Seat Belt Twisted

M5Prospect · 28th March 2010, 06:51

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Basically, when I buckle my seat belt, the belt itself is twisted. I've tried to undo the twist manually, but the part where the belt goes through the buckle or male part is real thin.

Any suggestions? I have no idea how it go that way.

I have did multiple searches and could not find much. Usually, its people replacing seat belts for new sporty ones or its removing the whole seat.

Thanks

Need4Spd · 28th March 2010, 07:34

Are you sure it's "wrong"? How did it happen? Was it OK before? Did someone else drive the car? If it's ok to begin with, it should be really hard to get it wrong.

Anyway, it's a bit hard to describe how to fix this but you need to sort of fold the belt in the correct orientation and in a triangular shape so it enters the slot in the buckle with just a small triangular corner, then once you get it started, pull that fold through the slot. It takes some amount of effort, which is why I say it's hard to have happen just by happen-stance. Usually I find this has happened on cars that aren't mine; somebody doesn't understand the way the belt really goes and thinks it's "wrong," so does the triangle/fold trick I describe above to make it "right," only it's really "wrong." Or, the belt gets a bit tangled with a fold in it, which fold gets caught in the slot, and instead of un-tangling it first, the wearer just pulls hard on it and ends up turning it 180 degrees. If the belt buckle is properly on the belt, when hanging on the pillar the tongue of the buckle should face into the interior, not away towards the pillar.

Before you do this, btw, sometimes the buckle is actually on correctly but the belt got twisted somewhere inside the pillar. Try first un-reeling the entire belt out of the pillar. That might correct the orientation of the buckle. If it doesn't, then do the fold/triangle trick.

TMcNasty · 28th March 2010, 15:04

If it turns out your buckle is really wrong fold your seatbelt thusly:

Pull the buckle over this fold. It will be a little tough. Doing so effectively flips the buckle 180 on the belt eliminating your twist. This is what Need4Spd was describing, but he doesn't have my wicked sweet graphic now does he?

P.S. I made this pic like a year ago for my R32 forum when the same thing happened to my passenger seatbelt. Just didn't want you thinking I made it special just for you.

gsfent · 28th March 2010, 17:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by TMcNasty

If it turns out your buckle is really wrong fold your seatbelt thusly:

A picture is worth a 1000 words!!
Regards,
Jerry

Need4Spd · 28th March 2010, 23:52

More like 182, according to my word counter! Yes, that pic is perfect!

M5Prospect · 29th March 2010, 02:31

Fellas,

Once again, thank you all for taking time out to respond. I will try the folding trick.

Not too sure how unreeling the whole seatbelt works, but I will try both.

Now I will "M5 Board" Thank you all.

I will try to update pictures if possible.

Thanks,
Vince

sullym5 · 29th March 2010, 05:56

If it doesnt work out they are replaceable for under $200.

JustinM5 · 29th March 2010, 17:57

I always wondered why some belts were 'wrong', and never thought you could fix it without unbolting something!

ger · 30th March 2010, 23:24

The belt itself should lay 'flat' between the 'B' post (ie where it comes out) and where it attaches to the seat, if this is not the case then it might have got twisted inside the pillar (pull it all out in the hope the 'fold' comes with it, if not it trim removal time!) or someone's removed the end from the seat and re-fitted it incorrectly, easy to correct as long as you have a Tx50 bit.

The buckle's chrome bit should be facing the middle of the car (with everything in 'rest' position), if not, the belt has been pulled through it as described above.

HTH.

blackxs · 30th March 2010, 23:34

Happens on my truck all the time. When retracting it just gets caught up sometimes, sometimes will get stuck at the fold and sometimes will just go right through. Fixing it is very important because a seatbelt with such tension folded wrong can cut you during an accident. In my truck I just fold it and push it back through the buckle so it set correct again, never had the exact problem on my M5 so I cant help too much but wish you good luck!