford did issue a recall for some of the seat belts, so must had a dodgy batch, but that months after i'd fixed ours, but think we got a refund in the end, but even if we hadn't, small price to pay and also would needed sorting for MOT before manufacturer got their act together.

[TonyHSD]

Hi, 

if you can’t latch in the mechanism might have been accumulated dirt and debris. Use a torch and look into and see there is a plastic flap that moves to male space for the seat belt hook to slide in and lock, this plastic flap can become stuck by dirt or debris and prevent or make hook impossible to latch and lock in. Use small screwdriver to unstuck this plastic flat and then spray wd-40 silicone spray, or just wd-40 standard lube into it and the lock mechanism can return to normal operation. You can spray some into the passenger belt mechanism too as preventative maintenance. 
Just fixed the same issue as explained to a colleague of mine three weeks ago, she is so happy and reported no problems at all, actually she said works best of all times.