Anyone ever adjusted the seatbelt tension?

[jimithing]

My front driver seat belt doesn't snap back like it should. It does sit in place like it should, I don't have to manually feed it or anything but I'd like it to retract faster than it currently does. I'm sure it's just from the repeated motion of fastening and unfastening.

So I was wondering if anyone has tried taking apart the tensioner and tightening it? I'm assuming it's a coil spring that needs to be re-wound.

 

[sigepbiker]

I'd be very careful modifying any seatbelt/safety systems. I don't even think the dealership would "fix" this part, but rather replace it. If you tamper with it, you could/will void the warrenty. Heaven forbid it doesn't work correctly when you need it to after you put it back together.

I'd suggest live with it, or replace it properly at the dealership.

 

[DC runner]

To be honest, the seat belt is just a simple hold ratchet device. Like a come along; except it is a two way with a "speed" lock. The spring pull that pulls the seatbelt in, isn't adjustable.

Like you said... time and times of pull have weakened the spring. I wouldn't worry about the safety aspect.

You can, however, replace the cylinder altogether and I don't believe they are that expensive. I have had to pull a seat belt cylinder out of an older junk car to replace mine that my dog chewed away. It wasn't difficult at all.

But yea, you can't tinker with your current one. You may be able to replace the spring, but I don't know...

 

[eli_lilly]

To be honest, the seat belt is just a simple hold ratchet device. Like a come along; except it is a two way with a "speed" lock.

I thought the 4runner has electronic pretensioning? Which makes it more complicated than what is described above and also slightly dangerous to mess with.

-E

 

[DC runner]

Really? Didn't know, or haven't noticed.
Let me edit, I replaced an older 4runners seat belt. I didn't realize they had gotten all fancy and complicated. The days of DIY are slowly withering away.

 

[eli_lilly]

For sure! All the govt mandated emissions, safety, and gas mileage standards make everything so complicated and raises the cost thru the roof. I have a small boat and its the same story there, it's almost to the point where an outboard boat motor will need a catalytic converter and the EPA-mandated migration from 2 stroke oil burners to 4 stroke has brought the average engine life from 20 years to 5 years.

But yeah, on the newer 4runners there's a little pyrotechnic charge in the seat belt retracter that fires off right before the airbag deploys, to take up any slack in the seatbelt.


-E

 

[voodooboat]

If the belts are a little dirty they get stiffer and take more force to retract. The return clock springs also weaken over time. I have had some improvement by running the belt all the way out and cleaning in a bucket of mild soapy water. Just don't use anything that will leave a residue and make them stiffer. I used ivory dish soap dilluted in water and rinsed good after that.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

For sure! All the govt mandated emissions, safety, and gas mileage standards make everything so complicated and raises the cost thru the roof. I have a small boat and its the same story there, it's almost to the point where an outboard boat motor will need a catalytic converter and the EPA-mandated migration from 2 stroke oil burners to 4 stroke has brought the average engine life from 20 years to 5 years.

But yeah, on the newer 4runners there's a little pyrotechnic charge in the seat belt retracter that fires off right before the airbag deploys, to take up any slack in the seatbelt.


-E

I'll have to double check the FSM or see if we have one laying around... but I'm pretty sure Toyota like everyone else, uses the actual seatbelt buckle reciever for the pretensioner, not the seatbelt strap assembly. As for electronic pretensioning, that's the first I've heard of it. Again I'll double check as we don't usually replace those.

As for the OP's original comment, look at the plastic around where the seatbelt slide along, mine is a little cut into from repeated pulling and seems to slow retraction at certain angles, but when straightened out it goes as normal.

 

[Atlanta_man]

mine was slow to retract, causing me to slam the door on the metal latch

this lasted for a couple years, it cured itself
the only mechanical thing that did 'self healing'