Automatic Seatbelts - Help

[Demonic1]

My driver side seat belt has been out since I bought my car. I usually just disconnected it and laid the belt across the passenger seat. I was browsing this post earlier yesterday and it got me off my a-- to do something about it. I took it in today, the lady looked up the VIN and year and such... She was looking over the recall info and I said to look at page 4, where it says "Lifetime" and didn't get any hassle about bringing it in. The shop was pretty busy, so I made an appointment to have them diagnosed on Tuesday. Then they'll order the parts and such.

I'll post an update if/when it gets fixed. Or when the diagnosis says it's that problem and they order parts.

[ionic1000]

I have been having a problem with my belts but they haven't just flat out quit working. The driver side will always retract but there are times when I open the door that it wont go forward at all. Could this be the switch deal that was mentioned earlier? Every time I have searched I have always come up with the main issue of full stop.

[Demonic1]

Ionic1000, It does sound like the switch is being iffy.

What I got from reading the recall information was that the switch is only covered for a period of 12 years though. Not the "Lifetime" warranty. Anyone else want to chime in on this? Maybe I read it wrong.

The fact that it's only happening sometimes may just be a bad contact or something. The recall pages showed where the switch was and how they tested/replaced it... maybe you could do your own work without taking it to the stealership.

[ionic1000]

Well the actual switch goes in and out just fine so I'm hoping I just got a loose wire. I know where I can get another box for under the seat so I might swap those first to see if my box is bad.

[Demonic1]

My car spent about an hour at the stealership today. They gave me a call and said they'd ordered the parts I needed. So it will eventually get fixed under the warranty... just waiting for parts.

[Dark_Rider2k3]

I need to go in for mine. It was done already, but I'm not going to play that bulls--- with them >_>

[Jovian2k]

I had this struggle... finally got it replaced after a bit of arm twisting, heres the thread : http://www.mx-3.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=68728

-->here is the important link from that thread you will want to print and bring with you when (not if) they schedule your recall... http://www.protegefaq.net/tsb/72803.pdf

[anjin1982]

what i did was email mazda with the info of the nearest dealership and they emailed me back after they contacted them...

[mxmikey]

Personally I hate electric seat belts, so when mine went out I just went to a junk yard and ripped a pair out of a probe, I think it was $15. It is an easy conversion, you just have to trim away a small section of the side panel in the back to make room for the seat belt to come up. Then you just drill a hole in the top plastic piece for the seat belt to go through, just make sure it matches up with the desired hole. The frame of the car already has three threaded spaces on the frame the seat belt will screw in all the way.

[Demonic1]

So, I never got this one updated...

About 2 weeks after they looked at my car, I happened to be driving by the stealership. I stopped in to inquire about the parts and was told that they had been there for over a week and the manager (of parts dept.) hadn't given me a call about them yet. I set up a day to come in and get the parts installed... which was a week ago last Friday. They got the new parts installed and it still didn't work. They told me that they would order the new rails and call me when I needed to bring it in. I questioned the manager and he said that they'd only ordered the switches (which are part of the warranty/recall) and that wasn't the issue. I told him that the warranty had full steps to diagnose whether it was an issue with the switch or the motor, or the rail. He never really admitted it, but after calling another dealer they said the price on the switch (I never mentioned the warranty to this dealer) was $36. The dealer was trying to get away with replacing the cheap part and hoping it would work.

I'm still waiting for the rails...

[Ryan]

That doesn't even make sense. The dealer doesn't take the hit for Mazda's design flaw. They forward the bill. What they do lose is shop time, but I have never seen a shop that has every mech busy from 9 to 5.

[Demonic1]

I went in earlier today to check on the status. The guy had the parts in, and forgot to call and tell me. I have an appointment to get it done on Thursday.

They've just been giving me the run-around about this. They haven't really tried to tell me no, just avoiding me.

[BlazeSquall]

Personally I hate electric seat belts, so when mine went out I just went to a junk yard and ripped a pair out of a probe, I think it was $15. It is an easy conversion, you just have to trim away a small section of the side panel in the back to make room for the seat belt to come up. Then you just drill a hole in the top plastic piece for the seat belt to go through, just make sure it matches up with the desired hole. The frame of the car already has three threaded spaces on the frame the seat belt will screw in all the way.

My Driver's side is broken. I think I'll just do this.

[Ryan]

I'll be selling an OEM manual belt conversion pretty soon. I'll get it all set up in a nice package and ship it out.

[BlazeSquall]

I'll PM you when you list it.