Rear seat belts in MkIV Golf GT TDI 150

[alaric]

Hi all.

The rear seat belts in our Golf GT TDI 150 are winding us up. We have a 4 year old who sits in a seat that's held in place with the seat belt. They have an extremely annoying characteristic in that they will not extend until they have been fully returned to the 'home' position. This means we have to unthread the belt from the seat each time our littlun gets in.

Is there some way of modding the belts so that they operate like the front belts? i.e. you let them run back a few inches and they are released.

Unfortunately our owner's manual is in German as the car is an import, so I cannot look up whether or not there is a setting / switch.

Thanks in advance.

Sean.

[Nutty]

If the rear belts are inertia reel, then they should perform the same as the front belts do, have a look at where the reel is located, make sure it isnt loose on the mounting bolt, or has been knocked from the vertical or horizontal plain.

[alaric]

Hi. Thanks for the reply. I've just been out experimenting with the belts, and it appears that they are all actually the same. When the belts get near to full extension, a ratchet is engaged; a clicking noise starts beyond a certain point. Once that noise starts I can't extend the belt any further once I've stopped extending it - hope that makes sense. I then have to return the belt to it's almost fully home position before the noise stops, and the belt operates as normal again. This is annoying, because my little lad proudly organises the belt when he gets into the seat, and pulls it all the way out. When he's in the back, the belt is probably near to full extension by the time it's gone round the seat to the buckle.

So, as it's the same on all 5 belts, it must be by design. Does anyone know why? If I can find out how they work I'll see if I can disable that ratchet - as long as that's not against the law that is. I presume it's to allow things, like car seats, to be locked in place with the belts.

All the best.

Sean.

[Nutty]

Hmmm does sound like a design feature doesn't it, Ive seen web lock do a similar thing, but this is to prevent the webbing tightening up on the reel during a collision, and it happens through out the extended webbing length, I assume you have to pull on the webbing a little (when its extended) and then let it retract before you can pull it back out and try again. Does sound like a form of weblocking is operating, rather than disable the design feature, and put any possible claim in jepordy, would it be possible to mark the webbing with somthing and then tell your son to gently pull it out till you see that.

Ive seen people stop the belts retracting with clothes pegs and hair grips, claiming they place presure strain on their shoulders, this maybe a solution for you, the belt would remain at a correct fixed length, your son could then clip himself in his chair.