Seat belt fix...

I've read many threads to do with Mustang seat-belt retraction problems, well I thought I'd share something I did that fixed my retraction problem.

After bringing my car into Ford (hoping they'd fix it for free :rlaugh: ) and getting quoted $230 to fix it crapola, I decided to try fixing it myself. The belt didn't feel smooth to pull out and would not retract without me actually feeding the belt back in manually. Here's what I did:
I took the panelling off that covers the retractor... Everything looked fine at first but when I pulled the belt out and let it retract I realized that the belt wasn't winding on straight - as the belt wound on it gradually started rubbing more and more against the side of the retractor. Ideally, to wind it on straight, the spindle of the retractor should be perpendicular to the belt. All I did was bend the retractor unit so that the belt would wind on straight, and it works PERFECTLY now!! :D Probably this won't work for everybody but I thought I'd put it out there anyway because it worked great for me.

I've searched for a fix but didn't find anything so hopefully no one else has posted this already.
 
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thanks for the info. I will have to try that. I cant stand hand feeding the belt back in, you look like a complete douchbag when your trying to get out of your car.
 
Ford fixed mine for free last week.
It is one of the TSB's.
My warranty has been expired since last year.
But, seat belts and other safety devices are covered for 50k miles!
All they did is wrap some teflon tape around the belt reatractor.
Now it slides so easy I almost smash my hand into the dash when I pull the belt out :rlaugh:
 
ultrashock2112 said:
I've read many threads to do with Mustang seat-belt retraction problems, well I thought I'd share something I did that fixed my retraction problem.

After bringing my car into Ford (hoping they'd fix it for free :rlaugh: ) and getting quoted $230 to fix it crapola, I decided to try fixing it myself. The belt didn't feel smooth to pull out and would not retract without me actually feeding the belt back in manually. Here's what I did:
I took the panelling off that covers the retractor... Everything looked fine at first but when I pulled the belt out and let it retract I realized that the belt wasn't winding on straight - as the belt wound on it gradually started rubbing more and more against the side of the retractor. Ideally, to wind it on straight, the spindle of the retractor should be perpendicular to the belt. All I did was bend the retractor unit so that the belt would wind on straight, and it works PERFECTLY now!! :D Probably this won't work for everybody but I thought I'd put it out there anyway because it worked great for me.

I've searched for a fix but didn't find anything so hopefully no one else has posted this already.

You do know that ford tired to charge you 230$ for some teflon tape right?
 
ponysarepretty said:
You do know that ford tired to charge you 230$ for some teflon tape right?

They said they were going to "replace the retractor and webbing", with labour it would come out to $230. I've read about the teflon tape and to be honest I really don't think it would have made the slightest difference in my case because the belt wasn't getting stuck at the shoulder loop it just wasn't being pulled in by the retractor...
 
ultrashock2112 said:
They said they were going to "replace the retractor and webbing", with labour it would come out to $230. I've read about the teflon tape and to be honest I really don't think it would have made the slightest difference in my case because the belt wasn't getting stuck at the shoulder loop it just wasn't being pulled in by the retractor...

How many miles on the car?
 
menasci said:
My warranty has been expired since last year.
But, seat belts and other safety devices are covered for 50k miles!
:rlaugh:

are you serious, i didnt know that, i will just have to take it to them then and have them fix it. My car only has about 27K miles on it.
 
bakos24 said:
are you serious, i didnt know that, i will just have to take it to them then and have them fix it. My car only has about 27K miles on it.

That's what the Ford dealer told me.
There are a few things in the car that go past the regular warranty.
For example, I just replaced my alternator because the clutch fan seized.
Well, the Ford dealer told me that would have been covered too. :bang:
Oh well.