Anyone know what it costs to have a seatbelt replaced. I week ago I got out of the car in a hurry when my wife dropped me at the train station (she made us late) and I closed the door on the seatbelt. It was a one in a million thing where the door closed on the belt right over the latch and the belt is now a little frayed. I am concerned in an accident the integrity of the belt is compromised and it may fail. This is the front passenger side belt. Will the seat have to come out? I will have the local MB dealer supply all the parts and do the work, but I just wanted to get some idea of what kind of job it is.

Thanks

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Jason Priest
1999 E430
1995 E420 - retired
1986 420SEL - retired

Replacing the seat belt isn't that hard a job.

You don't need to remove the seat, just slide it all the way forward. The only tools needed are a 17mm and a phillips head screwdriver. You don't just replace the belt but rather the entire belt retractor mechanism. There is a small explosive charge that deploys in a level one crash which retracts the belt to keep you from peeling out the belt under the force of the crash.

To replace, after sliding the seat forward slip the plastic thing off the belt where it bolts to the floor then remove the 17mm bolt that holds it there. Next remove the two phillips head screws from the foot of the "B" pillar then pull down on the trim. The trim will unlatch from the pillar and you can slip it off the loose end of the belt.

Now remove the 17mm bolt that retains the belt at the adjustment mechanism. At the bottom of the "B" pillar there is one last 17mm bolt that holds the entire mechanism in. Remove that bolt and carefully pry off the electrical connector at the end of the squib (explosive charge). Now come the hard part.

Lift the entire mechanism upward into the pillar and tilt out to remove the whole assembly from the pillar. This might take a few tries, but can be done. There are two types of retractors, one has a turbine and the other has a piston - the piston type is harder to remove ('86 and later I think).

Assembly is the reverse of above. Note, when you plug the connector to the squib you MUST hear an audible click for the system to work.

I believe FastLane or PartsShop might have the assemblies for about $390.00 apiece.

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Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.

Local MB dealer quoted me $286 CDN for the parts and one hour of labour. Not bad for some piece of mind.

__________________
Jason Priest
1999 E430
1995 E420 - retired
1986 420SEL - retired