2000 SL500, crazy seat belts...

[KarTek]

Hey, this is my friend's aunt's car so I'm totally unfamiliar with it. Despite it being close in year to my E300, many of the controls operate differently.

Anyway, the seat belt on the passenger side will not pull out. Moving the seat fore/aft will tighten it up but it never releases. I've tried pulling it gently, quickly, pounding on the seat and nothing helps.

Is there some secret button that locks or tightens the seat belt? I know that on my Corvette, there's a button that freezes the mechanism for more performance driving situations so I was thinking there might be something similar on the SL.

Thanks for the help!

[97 SL320]

My 97 SL320 has no such button.

Someone else on this list had a belt jam on a 4 door car and ended up taking the retractor apart to release it. My 91 300 SL parts car has both belts stuck, but the car took a since repaired light front hit at some time in the past. In that case, the pretension unit might have fired locking them.

[Gilly]

The belt is built in to the backrest so curious as to why moving the seat fore/aft has an effect on the belt, it all moves together.

[Gilly]

Trying to remember on the 129 especially the later ones if there is a provision to lock the belt for use with a child seat???? Hmmmm. Possible small switch on the side of the bottom cushion. It's been awhile since I've messed with a 129. maybe check the owners manual.

[Gilly]

Also possible that it locks when you pull the belt all the way out(for child seat). If someone did that, and there is a twist in the belt when it was retracted, it might not be retracting far enough to unlock it.

Again if someone had access to an owners manual and see what it says about child seat useage.

[abiby]

There is a child restraint provision on the passenger seatbelt, at least for my '96. I hope you can read this as I could only take a pic...

I assume you release it by sliding the switch the other way???

[KarTek]

Originally Posted by Gilly

The belt is built in to the backrest so curious as to why moving the seat fore/aft has an effect on the belt, it all moves together.

Since the seat is attached to the backrest, moving the seat makes a little change in the distance between the mounting point the the seat back which gives the belt a little slack.

Moving the head rest up and down also moves the seat back anchor point which produces a little slack as well. In either case, the belt neither retracts or releases.

At this point, it looks like the child restraint setting seems to be the most likely culprit.

Thanks and I'll let you all know what happens.

Oh and another thing, the owner has informed us that the car was involved in a minor front impact that destroyed the front facia but did not deploy the air bags. If the pre-tensioner fired on that side, how is it reset?

[bolzano]

My W126 had stuck seat belt, driver side. About 6 inches out. Not enough to wear belt. Would not retract.

Disconnected battery. There is a pyro device in belt assembly. Removed B pillar trim see FSM section 68-470 and 2nd and 3rd images. Examined belt and reel. See 4th and 5th images. Pulled belt gently in and out near reel near bottom of B pillar. Loosened enough to un stick belt.

Put B pillar trim back. Needs to be fiddled with. Watch where the adjuster on trim fits into the round circle near highest part of belt on B pillar and adjuster button on trim presses adjuster lever on B pillar.

Maybe someday will need to buy a junkyard seatbelt assembly. But most of the used parts I find seem to be more worn out than my existing parts.