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automatic seat belt retractor stuck


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the drivers side automatic belt retractor isnt working anymore. i was told on another forum the seat belts were warrantied for life. i dont know i believe that but many confirmed it. anyway just in case. what could be the problem? the motro does work. i unhooked the cable from it and the motor works. the gears arent stripped. it is somethign to do with the cable being bound up. when it hapened the cable came out of the track. is this a common problem? i fso where do i look to fix it? Edit: this is a 93 legacy 4 dr.

Edited by Fordman
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Its a common failure.

 

if they don't warranty, which i believe is a 10 year, not a lifetime warranty.

 

Easiest fix is to get replacements from the junkyard.

 

Won't hurt to call Subaru though, they might have them, even if they don't replace them free.

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no junkyards around here witha compatible seat belt in it. im sure not buying one from the dealer. is there any place i should look at partically to get it unstuck? i think it might be in the top of the door track guide behind the headrest. but it could be its just pulle dout too far and needs rewound to get unstuck?

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Take a metal bar about 1/8" thick and 1" wide and round the corners, make it nice and smooth so you do not damage the cable.

 

Run it inside the track, back to front. Many times the cable gets wedged down in the track. If you can get it pushed back up it will most likely work for you.

 

The bad part is once this happens the only good and final fix is to replace the assy.

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in KC, there is a pick in Pull off the highway and they have quite a few lagacies of that ere with the belts. they also have a 01 forester with 4 decent 16" alloys on it.

 

Also, Rich Industries in KC should have it as well, they have pretty good stock of Soobs. If this is something that can wait a few weeks, i can EASILY get you a good one as well from my junkyard they have about 8 or 9 good ones as well, i just live 40 minutes away and i cannot go there after it rains (it rained yesterday) due to the fact it is hilly and all mud and it is a big yard and the imports are way way back.

Edited by bheinen74
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i havent been ot the city in awhile. and i almost hate to go to the yard up there because of the prices. and i don't know if they will even have something if i drive all the way up there. i know what you mean by mud too. i was at the locla one this morning and it is muddy out there. i almost fell down because of the mud yesterday. let me see if i can fix it today. i don't know. i am thinkign i need to call the dealer and see if they will warranty it or not. i'd rather themfix it if its free. but then they would probably nit pick the rest of my riggings on the car.

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that is what i am thinking that thier probably is no warranty. and if anything i would probably get a similar one out of a toyota or something similar that would fit. or just leave it unhooked forever.

Edited by Fordman
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thank you for clearing that up.

 

i found the outer cable is broken up inside of the door track so it slides around. but that doesnt say why the inner cable is stuck. it mihgt be the outer cable goes through a third cable and that is where it is getting stuck at. i dont know. i will probably junk it unless i can find soemthing local that will work. i doubt it. but you never know what can be robbed from other cars and work.

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The best fix for these is to cut the cables and set the belt all the way back in it's rest position, then put a couple rivets or a bolt through it so it doesn't move anymore. Kind of a paint to hook/unhook the stupid thing every time you get in or out of the car, but anything you get from the junkyard is going to need replacement at some point as well. Might as well fix it for good and not have to worry about it getting stuck again.

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The best fix for these is to cut the cables and set the belt all the way back in it's rest position, then put a couple rivets or a bolt through it so it doesn't move anymore. Kind of a paint to hook/unhook the stupid thing every time you get in or out of the car, but anything you get from the junkyard is going to need replacement at some point as well. Might as well fix it for good and not have to worry about it getting stuck again.

 

that is a very good idea. i will look into doing that.

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but then getting in and out you have 2 belts to unlatch then, not just the lap belt buckle. the reason it slides around is so when you open the door you can get out and in. if you disable it in the fastened position, it is even more hastle then fixing it.

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For informational sake, the lifetime warranty on the seat belts first started in 1995.

 

As for the automatic belts, is the seat belt light on the dash blinking? If so, you can check the computer for trouble codes. Here's info from the factory manual.

 

http://www.main.experiencetherave.com/subaru_manual_scans/FSM_Scans/autoseatbeltdiag1.jpg

http://www.main.experiencetherave.com/subaru_manual_scans/FSM_Scans/autoseatbeltdiag2.jpg

http://www.main.experiencetherave.com/subaru_manual_scans/FSM_Scans/autoseatbeltdiag3.jpg

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