kieren1234 Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 hi all, quick question. I have a 1998 VW Passat and recently the seatbelf would not wind back in properly so in a temper, i pulled hard on it and it set something off which made quite a noise and the car smelt of smoke. Is this something like a pre tensioner. The seatbelt no longer winds in or out and the car is due mot so i need to fix this asap. Any idead what i can do as im thinking i will need to take it all apart a fit a new seatbelt if thats possible. Many thanks for any help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve spedd Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 your fooked mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kieren1234 Posted December 2, 2009 Author Share Posted December 2, 2009 Dont i know it. And everytime i get comfortable with money, something happens!! Needs tax too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve spedd Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 can't you get one from a scrapper? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kieren1234 Posted December 2, 2009 Author Share Posted December 2, 2009 No idea, im not sure if its dangerous to mess about with like an airbag is as im sure it has some sort of detonator to set it off in the event of a crash (or some idiot with a temper yanking on it). at the minute i just have the seat belt tied in a knot so that its tight enough round me. . . . . . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
absz Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 sounds like you have triggered the pre-tensioner. you will require a new seatbelt assy. does the airbag light stay on ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kieren1234 Posted December 2, 2009 Author Share Posted December 2, 2009 (edited) Yes i have done some research and it seems this is what i have done. No the airbag light isnt on iirc. I will need to look into changing the assy as I hear it can be dangerous as it may detonate. Cheers for help. Edited December 2, 2009 by kieren1234 (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L18msy Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 When you change the assembly disconnect the battery first. This should stop anything else detonating.You will probably find once its fitted and battery connected again the airbag light will be on.It might be an easy reset using a diagnostic machine but sometimes the airbag ecu needs changing, its just your luck.Hope that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kieren1234 Posted December 7, 2009 Author Share Posted December 7, 2009 Cheers for that mate. I went to a scrapper and took one off at the weekend. Little did i know that when it reals all the way in, it doesnt release it again and this one went off in my hands and was like an explosion so very lucky my hands didnt blow up!! God knows what to do now, that was the only local scrapped that had a passat in where the tensioners had not already gone off.......... Does anyone know of a seat belt that will fit from another car that doesnt have a pre tensioner. Maybe all models of passats dont have them?? Just need to sort something asap to get it through an mot, even if its bodged for now............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kieren1234 Posted December 7, 2009 Author Share Posted December 7, 2009 Another thing to point out. The seatbelt assembly and pretensioner does not have any electrical connectors to it or wires coming from it so i think this is probably the reason why an airbag light has not come on as it isnt linked to it???? Thanks for all help, much appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L18msy Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 Im thinking the 98 model should be wired up, it should have a yellow plug going into it.When you take a seatbelt out it will reel in and jam in until you hold the reel to the correct angle it came out of the vehicle.It has a small pendulum thing inside it, if the angle of the vehicle changes the pendulum bit moves and locks the reel holding you into the seat.Next one you get, before you take it out run it all the way out and tie the belt into a knot so it doesnt run in again, it makes life a lot easier fitting it. Take a couple of pics of the original reel and post then to see if its meant to be wired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kieren1234 Posted December 8, 2009 Author Share Posted December 8, 2009 Sounds about right mate thanks for that. This one i had taken off a car in the scrapyard, it reeled all the way in and there was no way to get it back out no matter what i done. I was probably a little rough then and it blew up lol. I have just won one on ebay so hopefully when its delievered, it wont have reeled all the way in, if it has i will fit the main part to the car and then see if it will pull out when its at the correct angle. The assembly 100% does not have any electrical fittings on it at all. What is the pre tensioner, like a small explosive charge because they dont half go off with a bang. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L18msy Posted December 10, 2009 Share Posted December 10, 2009 Yeah the pretensioner is a small explosive but it would need an electric charge to set it off. You might have wrecked the insides of the reel, i once knocked the side off a casing years ago and it went with a bang, the springs inside it are mighty tight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kieren1234 Posted December 14, 2009 Author Share Posted December 14, 2009 Cheers mate, definately 100% no electric connector to it so it must just go off when its put under a certain ammount of tension like when i yanked it. I have fitted a new one now and thankyou so much for telling me about it having to be upright to reel out properly. Car still blo ody failed on brake lines!! lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L18msy Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 No problem glad i could help, hope you get it all sorted.I hate mot time, the supra goes in for it tomorrow:eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kieren1234 Posted December 17, 2009 Author Share Posted December 17, 2009 Cheers mate. The car failed the mot on brake lines and number plates but all work been done and has now passed :) Thanks for all your help, really appreciate it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve spedd Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 roll on next thurs mate..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kieren1234 Posted December 21, 2009 Author Share Posted December 21, 2009 Ha ha, yep, all done and ready to deliver your item. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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