Seat Belt Tensioner

asummers · Post by **asummers** » 24 Aug 2008, 20:10

Has anyone else had their seat belt tensioner go bad on them? My drivers side tensioner will not release normally anymore. It will pull out when you repeatedly yank on it. So, not I have a baby seat tensioner on it so it doesn't choke us to death, all it does it keep tightening up. If you take the trim piece out that goes around the seat belt on the pillar you can see the rotary tensioner, but that doesn't give me any indication of what is wrong. Has anyone ever removed the middle pillar trim panels? Do the just pop off with some tugging? I will probably have to go junk yard diving to find a replacement, I sure hope it bolts to the pillar and not welded on.

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1996 Volvo 850T Platinum 167,000 miles
2000 Volvo S80 2.9 77,800 miles

Post by **vegasjetskier** » 25 Aug 2008, 16:56

It bolts on, but you probably need to take it to a dealer for service since you can't put one from another car in there. You might be able to buy one from the dealer, change it yourself, then take the car into the dealer to have the software programmed. Might save you a few (hundred) bucks.

To remove the trim:

Pull the front door sill trim panel straight up to release it from the retaining clips. Repeat the procedure on the rear door sill trim panel.

Depress the quick-release catch at the side, and remove the seat belt lower anchorage from the outside of the seat.

Move the front seat forward as far as possible, then pull the rubber weatherstrips from the door apertures adjacent to the B-pillar.

Pull the lower edge of the B-pillar trim in towards the center of the cabin to release the clips and disengage the air ducting, then pull it downwards at the same time as squeezing together the sides at the top of the trim to release the retaining clips.

Feed the seat belt through the panel and remove it from the cabin.

To remove the reel:

If the tensioner mechanism is dropped, it must be replaced, even if it has suffered no apparent damage.

Do not attempt to open the tensioner mechanism as it contains explosive gas.

Tensioners from other vehicles, even from the same model and year, must not be fitted.

Switch off the ignition, then disconnect the battery negative lead. Wait for at least 5 minutes before proceeding.

Remove the front seat.

Unplug the wiring connector from the seat belt tensioner by squeezing together the two plug retaining clips. This wiring should never be disconnected or reconnected while the battery negative lead is connected.

Unscrew and remove the two reel/tensioner retaining bolts and remove the seat belt reel and tensioner from the car.

asummers · Post by **asummers** » 26 Aug 2008, 04:23

You have got to be kidding? All I wanted to do is find one in a junk yard that still recoils and replace mine. So, it will need reprograming? I do not see why that is. The seat belt warning switch is in the latch, not the reel. If the coiling reel does not have an electrical sensor plug on it, it will not need reprogramming. I will get the panels removed and take a look. I will also call the dealer and see how much that part and install is, and then laugh myself silly.

Post by **vegasjetskier** » 26 Aug 2008, 09:05

asummers wrote:You have got to be kidding? All I wanted to do is find one in a junk yard that still recoils and replace mine. So, it will need reprograming? I do not see why that is. The seat belt warning switch is in the latch, not the reel. If the coiling reel does not have an electrical sensor plug on it, it will not need reprogramming. I will get the panels removed and take a look. I will also call the dealer and see how much that part and install is, and then laugh myself silly.

You do realize that these reels contain an explosive charge just like an airbag (that's how the pretensioning part works)?

Here's a quote from my original post (emphasis added):

"Unplug the wiring connector from the seat belt tensioner by squeezing together the two plug retaining clips. This wiring should never be disconnected or reconnected while the battery negative lead is connected."

Well maybe it doesn't need reprogramming and maybe it's all bullpoo from Volvo, but remember that this is a vital part of your restraint system and in a crash it will take all the slack out of the belt very quickly to help keep you from bouncing off the steering wheel and windshield while the car decelerates (seat belts are primary, air bags are secondary). I know I wouldn't want to take a chance on it malfunctioning.

asummers · Post by **asummers** » 27 Aug 2008, 13:36

Well, last night I took my can of air and cleaned out around, behind, and any gaps on the tensioner. I then sprayed WD40 around the back where the cam lock is. It now works again!

Post by **vegasjetskier** » 27 Aug 2008, 14:27

asummers wrote:Well, last night I took my can of air and cleaned out around, behind, and any gaps on the tensioner. I then sprayed WD40 around the back where the cam lock is. It now works again!

Excellent. Glad you found a solution. Did the reel have any electrical connections on it?

Post by **VCA** » 27 Aug 2008, 18:12

vegasjetskier wrote:Well maybe it doesn't need reprogramming and maybe it's all bullpoo from Volvo, but remember that this is a vital part of your restraint system and in a crash it will take all the slack out of the belt very quickly to help keep you from bouncing off the steering wheel and windshield while the car decelerates (seat belts are primary, air bags are secondary). I know I wouldn't want to take a chance on it malfunctioning.

For the 2000 model year S80, the seat belts do not require software programming of the SRS module. The correct procedure is to remove the negative battery cable, do the work of replacing the seatbelt module, place the ignition in the II position, and reconnect the negative battery cable. Do not enter vehicle until the SRS light has extinguished (approximately 7 seconds) or unless it stays on more than 1 minute (diagnostics failed).

Please, for safety's sake, never install a used seatbelt (explosive pretensioner type or otherwise), purchase a new one.

subdewd · Post by **subdewd** » 30 Aug 2008, 05:21

Did it need reprogramming after the WD40?

asummers · Post by **asummers** » 04 Sep 2008, 14:30

No reprogramming after the wd40 application was needed, I couldn't find a plug in port for the spray stick.

Well, after a few days it has started to act up again. I have been doing the cleaning and wd40 through the opening where the belt goes into the side pillar. I am going to have to take the pillar trim completely off and see what is going on.

I will repost after taking the pillar post trim off and see if it has any sensor connection.

asummers · Post by **asummers** » 30 Sep 2008, 08:46

Ok, after the tensioner started acting up again, I pulled the door sills and the center pillar trim. The tensioner does have a sensor connector.
What I did was clean the area on the reel that has the teeth that locks it with canned air. Then I took some more WD40 to sray in on the cam inside the reel. I then applied some lube in the area where the teeth are. So far it is working, but I expect it to act up later down the road.

_____________________________________________________________
1996 Volvo 850T Platinum Edition 170,000 miles
2000 Volvo S80 2.9 80,000 miles