How to: Seat belt pretensioner kit installation
I figured I'd give my experience with the Airbag Flash Code 3-3 on my 02 XLT.
I removed the seatbelt pretensioner harness connector (yellow) under the seat, and did the blow in each side of the connector trick. I reconnected and turned the ignition, and it disappeared. I was thrilled....until... the next day when the flash code 3-3 reappeared. I removed and blew again, and it disappeared for another day and then reappeared.... So...I moved on to purchasing a new pretensioner kit and installing it.
Pretty easy - took me about 1/2 hour.
First I called my dealership with my VIN and build date (May 2002), (Grey interior) and they told me that the "New" pretensioner kit for my vehicle is:
3L2Z-7861203-AAF ($139). The parts manager told me that this part "took the place" of part 2L2Z-7861203-AAD ($73) which had "taken the place" of the original TSB recommended part 1L2Z-78610E22-BAC ($59).
I asked what the difference was, and he hummed and haawed...and finally said that the new kit includes the entire seat belt buckle, as opposed to just the wire harness. When he told me that the "new kit" cost $139, I asked whether the original kit (1L2Z----) was available, and he said yes. Trust me, this is all you need. Don't fall for the "NEW UPDATED" part trick the dealer will try and sell you at nearly 3 times the price of the original part.
Anyway, I have PICTURES of the pretensioner kit 1L2Z-78610E22-BAC (box and contents, along with my remove/replace - installation pictures, but the website won't let me upload without "Elite" status.
REMOVE THE OLD SEAT BELT PRETENSIONER HARNESS
1) Disconnect the negative battery terminal cable...and let vehicle sit for 5 minutes or so.
2) Remove the (4) 15mm bolts holding the seat down. You'll need to slide off the plastic covers over two of the bolts 1st... the cover in the front (closest to the door) slides forward, the cover in the back slides toward the back. To remove the 2 bolts in the front, slide the seat all the way back, and to remove the two bolts in the back, slide the seat all the way forward.
3) To get the seat out of the vehicle, you'll also need to disconnect the two connectors under the seat in the back where the wire harness leads go under the carpet - the yellow connector, and the gray one right next to it (self contained to within seat). The other two connectors connect to harnesses that are part of the seat - you'll also eventually need to disconnect the 3rd connector - self contained within seat (on the far right of the series of 4 connectors) in order to remove the pretensioner harness - explained later. The yellow connector is the seat belt pretensioner harness. That is the one that you will replace.
4) Remove the seat from the vehicle and lay the seat on the ground with the seat belt buckle mechanism facing up...and seat bottom facing you to the side.
5) As I mentioned above, disconnect the other connector that feeds into the fabric harness protector sleeve that goes along with the pretensioner harness (yellow connector). Detach the 2 Velcro straps of the fabric holster-like harness protector. Now you can slide the fabric protector off of the two wire harnesses that run through it.
6) Now you can see where the seat belt pretensioner harness attaches on the aluminum stub on the seat. Push the yellow slide tab toward the wires; lift the front and two side black tabs of the connector up and pull the connector off. The entire harness can be thrown away...including the end connector.
INSTALL THE NEW SEAT BELT PRETENSIONER HARNESS
7) Attach the new seat belt pretensioner harness connector to the connection point on the aluminum stub.
8) Attach the newly provided black cover over the aluminum stub - clips on - to cover and protect the connection point to the stub. Tie wrap around the black plastic cover and stub to secure in place...cut off excess tie-wrap.
9) Feed the pretensioner harness connector (yellow connector) and the other harness connector that went through the original fabric holster back through the new fabric holster-shaped protector. Secure the fabric holster-shaped harness protector in place and secure the two Velcro straps.
10) Re-route the two connectors back to their original attachment point on the seat and re-attach. Reconnect the one connector to its mate on the seat. There should now be 2 unconnected connectors (the ones that reconnect to the connectors coming from under the vehicle carpet.
11) Place the seat back in the vehicle, and attach the (4) 15mm bolts, and slide the plastic bolt covers back over the respective bolts.
12) Re-attach the two connectors to the connector mates coming from under the floor carpet.
13) Reconnect the negative battery terminal cable... reprogram your radio station preset buttons
.
Restart you car and keep your fingers crossed...all should be better.
Mine has been fine!
I wish I could post my pics...it would help with the above description.
Hope this helps.
