Havard Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 I bought the missus a Gen 7 Celica a couple of months ago. Tonight the kids have been yanking the rear seatbelts as hard as they could and now one seems to be permanantly jammed. When you pull it, it moves a couple of inches and then locks as it would in an impact. If I actually go to the trouble of taking the panels apart (this seems like a real PITA from what I can see) is there a way of releasing the ratchet? I have posted up on the Celica owners club but I assume all Toyota seat belt systems are similar? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Cheers Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedrosixfour Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Ignore the problem and just always remember put your least favourite child in that seat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havard Posted July 20, 2011 Author Share Posted July 20, 2011 Ignore the problem and just always remember put your least favourite child in that seat. Thanks. Can a mod please close the thread as Pedrosixfour has sorted it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pedrosixfour Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Thanks. Can a mod please close the thread as Pedrosixfour has sorted it. It's not the ideal solution I know but I don't think there is a lot that can be done with an uncooperative belt, they are so sensitive by design anyway that once they stop working properly they are almost impossible to rectify properly. And would you really trust a belt that has had an issue? The only other thing I can tell you is that they are designed to work in a particular position, if the kid's exertions have managed to knock one out of position then the rachet will engage straight away when the belt is pulled. Either way it looks like the panels are coming off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havard Posted July 20, 2011 Author Share Posted July 20, 2011 It's not the ideal solution I know but I don't think there is a lot that can be done with an uncooperative belt, they are so sensitive by design anyway that once they stop working properly they are almost impossible to rectify properly. And would you really trust a belt that has had an issue? The only other thing I can tell you is that they are designed to work in a particular position, if the kid's exertions have managed to knock one out of position then the rachet will engage straight away when the belt is pulled. Either way it looks like the panels are coming off. Yep, not overly optimistic on this one. The belt will not be pulled at all without the ratchet snapping. I am going to kill those kids if this turns out expensive. They have already been told that it is coming out of their Birthday/Christmas presents budget. H. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kill1308 Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Personally I'd just replace the belt mechanism... better to be safe than sorry if there's an issue with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sideexitsupra Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Might be cheaper to replace the kids? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradleyh_15 Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Sounds like one of the seatbelt pre tensioners has gone off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Has the actual retractor reel been turned away from the vertical with the constant tugging? They have bob weights inside that swing with lateral and longitudinal G force and lock the reel. It may be worth comparing the reel's attitude compared to the other side. I'd be tugging the kid's ear myself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havard Posted July 20, 2011 Author Share Posted July 20, 2011 Has the actual retractor reel been turned away from the vertical with the constant tugging? They have bob weights inside that swing with lateral and longitudinal G force and lock the reel. It may be worth comparing the reel's attitude compared to the other side. I'd be tugging the kid's ear myself This means I have to rip out the side panels in the car and start poking around. I have a habit of breaking things, especially plastic clips and things like that. Mr M Life has offered to have a look. H. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Weren't you selling the kids? Should have put an advert up sooner and this may never have happened... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supra steveo Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 i know ..... take 1 hand, and one kids back side and ....................... will take 10 seconds to fix just make sure they havent got the number for childline Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 A bit of palm sauce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suprasurrey Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 It sounds to me that they have tugged at the belts so much that the ratchet doesn`t have enough slack belt to release itself. Try pulling the belt out slowly until you feel it tighten up, then pull as hard as you can. This should wind the belt tighter thus giving more slack to allow the ratchet to release. You won`t damage the ratchet, as it is designed to restrain many times your own body weight. Please don`t try to take the seatbelt mechanism apart, at best it will not go back together properly, at worst you`ll dislodge the large clock spring inside and and it will end up wrapped around something you didn`t want it to be!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 A bit of palm sauce I thought that was something else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havard Posted July 21, 2011 Author Share Posted July 21, 2011 It sounds to me that they have tugged at the belts so much that the ratchet doesn`t have enough slack belt to release itself. Try pulling the belt out slowly until you feel it tighten up, then pull as hard as you can. This should wind the belt tighter thus giving more slack to allow the ratchet to release. You won`t damage the ratchet, as it is designed to restrain many times your own body weight. Please don`t try to take the seatbelt mechanism apart, at best it will not go back together properly, at worst you`ll dislodge the large clock spring inside and and it will end up wrapped around something you didn`t want it to be!! Cheers. I have tried gently pulling on it and hoping it would release but it's having none of it. A guy on the Celica owners club (who is the equivalent of Keron on here) has one available. I was hoping not to have top take the car apart to replace the belt in it's entirity. I just hoped that if I got to the belt ratchet there would be a button or swtich that would release it's grip on the belt and then we could start again. H. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suprasurrey Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 How about unscrewing the fixed end of the belt where it anchors to the chassis, this could also give enough slack to release the ratchet mechanism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havard Posted July 21, 2011 Author Share Posted July 21, 2011 How about unscrewing the fixed end of the belt where it anchors to the chassis, this could also give enough slack to release the ratchet mechanism. There is play in the belt. Almost as soon as you pull it towards you, it locks up. The belt is stuck about 5" out of it's usual position. Unscrewing the fixed end wouldn't make much difference. It is also not retracting at all. H. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supra steveo Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 what side is it H i know of a wrapped gen 7, when i get back to camp i will go have a look at it and see if the belts are still there , some bugger has already made off with the front seats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havard Posted July 21, 2011 Author Share Posted July 21, 2011 what side is it H i know of a wrapped gen 7, when i get back to camp i will go have a look at it and see if the belts are still there , some bugger has already made off with the front seats Passenger side rear. Please steal some for me..!! I have a price of £15 for one off the Celica club but in these hard times I would prefer for someone to commit theft in my name. H. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supra steveo Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 lol the thing has been rolled mate it will never so the road again mate its no big deal really, i am on ranges at the minute tho up in Inverness will be back the start of next month Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havard Posted July 21, 2011 Author Share Posted July 21, 2011 lol the thing has been rolled mate it will never so the road again mate its no big deal really, i am on ranges at the minute tho up in Inverness will be back the start of next month Can you not make a special trip for me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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