Adjust/Replace Seat Belt Tensioner

[blairallenvt]

The driver's side seat belt in my '97 Explorer has become very loose over the past year or two. Whenever I unbuckle and get out of the car, I have to help feed the belt back through the loop because the tensioner/recoiler doesn't have the power to pull the belt back up. If I forget this, more than likely the belt will get closed in the door when I get out.

Does anybody know if this can be adjusted, or replaced, so that I'll get a nice tight feeling when wearing the belt, and have it recoil properly when I unbuckle?

Thanks!

 

[410Fortune]

Junk yard
You can try removing the retractor setup and cleaning it/rebuilding it.
I chose to grab two belts from a late model Ranger with 1/3 the miles on them, then I had them re-upholstered with new webbing to match my truck and installed them. Work like new 286K miles, under $80

 

[96limitedX]

i got another out of a low mile(a '96 with 48k) belt/retractor matching interior truck..this fixed the not retracting part. but i had to replace mine anyhow due to the belt being all ate up.

 

[MONMIX]

There is no way to fix this problem. I would strongly discourage the thought of spraying WD-40 inside of there or any chemical that would deteroriate the integrity of the belt material.

If you do get a junk yard seat belt, for reasons that should be obvious DO NOT get the belt from a vehicle that was in a front hit or hit on the side you are getting the belt from.

 

[spindlecone]

Mine on my 03 has been replaced 4 times, still will not retract, bad design IMO

 

[celly]

Mine on my 03 has been replaced 4 times, still will not retract, bad design IMO

Never bothered to replace any in the past, but they've all sucked on the three 2nd gens I've owned. I don't remember if it was an issue on my 1st gen.

Definitely a bad design like the rear wipers. :thumbdwn: