Seat Belt Retractor: Testing and Inspection

Functional Test - Safety Belt Retractor
The safety belt retractor must be freely operational for extraction and retraction of the safety belt webbing between full extension and in-vehicle stowed positions.

1. Extract and retract the safety belt between the full extension and stowed positions.
2. Verify the retractor operates without excessive effort or binding.
3. Install a new safety belt retractor if a concern has been found or the complaint has been verified.

Functional Test - Cinch Tongue Retractor







1. Verify that the cinch tongue operates by pulling on the safety belt webbing with one hand, and creating slack in the webbing from the safety retractor with the other hand. The safety belt tongue will grab the safety belt webbing, making it hard to slide.
2. Repeat the above step 3 times.
3. If the cinch tongue fails, unbuckle the safety belt retractor from the buckle and inspect the cinch tongue locking mechanism.







4. Verify that the cinch tongue locking mechanism opens without drag.







5. Verify that the cinch tongue locking mechanism closes without drag.
6. If the inspection reveals that a the cinch tongue does not operate correctly, install a new rear center safety belt retractor assembly. Do not attempt to carry out any repair on the safety belt retractor and cinch tongue assembly. If a concern exists with either component, a new safety belt buckle and safety belt and retractor assembly must be installed.

Functional Test - Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR)

WARNING: After any crash, all of the following safety belt assemblies and attaching hardware must be inspected by an authorized dealer to verify correct function:
- Retractors
- Buckles
- Belt tension sensor (BTS) (if equipped)
- Front safety belt buckle support assemblies (slide bar) (if equipped)
- Safety belt shoulder belt height adjusters (if equipped)
- Child safety seat tether bracket assemblies
- Automatic locking retractor (ALR) feature for child safety seats (passenger seating positions only)

If any safety belt assembly is damaged, does not operate correctly or does not pass all of the Functional Tests in the Diagnosis and Testing portion, a new safety belt assembly must be installed. If any safety belt assembly attaching areas are damaged or distorted, the sheet metal must be restored to its original structural integrity and new safety belt assembly and attaching hardware must be installed. Failure to install new safety belt assemblies and attaching hardware may increase the risk of serious personal injury or death in a crash.

After any crash that results in deployment of the driver and/or front outboard passenger safety belt pretensioners, new driver and/or front outboard passenger safety belt systems (including retractors, buckles and height adjusters) must be installed. Failure to install new safety belt systems increases the risk of serious personal injury or death in a crash.

1. Position the seat back into the full up position.
2. Position the height adjuster in the full down or up position.
3. Latch the seat belt buckle and tongue assembly.
4. Pull the shoulder belt out until the automatic locking retractor (ALR) feature is activated.
5. Release the shoulder belt and allow it to retract until it stops.
6. Pull on the shoulder belt to check that the belt has remained in the ALR mode. If the belt is not locked, install a new safety belt and retractor assembly.
7. Unlatch the safety belt tongue from the buckle and allow the safety belt to retract to its stowed position.
8. Pull the shoulder belt to verify the retractor assembly has converted automatically out of the ALR mode. If the shoulder belt remains locked in the stowed position, install a new safety belt and retractor assembly.