I have an 86 camaro, and the seatbelts don't engage at all. The flow in and out just fine, but when you pull hard on them they don't get locked in. It's basically like they don't function at all. When I opened up the plastic case on the floor portion, there is a wire from the seat belt mechanism that doesn't connect to anything, is this my issue? Where is the wire supposed to connect too? Any help or directions would be greatly appreciated.

 

That wire is for the seat belt buzzer - most disconnect it to avoid that aggravating buzzer.

You problem is in the receivers - they make rebuild kits and sell on ebay, but I just bought receivers that had already been rebuilt off ebay.

 

Can your provide me with an eBay link for what you are talking about?

 

I reread - I'm sorry I misunderstood. I thought you meant they wouldn't click into the receivers Rough day today!

It takes alot of really quick force to make the retractors engage - I've personally never been able to 'yank' the belts fast or hard enough to make it happen, in any of my cars. Either none of the cars I've been inside in the last few years (including brand new cars) work at all, or seat belts have just gotten better over the years at not engaging until it's really necessary. I guess like everyone else, I'm betting on the latter.

 

They have a weight on a pendulum that works on inertia. When the weight swings forward as the car suddenly stops, a brake is engaged, keeping the belt from feeding out. Hard to test without the car in motion