Service Airbag message. Seatbelt retractor??
10-20-2012, 04:23 AM
#1
New Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 09-27-09
Location: Illinois
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Service Airbag message. Seatbelt retractor??
Took my car in yesterday for power steering recall and to investigate my airbag light.
The diagnosis is the seat belt retractor is "open" and its a $500 fix. I decided to pass until I can maybe get some input from others for a solution...
I checked the wiring harness running to the retractor assembly and it seems okay. I'm not sure what it being "open" means. I've also found some websites that rebuild them for 50 bucks or so. Has anybody done this?
I've read the service bulletin is there any chance this will turn into a recall? I'm out of warranty and its a 07 Ls with 65k.
The diagnosis is the seat belt retractor is "open" and its a $500 fix. I decided to pass until I can maybe get some input from others for a solution...
I checked the wiring harness running to the retractor assembly and it seems okay. I'm not sure what it being "open" means. I've also found some websites that rebuild them for 50 bucks or so. Has anybody done this?
I've read the service bulletin is there any chance this will turn into a recall? I'm out of warranty and its a 07 Ls with 65k.
10-20-2012, 08:32 AM
#2
Senior Member
iTrader: (5)
Join Date: 10-18-11
Location: MI
Posts: 576
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have the same problem in my 09 SS. It's all related to the Passenger Presence Position Sensor, which goes bad. I asked the dealership if I could just go buy a seat out of a cobalt that HASN'T BEEN WRECKED (You can get em for about $50) and have them take the sensor out of that and install it.. They said that should work. I haven't done it yet but I plan to.
10-20-2012, 08:47 AM
#3
I have the same problem in my 09 SS. It's all related to the Passenger Presence Position Sensor, which goes bad. I asked the dealership if I could just go buy a seat out of a cobalt that HASN'T BEEN WRECKED (You can get em for about $50) and have them take the sensor out of that and install it.. They said that should work. I haven't done it yet but I plan to.
OP, any of the parts can fail in the airbag system, and unfortunately even if you replace it yourself the light may not go out unless the system is reset by the dealership. You could give it a shot though, may work.
10-20-2012, 02:22 PM
#4
New Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 09-27-09
Location: Illinois
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Okay I might take a chance. The code they got said the retractor of so I am gonna double check the wiring and if I can't find a problem I'll send it to get it repaired. Thanks for the info!
10-20-2012, 07:45 PM
#5
New Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 09-27-09
Location: Illinois
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Hey guys I just wanted to post a follow up....
Today I took out my passenger seat and carpeting so I could do some investigating and narrow down my problem. It turns out the whole seat belt assembly needs to be replaced. The tensioner that is located just to the right of the seat under the trim mounted sort of on the floor has a bad wiring harness and there is no way to repair it. It seems as though the harness is too short and when you pull on the seat belt and the tensioner moves is pulls on the wires causing them to pull right our of the sensor. As I said there is no other option other than replace the entire seat belt assembly with retractor and all.
The dealer told me it would be 497 dollars for the repair. I've found on parts.com you can buy an oem replacement for around 150 and it would be pretty simple to do yourself.
It's incredible to me that this hasn't been recalled. I absolutely hate my car and the gm service. I might sound bitter and a little bit over the top but this makes me wish they wouldn't have been bailed out lol. I sure hope this helps somebody and I'm sorry if my explanation is awful. If anybody has any questions feel free to ask and I will do my best to help.
Today I took out my passenger seat and carpeting so I could do some investigating and narrow down my problem. It turns out the whole seat belt assembly needs to be replaced. The tensioner that is located just to the right of the seat under the trim mounted sort of on the floor has a bad wiring harness and there is no way to repair it. It seems as though the harness is too short and when you pull on the seat belt and the tensioner moves is pulls on the wires causing them to pull right our of the sensor. As I said there is no other option other than replace the entire seat belt assembly with retractor and all.
The dealer told me it would be 497 dollars for the repair. I've found on parts.com you can buy an oem replacement for around 150 and it would be pretty simple to do yourself.
It's incredible to me that this hasn't been recalled. I absolutely hate my car and the gm service. I might sound bitter and a little bit over the top but this makes me wish they wouldn't have been bailed out lol. I sure hope this helps somebody and I'm sorry if my explanation is awful. If anybody has any questions feel free to ask and I will do my best to help.
Last edited by Ericleeschroeder; 10-20-2012 at 07:47 PM. Reason: Wrong link
10-20-2012, 08:27 PM
#6
Hard to say it should be recalled unless it's happening on a lot of cars.
Post up pics of where the wiring is too short? I don't see how that happens unless the car was tampered with. That's not a piece that should move, the retractor is pretty securely bolted to the body and the harness should be run in such a way that it won't be moved by anything.
Post up pics of where the wiring is too short? I don't see how that happens unless the car was tampered with. That's not a piece that should move, the retractor is pretty securely bolted to the body and the harness should be run in such a way that it won't be moved by anything.
10-20-2012, 08:35 PM
#7
New Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 09-27-09
Location: Illinois
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There is a service bulletin for it so it must be fairly common. Its not at the retractor where it is too short. Its at the tensioner Where the seat belt connects near the floor. The harness runs from there to back by the rear bench past the retractor. I will put up pics when I get the new assembly
10-20-2012, 08:39 PM
#8
You are talking about the seat belt buckle on the outside of the seat? Or the thing that contains the entire seat belt roll? The buckle is sometimes called a tensioner, but the other thing is a retractor for sure, it's what pulls the seatbelt back when you take it off and also locks to tension it in the event of a crash or dramatic maneuvers.
10-20-2012, 08:44 PM
#9
New Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 09-27-09
Location: Illinois
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I guess it would be the buckle. Its not the retractor that's behind the big side panel. If your sitting in the car and look down and right its where the seatbelt connects to near the floor next to the seat recline handle. The wires run from the bottom of there back towards the trunk past the retractor and plug in to a harness.
10-20-2012, 09:03 PM
#11
New Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 09-27-09
Location: Illinois
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yeah I'm looking at about 150 for it online. The only way is to replace the entire assembly like the dealer said. Stupid design! Thanks for your input sir and sorry for the poor explanations.
problem gone
12-25-2012, 08:22 PM
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: 04-05-06
Location: CT
Posts: 3,519
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My car did that but it was under warranty. I don't remember if it was the seat belt of the thing in the seat that tells the air bag to be on or off. I want to say it was the seat belt.
12-27-2012, 08:28 AM
#25
I had this same problem with mine, paid the dealership 550 bucks to replace it. It was intermittent and then it did it everyday. Should of just bought the part myself and replaced it