Terry's Talon Troubleshooting Tips #1 - Flaky Seatbelt Retractor

Does this problem sound familiar...

The 'fasten limit switch' in my driver's side seatbelt track was intermittent. Fortunately, it came apart fairly easily and cleaned up well with a little spray cleaner and kleenex. I haven't heard so much as a stutter from it for a couple of days, so it seems that I got the problem.

[Note: It's been almost a year since this fix and the seatbelt has worked flawlessly.]

The way the system works is that there is a limit switch at each end of the seatbelt track. These switches consist of a plunger that is depressed by the seatbelt shuttle when it reaches the end of its run. The switches are Normally Closed, ie. when the shuttle reaches the end of the track, it opens the contacts of the switch. Since my 'fasten' switch was intermittent, the seatbelt 'computer' thought that the shuttle had reached the fasten position before it actually got there.

Well then here's how to fix it...

1. Remove the rubber scuff guard from the lower door jamb.
   • Take out the 4 phillips screws and gently pry up the plastic.
2. Remove the back seat.
   • Easily done by pressing the two releases under the front edge. The seat lifts right out.
3. Remove the side panel inside the passenger compartment behind the driver's seat. This is the panel that includes the speaker grille.
   • Remove two phillips screws from the floor pan.
   • Remove 5 plastic retainers by pressing the centers with the screwdriver and lifting them out with your fingers or a small flat screwdriver. They should come out easily.
     NOTE: You will need to move the folding portion of the rear seat several times during this operation.
   • Gently pry the forward edge of the panel away from the door frame with your fingers. There are 3 snaps that will release with a little coaxing.
   • Carefully lift the panel out of position. It may catch on its upper edge, just unhook it from the upper panel section. Watch out for the gooey black sealant around the window frame. The panel seemed to come out easier if the folding seat was a little up from the down position.
4. Remove the upper side panel.
   • Remove the coat hook from the ceiling.
   • Remove one plastic retainer as before.
   • Gently pry the panel away from the wall. There are 4 snaps that will release.
5. At the 'fasten' end of the seatbelt track is a small metal plate held in place with 4 screws. Under this plate is the limit switch. Note the wires coming from the bottom of the assembly.

   Before going any further, you may want to verify the operation of the switch without removing it. To do this, you will need a continuity meter, preferably one with a beeper.

   • Locate the set of connectors on a bracket near the seatbelt motor.
   • Disconnect power going to the seatbelt motor by unplugging the single thick white wire in a connector by itself.
   • Disconnect the larger multi-connector just forward of the power connector. This contains the signals from the limit switches. The upper half of this connector can be removed from the bracket by pressing it firmly downward.
   • In this upper half, locate the two wires with corresponding color codes to the limit switch and connect your meter/beeper. If the seatbelt is in the 'release' position, the meter should start beeping.
   • Using the hex wrench supplied with your car's toolkit, crank the seatbelt to the fasten position. The meter should go quiet when the shuttle reaches the end of its run.
   • Move the seatbelt shuttle in and out of the fasten position several times. The switch should reliably start beeping at the same point of travel each time. If it doesn't beep at all, then you've caught the switch being bad. As a test, snap the switch cover with your finger, the meter should start beeping again.
6. Fix the switch so it works.
   • Remove the four screws on the retainer plate. Note that not all four are the same.
   • Pull the limit switch out of position. It will probably be covered in white grease. This is probably why it fails.
   • Carefully separate the halves of the switch by lifting the clips and sliding the pieces apart. This may be more difficult than it sounds, there are several clips that need to be lifted simultaneously. The halves may seem stubborn at first, but keep at it.
     CAUTION: There is a spring inside the switch that will try to become airborne during this operation. If you're careful, you can keep it inside one half of the switch.
   • Once the halves are apart, remove the spring, the plunger, and the pc board. Note their orientation for reassembly.
   • Clean the contacts of the switch. Be very careful not to deform the fingers. A little spray TV tuner cleaner and a kleenex work pretty well for this. If there was any discoloration on the copper pads, this should remove it.
7. Reassemble the switch and reinstall the metal plate.
8. If you unplugged any of the electrical connectors, reconnect the multi- connector first, then the power connector.
   NOTE: If the seatbelt is not in the release position, this will cause the motor to run it to that position. Make sure the hex crank isn't hanging out of the motor and nobody's hands are on the track.
9. Replace the upper side panel.
   • Line up the snaps and press gently.
   • To use the plastic inserts, slide the plunger so it's sticking out the top, insert it into the hole, and press the plunger with your finger so it's flush.
10. Replace lower side panel.
    • Once the panel is in position, press the 3 snaps into the forward edge, then the plastic retainers, then the screws.
11. Replace the back seat.
    • Note that the metal tabs on the back edge of the seat go UNDER the brackets somewhat hidden by the folding seats. They are easier to see if you pull the velcro strips on the carpet behind the seats.
    • Once the tabs are in place, the seat should slide completely back into place and the front edge retainers should lock without any difficulty.
12. Replace scuff plate on door jamb.
    • Don't overtighten the screws, they never really snug up. By putting them in place, they simply spread the tabs on the bottom of the plate which holds it in place.

Good Luck!

Terry Wells
twells@cp10.es.xerox.com

DISCLAIMER: This guide was created completely from memory and may be slightly inaccurate regarding minor details. I also take no responsibility for any of your actions.