If your seat belt won't retract or pull out, try the following tricks:
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- Step #1: Check for any twists
- Step #2: Unbuckle the seat belt and release it
- Step #3: Pull the seat belt slowly
- Step #4: Inspect for any signs of twists
- Step #5: Inspect the pillar trim
Your vehicle contains many safety features to protect your life and the lives of other people driving with you. One of the most important safety features is your seat belt, which must always work properly.
The seat belt becomes more critical when you involve in a car accident. Unfortunately, dealing with car accidents is not very rare, and most people driving vehicles get involved in one or more car accidents during the lifetime of their cars.
Seat belts are not designed to last forever. There will be a point when they react differently than you want. Have you ever tried to pull the seat belts and realized that they're not pulling or retracting?
When dealing with some issues with your seat belts, you got to take care of the problem as soon as possible before things get complicated and before you get involved in any situation that requires your seat belt to be on.
This article provides a detailed overview of the main seat belt components and highlights the main causes and potential fixes for a seat belt that won't retract or pull out.
What are the main parts of the seat belt?
Before we dive into the details about the main causes and fixes for the seat belt that won't retract or pull out, we must understand the main parts of the seat belt. This way, you'll get an idea about what could go wrong in these parts that could prevent your seat belt from reacting the way you want.
Let's see also look at some of the main parts of your seat belt:
1. Buckles
The seat buckles are the first and most common parts of the seat belt that you interact with all the time. The purpose of this buckle is to prevent the seat latch plate from moving and entering that your seat belt is securely connected. Once you snap the latch plate to the buckle, the seat belt will stay in place until you disconnect it.
2. Latch plate
Speaking of the buckles, the second component you’re dealing with is the seat latch plate. This is the component that you continuously slide through the seat belt webbing, and you need to insert it inside the buckle to secure the seat belt.
Once you're done driving, you click on the seat belt buckle to release the latch plate and allow you to remove the seat belt.
3. Webbing
The seat belt webbing is the component that sits around the driver or the passenger, protecting the passenger from car accidents and preventing the reactions of major collisions. These webbings are designed from different types of material that depend heavily on the vehicle type. In general, the webbings are designed to be strong enough to protect the passengers and keep them in place when the seat belt is connected.
4. Pillar loop
The pillar loop is a component in your seat belt system that does not move. It's typically located around the driver’s or the passenger’s shoulder. This loop has a hole that allows the webbing to move through, so you adjust the seat belt to the passenger, so the passenger is comfortable but secure enough.
5. Retractor
Finally, the retractor is the last component you interact with. It's typically located on the opposite side of the buckle and allows the webbing to slide through and adjust.
The biggest purpose of the retractor is to protect the passenger during collisions. Typically, this attractor will prevent any additional sliding of the webbings if there is a collision or any other situation that requires triggering their retractor tool work.
Seat belt won't retract or pull out: potential causes
Now that you understand the five main components of any seat belt system, the next step is to get an idea about what could cause the system to malfunction. In other words, you've been in a situation where you're seat belt won't retract or pull out. What could be the potential cause?
Typically, your seat belt will not retract or pull out if you have a problem with one of the following:
1. A twisted seat belt
The first thing many might underestimate is that when your seat belt webbing is twisted, you won't be able to pull it, and it might get stuck in certain locations that you need to pay attention to.
Therefore, it is critical that you confirm that the webbing is straight and is not twisted in certain areas that you cannot access or see. Also, it is critical that you make sure that the seat belt does not get twisted as you move around while doing something, especially if you're not the car's current driver.
2. A malfunctioning retractor
If you confirm that the seat belt is not twisted, the second issue that might cause your vehicle not to operate properly is when you have an issue with the retractor.
The retractor is not designed to last forever, and there'll be a time when it might malfunction. You can look into it and see if it's stuck or if something is inside it. But in what scenarios you'll have to talk to the mechanic and have him replace the retractor if it's the cause of the issue?
The good news is that recruit retractor damages are not very common. In other words, the retractor is designed in a way that does not make it get damaged fast. Also, most drivers do not typically interact with the reactors, which is why it lasts for a long time without dealing with some complications.
Tips and tricks to fix a seat belt that won't retract or pull out
If you have been in a situation where you're trying to pull out your seat belt and realize that it's not working, you need to get it fixed before you drive your car and before you remove a single mile.
Automotive experts indicated that following these simple steps helps you resolve an issue with your seat belt when it won't retract or pull out:
· Step #1: Check for any twists
As we indicated before, the main cause of a vehicle seat belt that won't retract or pull out is when there is a problem with a twisted webbing. Therefore, the easiest and fastest thing to resolve the issue is by checking that there are no twists around the webbing.
You need to go through the entire seat belt and confirm that there is no twisting hidden somewhere where you can't access it. Sometimes this could be around the retractor or close to the pillar loop.
· Step #2: unbuckle the seat belt and release it
If you cannot resolve the issue by just monitoring for any twists, the next step is to allow some free play. In other words, you need more webbing to look at it and see what's going on.
Therefore, you must start by unbuckling your seat belt and allowing it back inside the retractor. Most automotive experts recommend allowing about one or two retractions before you move forward with the next steps.
· Step #3: pull the seat belt slowly
Once you allow more free room for webbing, the next step is to start the opposite process. In other words, start pulling the seat belt slowly and see if you can get it to pull out completely and allow you to buckle your seat belt properly without any tightness or problems.
· Step #4: inspect for any signs of twists
At this point, you can take another look at the seat belt and see if there are any twists around any other extra locations as you're pulling out the seat belt. If that's the case, try straightening them and clearing any twists.
· Step #5: Inspect the pillar trim
If you realize that your seat belt is not pulling the way you want and there is still a problem, you might need to take out the pillar trim and take more advanced steps to help resolve the problem.
If you're not comfortable performing these complex repairs, you might need to consult a mechanic who has previous experience in their job and can do it in no time. You need to consider that there will be some repair costs, and you should account for any potential labor costs.
Common seat belt problems
Problems with retracting or pulling out are not the only issues you might deal with when using seat belts. Therefore, it's critical that you familiarize yourself with one or two other problems that might occur during the lifetime of your car. This way, you're proactive about the problem and are familiar with what could be done to fix it.
Here are some of the other most common problems that your seat belt might suffer from:
1. Seat belt not retracting fast
Another very common problem you might encounter is when your vehicle’s retractor needs to be fixed. As you drive your car, you'll feel what speed is normal for a seat belt.
Typically, a twisted seat belt is the main problem behind a seat belt that's not retracting fast. In that case, you need to follow the similar procedure we mentioned earlier to resolve the issue with the seat belt that's not retracting.
2. Seat belt sticking
Another common situation you might encounter is when your seat belt is sticking. You'll feel it's much more difficult to release and pull the seat belt before. In that case, there could be an issue related to an internal mechanical failure.
Unfortunately, as an average driver, it takes work to detect what is wrong with the seat belt system. That's why you most likely need to consult your mechanic and have him thoroughly inspect the whole system to confirm the faulty component.
Once you identify the faulty components, the next step is determining repair options. Sometimes your mechanic might know what needs to be done without replacing the entire component. In other situations, the only solution would be to remove this component and install a new one.
Seat belt won't retract or pull out: Final thoughts
The seat belt seems like a minor component, but it plays a major role in protecting your safety, especially if you get involved in major car accidents.
You might try pulling out your seat belt in many situations but realize that it needs to be fixed. This article highlighted the most common causes of a seat belt that won't retract or pull out. It also provides a simple step-by-step process to help you resolve the issue without needing a mechanic.
While the mentioned recommendations help you resolve the issue yourself, there are situations where you might be dealing with an internal issue that requires assistance from a professional. In that case, you need to consider and evaluate the potential repair costs and determine whether it's worth fixing or replacing this vehicle.
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