Seat Belt question.

[mzchevelle]

I have a 1988 Accord LXi 2dr hatchie.
The seat belt retractor on the driver's side is not working properly. I need another one. The dealer tells me it's discontinued. WTF? There are hundreds of cars like mine out there, so WHY would this part be discontinued?

Question - My neighbor just totalled her 1987 Accord 4dr and the interior happens to be the same color (a reddish, faded to brown). Will the seat belt retractor from a 4dr (front driver's side), fit and work on my 2dr???
Just wanted to know because this part will become available for me to salvage very soon.

Thanx.
Rikki
[email protected]

[jasonrebellion]

most people wouldn't want to use a seatbelt that was being worn when the car was totaled...i wouldn't, not from a 22 year old car....btmo

[itzdave]

the seatbelts from the hatch and the 4dr are different. cant use the other one...

[mzchevelle]

most people wouldn't want to use a seatbelt that was being worn when the car was totaled...i wouldn't, not from a 22 year old car....btmo

You are absolutely right...and I never considered that. I know the lady that was driving when she had the T-bone accident and she is still bruised from the seatbelt and it happened last week.
Thank you for your input. You might have saved my life.
That's why we have these forums, right?!

[mzchevelle]

the seatbelts from the hatch and the 4dr are different. cant use the other one...

I kind of figured that the dynamics were different. The 2dr has longer doors than the 4-dr. I guess I'll have to hit the boneyards and try to get one from a car that is not wrecked, but is rather "retired". Yeah, right...not many Honda's go to the salvage yard because they are just old.
This is a tough car to beat.

BTW - I like your beat up car. Gives it character!

[Vanilla Sky]

Does a retractor malfunctioning fall under the seatbelt recall?

[itzdave]

BTW - I like your beat up car. Gives it character!

lol, thanks, but i just totalled (caught the frame on somethin, at 5mph:violin:) it a couple months ago, then i bought a hatch, thats the only reason i know about the seat belts...

[jasonrebellion]

Does a retractor malfunctioning fall under the seatbelt recall?

i dunno bout if you check your owner's manual, the seatbelts are warrantied for life.

[charliekuney]

i dunno bout if you check your owner's manual, the seatbelts are warrantied for life.

I've talked to mykwikcoupe about this several times, and I think it's only the belt itself, not any of the mechanical or electrical parts that correspond.

[lostforawhile]

the belts themselves are warrentied for life, including the retractors, don't believe the BS i had to threaten to sue to get them to repair mine under the recall. It's the dealer blowing smoke to stop from having to repair your belts, contact Honda of North America

[mzchevelle]

lol, thanks, but i just totalled (caught the frame on somethin, at 5mph:violin:) it a couple months ago, then i bought a hatch, thats the only reason i know about the seat belts...

I am sorry about the demize of your friend (your car).:eek:
I hope you are OK. I'm not going to say "it was just a car", because they never are. I hope your hatchie is fitting in nicely into your life. Just think of all of the wonderful CARGO space!
I can fit my bicycle in there! Can't do that in my Saturn Astra or my Nova or my Chevelle! LOL!

[mzchevelle]

the belts themselves are warrentied for life, including the retractors, don't believe the BS i had to threaten to sue to get them to repair mine under the recall. It's the dealer blowing smoke to stop from having to repair your belts, contact Honda of North America

I called Power Honda in Valencia a couple of months ago, they told me the seat belt assembly (which now only comes in black), but I'm OK with that, as long as it works. They quoted me a price of $428! OMG! WTF!
I talked to someone in service and they told me it was warrantied for life. So, I let them have it one afternoon to do the repair. Then they tell me they can't fix it because they don't make the part anymore...(seriously, I think they found out how expensive the part is...NOT MY FAULT!)
So, just for shits and giggles, the other day I went in there (new guy at the parts desk) and asked to order one. He said they were available. Boy, do I feel like I just had a snow job! Then I told him what service told me and all of a sudden, the part is not available. Is this a game that the dealers play just to sell new cars. I have no desire to own a new Honda...I like my 1988 just fine! She has a lot of great years ahead of her!
I will contact the corporate headquarters in Torrance and see where it goes from there!
:rice:

[2drSE-i]

Let me know what you get out of this. The seatbelt recall only cover the part that the seatbelt "clicks" into. The red plastic was known to break off.

4drs have the retractor built into the inside of the car, coupes and hatches have them in the doors. I dunno if the part itself is different, but i know that much.

[lostforawhile]

Let me know what you get out of this. The seatbelt recall only cover the part that the seatbelt "clicks" into. The red plastic was known to break off.

4drs have the retractor built into the inside of the car, coupes and hatches have them in the doors. I dunno if the part itself is different, but i know that much.
mine aren't in the doors they are the same as sedans,they replaced everything on mine, i went in because the buckles had failed, and the replaced the retractors, and left the broken buckles, had to threaten them again with a lawyer calling them to remind them,this was a MANDATORY recall, before they replaced the buckles, all of my belts front and back are new. If it comes down to it,they do sell decent retrofit lap and shoulder belts that people use on hot rods and so on, the cars with normal anchor points will be fine with this, the ones with the belts in the doors will need anchor points welded in. not that hard to do. you also have the option of good multi point belts like racing harnesses put in PROPERLY they may not retract,but you can set them the way you like. For the record all honda belts have the lifetime warranty, it's supposed to be if the belt doesn't work right,they have to fix it.

[ghettogeddy]

ya i got the last set of black seat buckles in north america i think lol

[lostforawhile]

ya i got the last set of black seat buckles in north america i think lol

they are available but Honda dealers will give you BS about fixing them because of the cost. they told me I had the last set 8 years ago.

[ghettogeddy]

they are available but Honda dealers will give you BS about fixing them because of the cost. they told me I had the last set 8 years ago.

lol no i actually had a set of marron ones on order
but only one side came in lol
they did nto have the other
but even i lookjed at the system cause my buddie works there and i got the last known set lol

[lostforawhile]

lol no i actually had a set of marron ones on order
but only one side came in lol
they did nto have the other
but even i lookjed at the system cause my buddie works there and i got the last known set lol
wierd i checked majestic and they have them, just very expensive, i never trust their system, they can order stuff from Honda,but it will show none available here. just takes a while to get here on the ship.

[lostforawhile]

I wonder if they are listing the old brand? they dumped them after the recall,they changed brands as did most japanese manufacturers, this didn't just affect honda, it was Toyota,Honda, Nissan, and several other brands who used the same seatbelts. the brand listed now is the new one. another thought since so many manufacturers used the same belts, I'll bet belts can be swapped among same year japanese cars.