Question about Coupe Seatbelt Retractor

[DBMaster]

I currently have my driver's door panel off. No sense reassembling it until I get the new power window control later this week. This gave me the opportunity to find the source of an annoying buzz that I have heard inside the door for YEARS. It is worse when it's hot outside, better when it's cool. Got me so far? Lots of old cars have temperature dependent noises, I suppose. I believe that the source of this noise, which is obviously louder with the door panel off, is the gray plastic covered assembly in the photo below. It states emphatically on the cover "CAUTION: DO NOT REMOVE." I have a feeling that the retractor spring might be inside. Have any of you removed this device? I am feeling like the only way I can pad, cushion, or tighten whatever inside is buzzing is to remove the thing. I just don't want to wreck my perfectly functional seatbelt or injure myself.

[Oldblueaccord]

I'm gonna say yea big spring under there. The buzzing not sure about but I would verify that they work. If they dont lock correctly there not really any more than a lap belt.

I have a drivers side set if you want but the belts are blue not red.

wp

[Legend_master]

I actually had a similar noise coming from the same unit, it would only happen when the car was turned off. It actually lead to my battery dying every time I did not drive the car for more then a day. I actually just disconnected it since it was not retracting properly anyways, and that eliminated the buzzing (and battery drain).

[DBMaster]

I need to clarify what I mean by "buzzing." It is not a mechanical or electrical buzzing noise. It is basically a rattle from something being loose or vibrating against another part inside the assembly. It happens when the car goes over rough roads. If I press against the top of the cover pretty hard while driving the noise abates.

[obdriver6]

I currently have my driver's door panel off. No sense reassembling it until I get the new power window control later this week. This gave me the opportunity to find the source of an annoying buzz that I have heard inside the door for YEARS. It is worse when it's hot outside, better when it's cool. Got me so far? Lots of old cars have temperature dependent noises, I suppose. I believe that the source of this noise, which is obviously louder with the door panel off, is the gray plastic covered assembly in the photo below. It states emphatically on the cover "CAUTION: DO NOT REMOVE." I have a feeling that the retractor spring might be inside. Have any of you removed this device? I am feeling like the only way I can pad, cushion, or tighten whatever inside is buzzing is to remove the thing. I just don't want to wreck my perfectly functional seatbelt or injure myself.

I've never taken that cover off but I have taken off the blue one on the back. The spring just sits there behind the blue one and I would imagine the same for the gray one.

I actually had a similar noise coming from the same unit, it would only happen when the car was turned off. It actually lead to my battery dying every time I did not drive the car for more then a day. I actually just disconnected it since it was not retracting properly anyways, and that eliminated the buzzing (and battery drain).

I had the same problem. Did you ever fix it?

[derolph]

Perhaps I should start a separate discussion thread. My question is related to the same topic as here.

Years ago, I had a shop replace the power window motor since the original one had failed and I could open operate the window. I've always suspected they tampered with - perhaps they needed to - the belt retractor when they were working on the door. The retractor does not fully retract without me "assisting" it. In other words, I have to grab the belt and nudge it near the end of it's retraction to help it fully retract. I've often wondered whether the retractor(s) can be adjusted to increase the belt tension.

[DBMaster]

I do not know about any adjustment, but I read a TSB about these belts online. I followed the suggestions and it improved the retraction significantly. Clean your belt guides, upper and lower. Work a rag into the gap under the belt and really clean it well. I used teflon detailing spray to possibly make the surface a little slicker. When I got done my driver's side retractors worked without assistance and the passenger side was almost that good.

It's just a stupid design, but I doubt the Honda engineers who designed it ever imagined that people would still be worrying over this stuff twenty-five years later.

[derolph]

Thanks, some good ideas there. I'll give them a try and see whether the belts retract better.

[Dr_Snooz]

My belts always require a little help to retract. They always have, as far as I can tell. When we got the car at 70k miles, it was pristine except for the door panels being all chopped up from the belt buckle slamming in them constantly.