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prelude89
26-08-2003, 02:44 PM
Hey all,

So both my front seat belt buckles are screwed.

Knowing there was a recall on these, I phoned the local Honda dealer only to be informed that my car had the recall done in 1998.

Seem's Honda's seat belt buckles are only good for 5 years worth of use :x

So they pass me through to the spare parts center.

"Sorry sir, you can only buy a complete belt and buckle assembly. Cost is $397 each"

Grrrrrr

I am pretty pissed at the moment. Might have to look around for some used ones, although they might develope the same problem.

I'll be damned if I am going to pay ~$900 (with labor) to replace the belt buckles.

Any ideas?

Jnr Teggy
26-08-2003, 03:18 PM
mate..

i would be pissed off too but when you weigh it up then $800 for peace of mind for 5 years is a small fee...especially when i could save your life!

i would reccomend against getting any 2nd hand or from a wrecker because they are than likley to have been in an acco!

Calvo
26-08-2003, 03:59 PM
but if its been in an acco, and they r still fine, it should be all good. unless theirs like blood and crap all over it....:(

LUD02C
26-08-2003, 04:07 PM
Honda parts are never cheap!
Thats abit weird, that they only last for 5 years!
I'll be looking into that

Calvo
26-08-2003, 04:10 PM
ive had my belts and buckles for 9yrs now. and they r all still good :D

wynode
26-08-2003, 04:45 PM
Which honda dealership did you call up?

Try calling up another one just to confirm.

What part is actually broken? I'd suggest one from a reckers (hondabits) and i'm sure you could inspect it to make sure everything is fine.

Gluck!

prelude89
26-08-2003, 09:08 PM
The actual buckle is not accepting the bit you put into it.

I was thinking the dealer mighta been doing something odd. It was Kloster Honda in Newcastle.

It would seem odd that they would fail after 5 years, when the recall wasn't issued until '98 (AFAIK).

It's just a royal pain in the butt.

Jnr Teggy
26-08-2003, 09:14 PM
but if its been in an acco, and they r still fine, it should be all good. unless theirs like blood and crap all over it....:(


mate...once a seatbelt has been in a major acco they have to be changed...by law!

if the belts have been stressed then it is possible for them to develop stress tears and cracks in the fibres!...so next time they are stressed they can break!

Jnr Teggy
26-08-2003, 09:18 PM
The actual buckle is not accepting the bit you put into it.



that means the buckle has been over stressed...

it is a safety mechanism designed to prevent seatbelts being used once they have been in an acco which has over stressed them..

your fault could have something to do with this safety mechanism

Calvo
26-08-2003, 10:12 PM
mate...once a seatbelt has been in a major acco they have to be changed...by law!
ohh ok. my bad :D didnt kno that!

prelude89
26-08-2003, 10:35 PM
that means the buckle has been over stressed...

it is a safety mechanism designed to prevent seatbelts being used once they have been in an acco which has over stressed them..

your fault could have something to do with this safety mechanism

You can actually see where the flat metal plunger bit has some of it chipped away.

It's just odd that they have both gone within a couple of weeks.

The drivers side went first, so I was just using the passenger buckle (yeah ... probably wrong and illegal). I've had the car for nine months, and in that time the passenger seat buckle was rarely used (maybe like a dozen times) as opposed to hundreds of times for the driver side.

The odd thing is, on my first 'lude, which I did get the buckles replaced under the recall, it was the passenger side that went first. Never had a problem with the drivers side.

One would think if it was because of an accident then they woulda failed before now.

Anyone had an experience of a dealer lieing to try and boost business?

Jnr Teggy
26-08-2003, 10:38 PM
that means the buckle has been over stressed...

it is a safety mechanism designed to prevent seatbelts being used once they have been in an acco which has over stressed them..

your fault could have something to do with this safety mechanism

You can actually see where the flat metal plunger bit has some of it chipped away.

It's just odd that they have both gone within a couple of weeks.

The drivers side went first, so I was just using the passenger buckle (yeah ... probably wrong and illegal). I've had the car for nine months, and in that time the passenger seat buckle was rarely used (maybe like a dozen times) as opposed to hundreds of times for the driver side.

The odd thing is, on my first 'lude, which I did get the buckles replaced under the recall, it was the passenger side that went first. Never had a problem with the drivers side.

One would think if it was because of an accident then they woulda failed before now.

Anyone had an experience of a dealer lieing to try and boost business?


mate...take it to honda and ask for an explanation

kall
27-08-2003, 01:05 AM
Nearly any accident the seatbelts have to be changed... i was in a sorta minor accident in my first car... the seatbelts apparantly "had" to be changes which is what set the damage value over the agreed value making the car an insurance write off.


It's true though. Honda parts are expensive for ANYTHING.

A new wiper blade the other day cost me $58 not including the $21 rubber/refill I had to buy with it :evil:

prelude89
27-08-2003, 11:10 PM
Pictures of my buckles:

http://www.photonbuddy.com/images/buckle.jpg

Calvo
28-08-2003, 11:00 PM
dude they look pretty fugged up :D

prelude89
29-08-2003, 10:07 AM
Yep :(

I managed to get some new buckles for $70 for the pair. Getting them on Sunday.

azurenights
26-03-2005, 05:09 PM
that means the buckle has been over stressed...

it is a safety mechanism designed to prevent seatbelts being used once they have been in an acco which has over stressed them..

your fault could have something to do with this safety mechanism

I am also having the problem of the buckle not work on me anymore. I bought a 2nd hand honda civic eg VTi recently, the buckles were working fine until today, when the driver's side buckle wouldn't accept the seat belt anymore. Is it possible to undo this safety mechanism?

Is it easy to install a seat belt buckle? Are they still $70 and is this price from the honda dealer?

ECU-MAN
27-03-2005, 12:03 AM
your best calling a Honda dealer to find out.

dont play with your existing buckes, disabling stuff inside would be a bad thing

panda[cRx]
27-03-2005, 03:49 AM
being a recall it should be fixed for FREE... but then again that was 7 years ago and these apparently only last 5 yrs lol

ECU-MAN
27-03-2005, 12:58 PM
not all buckles got replaced in the recall only damaged ones. chances are his buckles are from factory.

Hawk
28-03-2005, 07:40 AM
I also have an 89 lude. It had never been to a honda dealer in its life. Buckles were original and still working fine. I took it in to Honda and they replaced the buckles (recall free) the also replaced the flex brake lines (recall free) and the brake master (recall free)

I think your local Honda dealer doesn't like you.

FastAz

azurenights
28-03-2005, 09:52 PM
My buckles are fixed now. Got a friend to unscrew the buckle from the seat, he tried pulling it apart, but wasn't successful and he didn't want to force it either (there no screws in the buckle). After that we tried putting the belt into the buckle and Wahlah, its working again. Something must have found itself in the buckle, and after unscrewing it, it must have fell out. Anyways that saved me from getting a new one! :D