Seatbelt Recall? Has anyone had them replaced?
 

I was wondering if anyone has actually ever got their seatbelts replaced by GM? I saw the artical about the seatbelt recall in the tech section and I have an '85 and the fronts are very faded and are starting to stick. Let me know.

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1985 Iroc-Z, 5.0 liter H.O. Hard Top!! Upgrades: Edelbrock Performer Rpm Intake, Holley 650cfm Zinc-plated carb, Flowmaster exhaust,Accel 8.5 spiral core wires, B&M Megashifter, 700-R4 w/shift kit, 3.23 posi.

Soon to have:

A paint job!!! White w/ black sripes, Headers and y-pipe and 3" I-pipe, World-Class 5-speed swap, Disc Brake Rearend from WS6 TransAm, Lots More!!!!! If the funds are available!!

I'm interested as well. I may give the local Chevy dealer a visit this weekend just to see how painful they will make this.

I had mine done; but it was in about 1985.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

You can take your car to a GM dealer and they can run the VIN to find out if it was done. Mine were fading and cracked when I bought the car three years ago. The dealer ran the number and found out they had been replaced in 1989 already. Even though they were bad again, they would not replace them. The recall only covers one replacement. I ended up buying the seatbelt buckles out of the back seat of a junker. The back ones are generally used a lot less (if at all) and they were in really nice shape. $15 each if I recall. They are a little shorter but it worked fine for me.

I tried to do mine, it's an '86. My car has had several owners, and apparently the notice wasn't sent to the correct owner. It was in a minor front end collision back in 1989, I believe around the time the bulletin was issued. Around this time the ownership changed.

I dunno about your dealerships, but the one I work at said the VISS (what they use to check recalls) only went back to 1988. I'm outta luck. So I guess the '88+ guys have some luck. Who knows, all I can say is to look into it.

[This message has been edited by dhirocz (edited June 22, 2001).]

Yeah, I had mine done, and the repair broke the seatbelt. All they do is put a metal clip in that solves the problem, but metal and plastic=BREAKING POINT!!! I'm not impressed at all.

Well its true that they add a metal clip but my GM tech did a little more. They ordered 4 new spring, and the red caps. So basically u dont get new buckles just the inside guts (new latch kit).

He did break one rear and said that he would have to order the whole buckle, They just called yesterday to say it was in. So on Monday I will see what that is all about.

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1986 Black & Gold WS6
Trans AM...The Muscle Car Lives
...Its just not at home at the moment...

Nosaints Coolzone

yeah, just went to the local chevy dealership and they said mine had been replaced already (dammit) guess I'll have to go to the boneyard monday and see if the 91 they have there still has them https://www.thirdgen.org/messgboard/smile.gif

what part gets fixed, cuz i have ttops and my belts flat in the wind (its anoying)

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Trent
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89 Firebird
305 v8 TBI
automatic
t-tops

Trent, they replace the buckle assembly and the red button I would assume by the info I have heard so far. I still haven't checked with GM yet, I don't want to sound stupid by asking them to fix my seatbelts on a 16 year old car and them say no way your car is too old to have the dealer replace parts on it for free. Has anyone had it done here recently? Thanks for all the replies so far!

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1985 Iroc-Z, 5.0 liter H.O. Hard Top!! Upgrades: Edelbrock Performer Rpm Intake, Holley 650cfm Zinc-plated carb, Flowmaster exhaust,Accel 8.5 spiral core wires, B&M Megashifter, 700-R4 w/shift kit, 3.23 posi.

Soon to have:

A paint job!!! White w/ black sripes, Headers and y-pipe and 3" I-pipe, World-Class 5-speed swap, Disc Brake Rearend from WS6 TransAm, Lots More!!!!! If the funds are available!!

Well, everyone can relax now, I gave my local Chevy dealer a call regarding this service number "90C22" which has to do with the replacing the seatbelts.

I was told they stopped doing this in 92' and they do not even offer the parts anymore! Scary stuff, i guess GM doesn't care if we die or not because of their faulty seatbelts. Pisses me off.


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1986 IROC Camaro
305 TPI "LB9"
3.23 gears
Doesn't know enough about cars.
AIM: jesusathome

I had mine done last year. They replaced the whole buckle assemble because it was cheaper than replacing the innards. The idiots only did one of the fronts though because they didn't have any grey ones left at GM. I told them I would call the NHTSA but they didn't care... just gave me a black one instead. I'm trying to figure out how to get the thing to fail in an accident (without maiming me) so I can sue them for a few million dollars.

i take it since my camaro is '91 and my seatbelt doesnt work i can't get it fixed for free? ugh.

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91 camaro rs w/t-tops, 5sp, open element K&N 14X3, K&N filter top, dual flows, mallory ign, AR 89-92 camaro big block hood w/functional hood scoop and cowl induction, new dark red glittery paint, z-28 grill, z-28 rims, funky circular corvette tail light fiberglass piece and taillights (came with car, ugh), 4th gen front seats, bottom potion of my backseat (not bolted in, just laying there), pioneer 1.5din cd player, blaupunkt 6x9s and 4x6s, some other various mods as well.
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future mods include either a 383 or a big block w/blower, 12 bolt rear, posi, 3.73 gears, trac bars, new rims and tires, even newer 4th gen seats (all of them), all windows tinted, 6sp, 2 12" subs and a good amp (already have a nice custom camaro box), paint the funky circular fiberglass piece!
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previous car was an '82 camaro berlinetta w/sunroof and w/355, 3sp, shift kit, msd ignition, edlebrock performer carb/manifold, dual flows, 14x3 k&n open element, headers, new dark midnight blue paint, 14" grand prix rims and tires, 3.73 gears, posi rear

I went to a local Pontiac to get some diff. additive so I figured I would ask service about the recall. The manager ran the vin and said it was too old for the recall, I in turn asked him to look at the car and he will see the seat belts in the front "pop" out fo the latch with just the slightest pressure. He told me to call an 800 number for pontiac and he will see from his end what he can do. Since I had my 4 year old daughter with me I complained about the safety of the vehiclwe and that he will be letting a car with a known safty defect on the road where I or my child could be killed. He understood but said there wasn't much he could do, so I asked him to put that in writing so I can give it to my wife for the law suit if I get mamed or killed because of these belts. Anyway he made an appointment for next tuesday...free of charge.

What exactly was the fault in the seatbelts, and what years was it present? Originally I though that the fault was after whatever happened and it failed, the seatbelt WOULDN'T release, so you'd just be stuck in your car for awhile, instead of popping out in an accident. But after reading this it seems it's the opposite. I also thought they fixed it by '90, but again maybe I'm mistaken. So what exactly was the fault, and was it present in all thirdgens?

- Mike

I can't say about "all" third gens... but in the case of my car, and others such as G-bodies, if the belt pulls out all the way it won't retract. When they did my recall they changed out the entire thing, which was fine with me because the kid who had my car before me had smoked in it and there were huge burns on the belts.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

if i remember correctly from reading about this in the tech section, the seatbelt recall covered 1984-1990 camaro models, and dealt with discoloration and possible diengagement of the seatbelt latch assemblies in a collision. it was supposed to be replaced by dealers free of charge.

I've never had it done, but I've got a set of belts that had the recall performed, they came out of a 91. At the very least they replace the innards and install a metal guide clip. If you have the clip its impossible to miss since its shiny silver and clips along the inside and out of the buckle. Seems like they're obligated to make the car safe, but keep in mind that these cars are 10 years old and GM doesn't have a lot of parts around for them. So you may end up with 4 differen't color buckles.

My God, I thought it was just my car where the seat belts didn't retract!!! What's the best thing for me to do considering there are no local Chevy dealers??? Any advice??

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'86 Iroc ZZ4
Best Run 13.8 @ 100mph
I told you to blow the bloody doors off!
The British Firebird/Camaro Site

We should all expect to get a lot of BS with this seatbelt recall from various dealers, and they don't all fix the problem the same way. I went to 3 dealers, and only after repeatedly keeping up with the 3rd and dealing with an honest guy was I able to get help with the belts. They ordered the springs and red button only, not the whole receiver assembly. So the point is that they are mandated to replace the belts if your car falls under the warranty, but you might have to put pressure on them or try a few dealers if you don't want to haggle with just one. And they don't necessarily have your color buckle in, but if they only do the button and springs that shouldn't be a problem.

Is it that much of a hazard if they aren't fixed? I changed the interior color of my car and the belts I got had the recall performed but on one of them the belt sleeve was all broken up and I had another one that the recall wasn't performed on that wasn't broken so I put that in instead. I would have just changed the sleeve part from the one that isn't broken to the one that is but it was a different length.

I work at a chevy dealership and i check into it also. My car did not have the recall(1985 Iroc-z), but any one out there with screwy seat belt may be able to get them taken care of if your under 100,000 miles and 10 years old, but you may able to wiggle around the years. just ask.