Power Seatbelts (a temporary fix)

[Bill Roberts]

A few days back, I posted about my power seatbelts not working properly. Problem is/was when you open the door, the driver side fully retracts like it is supposed to but upon shutting the door (with key to on) the seatbelt stays retracted and the seatbelt warning light and bells would continue to go off, even driving down the road!

It was metioned by a few good posters here that the seatbelts should have a lifetime warrantee and the dealer should fix it..no charge, no matter how old the car is and even if I am not the original owner. I got nothing but flack from 2 dealers. One said "we do not keep parts for your car and you will have to pay 500 dollars labor for the new belts. The other dealer said that they could arrange an appointment if I could leave the car for a week and that if they find a blown fuse or a worn out part..something that is normal wear, I would be charged. They made sure to mention that normal drivers seatbelt repairs on an s-13 is about 1000 dollars per side.

Enough of the bad support from the dealers!

So, I looked into it today.

You have a switch at the door for the domelight and the door light ajar in the dash. You have another switch in the latching mechanism. What has happened is the switch in the latching mechanism works but the relay , that is is hooked to only half works. It is supplying power one way, but not the other. This relay needs replacing and frankly, I cannot find it..so this is what I did!

Pull the door panel. For those who have not done this yet, it is very simple. You take the cover off the screw in the inside door pull and remove the philips screw. Next you take your fingernal and carefully viewing the front screw cap, open the front door panel cap exposing the second philips screw. Remove. Third you pull the door pull cup out. Next you take the clip off the window crank using a clip removal tool (small flat blade screwdriver works as well) and remove the window crank. Next, under the door speaker, you start pulling the panel loose slowly working your way back until you have the door panel hinged at the window seal. At this time pull the inside latch like you are opening the door and it's escustion will come loose and take it off. Now, simply lift the door panel off.

Now that this is out of the way...***with the key on right before crank***, you unplug the harness toward the rear of the door bottom, and if your belt does not track backwards to the driving point rest (engaged)..then you must grab the belt latch and with a good deal of strengh manually pull it backwards in the track all the way to the driving rest position. Like I say, takes a lot of force but I did it and it went back. Very difficult to do the 90 degree turn but I was able to get it back to it's resting point. Now keep the plug in the door, unplugged! Tape it up and put the door panel back on.

You now have solved your problem temporarly until you can find out where the hell the seatbelt relay is and replace it.

The belt has an emergency release so just use that..and no more problems with the law looking at you funny by faking the belt being on tied behind your back somewhere.

I am a strong advocate for seatbelt useage. I feel naked without them.

This is a 30 min fix and I hope it helps someone in the predicament I was in.

[old_s13]

rubbish, absolute rubbish. the dealer IS liable, 100%. if THEY dont agree, why dont you give NISSAN consumer affairs a call and see what THEY have to say about the matter? Items like seatbelts, moreso, automatic seatbelts are covered, FOREVER. As long as this car is on the road and NISSAN is in business, they are liable to make sure that these damn things operate. This is the reason they STOPPED making auto seatbelts, due to the high maintanance AND liability on their behalf.

800/647-7261

Call up consumer affairs, report both dealers and while you are at it, ask them for advice on the quickest and best way to get this issue resolved.

Back in the day when I did have auto seatbelts, I took my car in over 3 times to have work done to them. I know for sure they refused to take it the FIRST time, but they quickly reconsidered when I told them that they were indeed liable. Of course, they HAD to give me the normal "if your car was in an accident, or if any wires are torn, blah blah we must charge you" but since my car is in excellent condition, that was never the case. The motors just failed, they were getting slow, you name it.. so they fixed it. Not once, twice, but three or four times! haha falkers.

- mike

[Bill Roberts]

Mike, these South Florida dealers are just too pleased with ripping off folks for 700 bucks for plug wires, plugs and cleaning a distributor cap up, claiming a replacement, to even notice the "non-paying customer"

I think the new Maxima Oil change is like 300 bucks there?

Last and first time I took my car to a dealer..it enjoyed:

A nice dent on the right top of front fender ..that I did not notice due to night pickup when off work.

Dragging brakes to burnout, due to improperly installed brake light switch I did not need.

Car was driven 19 miles.

Car had some grease/oil on the steering wheel, gearshifter, no mats or seat covers used.

No repair of car done..just BS.

Took off my high dollar plug wires and put some S H I T on it..Changed the plugs to AC's (yuck) Gaddamned 80 dollar environmental charge too! Urrrrgggh

400 Dollar charge.

125 Wrecker for 7 mile drive.

Scraped up lower lip due to wrecker pulling the car from the rear and hitting an intersetion fast (bumpy) causing bobing.

A-hole dealer, service writer, and dealer general manager threatening to sue me for missrepresentation.

Dude, I am way too old for hassles. I joined Zilvia to NEVER go to a dealer again..nor do I have time to babysit the car while at a dealer. I do M/F 7-6

So...I am NOT leaving the car a week.

I have to do this on vacation..I just need to make an appointment..stay with the car and make sure I have a dealer that is not going to take off with my car and dent it.

I had to fix this TODAY..safety issue.

But any info I could d load and print..I will be happy happy if I could at least get some info for fuel for the fire when the time comes (like April 2004)

I got to find a dealer in an outside (country folk) area. I can't deal with these a-holes.

EDIT:

These are the dealers that will fuk up your car to sell you a new car.

I can't imagine all the rich folk that have no clue that take their car in to be told it cannot be fixed and they have to buy a new car..People are so stupid that way here.


I see 850i BMW's for around 12K and what a damned car to have. (12 cylinder) most low miles.

I will get my retribution when I want to deal with them again...but if I choose to..it is all documented and I will get the deal from hell if I buy a car from them..and watch it like a hawk after the testdrive...since they do have some damned good deals on used..Like get this..

They had a 1994 Vette with 38K miles for 11K. that is a deal Pal..


they simply want to make money..they care NOT...they have high powered 'pee'ople that do bashing to the customer...because these dealer sell more units here than world wide.

We have the largest BMW dealers in the world..Porsche dealers and the Nissan dealers and the Nissan dealers seem to all be under "typical" ownership.

Here..Nissan is driven...like drive a stake up your azz..and laugh to the bank.... not what would be a normal SOP for the company I am sure.


Snakey!

I cannot let a dealer shop around here touch my car..next time, they may but sand in the engine to sell me something..no way jose'

[old_s13]

And when they ask you if you've paid your dues, you tell em what Jack Burton always says. The check is in the mail!

[Stee Flo]

Originally posted by old_s13
And when they ask you if you've paid your dues, you tell em what Jack Burton always says. The check is in the mail!
HHaaahaa....That rocks. Jack Burton is the Man! I just bought Big Trouble in Little china yesterday ha.