Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

Bitumen Boy · Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 4:31 pm Post subject: Seatbelts and the MOT

Hi all,

Just had my dad's old Acclaim in the garage today trying to fettle the front passenger seatbelt. It's been a pain lately as it won't retract quickly when released, so you have to watch out for it getting trapped in the door. It does, however, lock up as soon as I give it a jerk on the belt. As far as I can see, having removed, cleaned and lubed the unit, there's nothing actually wrong with it beyond the return spring getting a bit tired - after 31 years I guess it's entitled to be tired! Now it's a few years since I had a car with seatbelts Smile

and I can't remember how severely they're tested, so does anyone know if it should pass or fail in this condition? MOT is due towards the end of April so no tearing hurry, I have found some new ones online but they're £60 and the whole car isn't worth a lot more than that Laughing

D4B · Joined: 28 Dec 2010 Posts: 2083 Location: Hampshire UK

Those inertia belts need to have the reel in a vertical position.
I know when I used to sell the Securon aftermarket ones in the motor
factors, when a customer came back complaining it was all locked up....
we just used to hold it against a wall in a vertical position, wind a little
belt back onto the reel, and then you'd find it all freed up and worked
properly again, ie locks when you give it a sharp tug.

Hope this helps

Steve Cool

gresham flyer · Joined: 06 Sep 2008 Posts: 1435

First of all there are two ways to look at this situation.

The Mot tester may just pull the belt across,lock it up,and then give it a tug to see it locks up.....Mot passed.

On the other hand if the belt was ever used for the reason it is fitted into the car...i.e to hold someone back into the seat and not let them fly through the windscreen....and it failed to work properly....would the cost of a replacement be of an issue.?

There are plenty of seat belts in the scrap yards in good working order and a lot cheaper than £60.00....I would pay them a visit.

Gresham Flyer

welder · Joined: 26 Nov 2007 Posts: 265 Location: North Warwickshire

Churchill Johnson · Joined: 11 Jan 2011 Posts: 359 Location: Rayleigh Essex

If the belt is not frayed or cut or damaged from when it get's trapped in the door and it lock's up when pulled and clip's into it's partner belt then it will pass.

websnail · Joined: 26 Oct 2010 Posts: 78 Location: West Sussex

MVPeters · Joined: 28 Aug 2008 Posts: 822 Location: Northern MA, USA

You might ask your Friendly Honda Dealer if he has any Teflon-coated strips that go on the plastic guide at the top of the pillar. They ease the belt slide-ability & might be enough to do the trick.
This was a common Honda problem some years ago.
_________________
Mike - MVPeters at comcast.net
2002 MINI Cooper 'S'

Bitumen Boy · Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 8:55 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the replies on this one, guys.

It turns out that it's not an issue for the MOT if the last few inches are sluggish, so long as all the slack is taken up with the belt clipped over an empty seat - which it does perfectly well, at least since I had a fiddle. Nothing wrong with the buckle end and it locks smartly when pulled so no worries there. Will have to have a look round for those Teflon strips though, think I've heard of those before from other Acclaim owners and there's a Honda dealer not too far away who's been helpful in the past if there's nothing on fleabay Smile

Riley Blue · Joined: 18 Jun 2008 Posts: 1751 Location: Derbyshire

The driver's belt on my Audi has the same problem. It passes the MoT every year.