Do you have a seat belt in your car that’s been malfunctioning?
Sure, you could take it to a dealership or a car repair shop, but you might have to pay a huge amount of money to get it fixed. We’re here to tell you that you don’t necessarily have to do that. It’s possible to fix your seat belt on your own.
In this post, we’re going to tell you how. Seat belt repair sounds hard at first, but anyone can do it if they’re willing to take the time to learn. It could save you a lot of money in the end, so let’s get started.
DIY Seat Belt Repair Guide
It’s disconcerting when your seat belt doesn’t latch. According to Michael Guajardo of Guajardo and Marks, Texas has more fatal car accidents than any other state. Over 40% of those killed were not wearing seatbelts.
If you don’t want to become part of the statistic, then you’ve got to get this thing fixed right away. Fortunately, all you need is a bit of patience and a screwdriver. Here’s how you do it.
Examine the Belt
First, grab both parts of the seat belt and look closely at them. Extend the belt as far as it’ll go. This lets you examine it for any grime that could be causing it to malfunction. Also, take a look at the tongue part of the buckle for any dirt and debris and make sure that it isn’t deformed.
If the belt pulls back all the way and the tongue of the seat belt looks normal, then the problem is likely in the buckle part of the seat belt.
Examine the Buckle Part of the Seatbelt
It’s entirely likely that there’s something stuck in this part of the seat belt, causing it not to latch properly. If it’s something small, it should come out easily.
Go grab a knife or something similar that can slide into the buckle from your house. Slide it in and try to pull out any dust, dirt, or debris that might be caught inside. If it’s something this simple and it feels like everything is clear, try inserting the tongue again.
If it still doesn’t latch or you feel something larger inside the buckle when you put the knife in, then you’re going to have to take the whole mechanism apart.
Open Up the Buckle
If you can, remove the buckle and it’s components from the seat so you can take it inside for a closer look. You could also take the seat out if it doesn’t detach, but you may as well just leave it in and do your work in the car.
There will either be some screws holding the buckle together or an adhesive. If there are screws, use your screwdriver and take them out. If it’s glued together, then use your knife again to pry open the buckle.
Be careful in both cases because there could be some moving parts in there. If a spring flies out, it’s going to be harder to diagnose the problem.
If all goes well, you should be able to see the innards of the buckle. Now, simply press the red button down a few times and you should be able to see what is obstructing it. It could be a coin or some piece of debris that’s been lodged in the mechanism.
Remove whatever it is, reassemble the buckle, and your seat belt should be fixed.
If It Still Doesn’t Work
If you’re still having problems getting the tongue to latch in the buckle, then something more irreparable is going on. The most common problem, after the buckle has been examined and cleared, is that the tongue is slightly warped. In this case, you’ll probably need professional seat belt repair or full replacement.
Sometimes it takes the care of a professional to get something done properly. It never hurts to try to fix something yourself first, so do some research online to find more auto repair guides that could save you some money.
