The driver and passenger seatbelts in my car don't retract automatically as they should, or do so really slowly. I usually have to pull the door's side of the seatbelt for it to retract into its housing. Reading this, would my issue be covered under the lifetime seatbelt warranty?

Unfortunately it's not covered under the seatbelt warranty since there isn't an actual part malfunction. The problem is the loop which the seatbelt goes through, the seatbelt gets stuck on the loop and it can't retract. There is a TSB regarding this issue and you can probably get the TSB done at the dealer for really cheap (if not free). Essentially the fix is to place a smooth sticker on the loop where it contacts the seatbelt. I had the TSB done to my vehicle and it still isn't working, I have to tug at the driver seatbelt a lot to get it to properly retract.

If the fix fails over time I won't bother then. Thanks for the quick reply.

Towncivilian wrote:The driver and passenger seatbelts in my car don't retract automatically as they should, or do so really slowly. I usually have to pull the door's side of the seatbelt for it to retract into its housing.

I've had this 'problem' on every car I've ever owned, and the older they get, the worse it gets.
I think it's just an inherit design flaw that car manufacturers can't be bothered to fix or re-engineer.
Oh well, c'est la vie.

I figured it out, just take some kind of wire or something, put the wire between the seat belt and the plastic part that holds the seat belt up near the side of the inside of the car, its kind of hard to explain how to do it without showing how to do it, maybe ill post some pictures later.

Another option might be to take some packing tape (the clear stuff) and just place a small piece around the seat belt eye that the seat belt goes through. This may be a temporary fix but it should work.

Take a brass brush and clean the metal loop and the belts, every 4-5 months

Local Nissan dealership quoted $90 to do the TSB that involved cleaning the belt loops and applying teflon (or whatever it is) strips.

Huge rip-off. Just buy the strips from them (if they aren't too much) or just make your own. Believe me, you won't want to spend more than $10 on this project since it is highly likely that it won't fix the issue for very long.

is there a guide on how to do the teflon strip method? im not sure i understand how this works, so basically, you access the retractor mechanism and, while the seat belt is fully extended, you stick a teflon strip on it?

m0nkeyprince wrote:is there a guide on how to do the teflon strip method? im not sure i understand how this works, so basically, you access the retractor mechanism and, while the seat belt is fully extended, you stick a teflon strip on it?

I found a PDF of the TSB with full instructions. The printout is in my Pathfinder, but I'll try to remember to bring it in to find the PDF copy again (need the TSB #).

Towncivilian wrote:

m0nkeyprince wrote:is there a guide on how to do the teflon strip method? im not sure i understand how this works, so basically, you access the retractor mechanism and, while the seat belt is fully extended, you stick a teflon strip on it?

I found a PDF of the TSB with full instructions. The printout is in my Pathfinder, but I'll try to remember to bring it in to find the PDF copy again (need the TSB #).

aha thanks man, it would help alot

Here is the PDF: http://maxima.theowensfamily.com/tsb/NTB01-005.pdf

Sorry about the delay.

Thank you for posting that PDF, any idea what the cost is on that 'part'?
Interested in doing that soon myself

No idea of its cost, sorry.

Google search says $12 - $15.

Seat belt tape set part # 87880-79900. $3.65 from NissanPartsZone.

Thats the part # for my 2001 QX4, I'd assume its the same for a Pathy.

excellent, thank you, thats awesome that its that cheap, will try to do this this week!

Got seatbelt assemblies replaced today. They retract perfectly now, and even pulling them out to buckle is smooth as silk. The dealer had to try the D-ring cleaning kit first, but the charge for that was waived. It didn't help at all, so the service adviser ordered the seatbelt assemblies. One arrived on Monday, the other today. It took them two hours to replace both seatbelts. I noticed that on the invoice I signed the total charge would be something like $652, but luckily warranty kicked in.

Seatbelts are warranted for that long? I wonder if I could get mine fixed

Pathy415 wrote:Seatbelts are warranted for that long? I wonder if I could get mine fixed

Seatbelts are warrantied forever for 1989-2002 vehicles, 2003+ it's 10 years. Read here. Obviously you can't get a new seatbelt if you dog chewed through it or something, but for failure to retract automatically is covered. Seriously, new seatbelts make it seem like a new car again.

I forgot to mention that both of my replacement front seatbelts were manufactured in 2010. Both rear seatbelts are mfg. 2000, neither have any issues. All made by the same company (Taka something...).

That's awesome!! Thanks Town!! I'll be taking her in when I get a chance. Wonder if they'll give me a loaner GTR or at least a 370Z while they're performing the work. LOL

Just took a pic of page 12 of my warranty booklet. Doesn't mention anything about work being performed for original owner only so I guess we're good!

Yes, the warranty is transferable. Doesn't matter who brings the vehicle to the dealership I guess, if you ask to have the seatbelts replaced under warranty they will do it.

I'll be sure to bring the warranty booklet and those Op Codes to the stealership when I get a chance. Thanks again!

and now to rob the stealership....

I contacted a Nissan Dealer that said the seat belts are covered for my 1997 QX4 but only Infiniti will do the warranty work.

I have kept them as clean as I can but now simply do not work as they should. Related that to the Infiniti dealer and they said, make an appointment for the work, they will check it out and if it is as described they will replace the belts under their warranty.

All I have to do is call, go, wait, leave.

I'm going to make an appointment soon to get the seatbelts fixed but I'm sorta weary about stealerships. I haven't taken a car to a dealership in years( I can count twice in the past 13 years) and I'm always paranoid that they'll try to find something wrong so they can rape my wallet or they'll intentionally screw with my car to create an issue that wasn't there. Anyone else feel the same?

When I do go I'm going to tell them all I want done is to fix the seat belt issue under warranty, that's it.

Tell them it causes your seat belt to not tighten around your body correctly thus creating an unsafe environment which by law should be covered or recalled ASAP!

Acecool wrote:Tell them it causes your seat belt to not tighten around your body correctly thus creating an unsafe environment which by law should be covered or recalled ASAP!

I think you missed my point Acecool, the issue I have is dealerships finding other issues with the car or "creating" issues(tampering with a car and creating more problems) so that they can make more money.

In regards to the seatbelts, it's under warranty and is something they should and must fix regardless.

I think you can call 1-800-NISSAN1 to file a complaint if your dealer does something like that. You should not have to put up with that kind of service from a Nissan dealer (by which I mean them breaking things to make more money, not true suggestions or "upselling" as it may be). I think them finding other present issues is reasonable, as long as they consult you and hopefully show you the problem, and ask what to do about it before they do anything.