[rellimpk]

Okay, this is really starting to get frustrating. Not too long ago, maybe two or three months, my drivers-side automatic seatbelt died on me, the cable came out of it´s track and got stuck so bad it wouldn´t budge.

I go to the junkyard, and after a very long time searching I managed to track down an Escort with the seatbelt intact that would fit in my car. I replaced the whole setup, minus the motor, and now it is starting to act up once again!!! When I open the door and it moves foreward, it doesn´t go all the way, and it gets stuck once in a while when it´s being pulled back.

Anyway, I just felt like complaining, as well as wondering something else. Did my car ever come without automatic seatbelts, or is there another model who´s manual belts would work? If so, how hard would it be to change mine out for manual belts, and what would that consist of?

Please help so I can have this fixed before my 1,000 mile drive to PA for Christmas/New Years.

 

[evilspacemonkey]

You can always take the easy way out, like I did and just unhook that crappy thing. As long as it is in the back position it should pass inspection if you have them. It takes a little getting used to but after a while it becomes second nature and it is just as easy as a manual one, plus you don´t have the automatic one trying to kill you everytime you get in or out of your car.

 

[stripedmx5]

I do the same thing on mine. It crapped out some years ago and I just cranked the carrier to the closed position (back), so it would lock and still function as a seatbelt and save my ass. There is very little extra effort in hooking and unhooking the seatbelt with my left hand.

I will admit that I would prefer a more standard arrangement with the belt and reel coming from the B-pillar and latching in the center. Initially, I had posted a question to some of the Cannucks (sp?) to see if the Canadian models used manual belts, but got no response. I have never even looked under the plastic interior panel to see if there is a provision for attachment of a standard turning point (nut welded to body), so it may not even be possible to do anything other than the unreliable motorized mouse.

Marcus

 

[birddog]

I learned the hard way just a few days ago. Grease the darn track. All these things wear and need to be lubricated. I neglected mine and it died just before Thanksgiving. replace the whole setup and do better maintanence.

 

[Type_R]

Mine will move then stop then move then stop, and it´s really annoying. Sometimes it works fine, sometimes not at all. Is there a fuse that I can replace or maybe a wiring harness?? I´m buying a 91 4door LX hatchback for $300 on Friday. Should I replace the whole assembly?

 

[chadgore]

ok number one all escorts automatic seat belts will fail. its a fact. if they havent yet, wait for it they will. mine havent worked for almost 5 years, or maybe more. thats probably why ford stoped making them in the new zx2´s or at least the one i had didnt have them. i havent seen one escort yet that had working seat belts. they were nice wile they worked. they cost about $300.00 a piece to replace, last time i checked. its easyer to crank it back and leave it, it´ll work just as well.

 

[Mibz]

I´m a Canadian, I´ve got a 92 GT with Auto seatbelts.
Had the car for almost 2 years now and it hasn´t failed once. It froze once (These harsh Canadian winters...) but once the car got warm it just slid right on.

 

[rascal]

Also check the latch in the door...where it hooks to the strick bar on the door frame. My 1st Gen Scort has a wire of some sort that runs to the latch that tells the belt when to move back or forth. Just an idea, don´t know if its the same on all Scorts.

 

[2redscorts]

So far no probs with the auto seatbelts on either scort. Nothing in their maintenance histories on that either. So far so good!

How do I go about greasing the track on these things, ya know w/o making a mess? What kinda grease is best?

 

[95Escort]

My Escort does the same thing except it just wont retract when I open the door sometimes. Other then that it works fine, it´s never stopped half way ar made any kind of noise. I wouldn´t mind knowing what kind of grease to use also, what about a spray silicone or WD40 on the track?

 

[birddog]

I use a white lithium grease and apply it to the tracks with the eraser end of a pencil.

 

[rellimpk]

Well I went out and bought some grease yesterday at. I got two kinds actually, some sprayable white grease and some grease-gun-grease.

I used the sprayable stuff when I got home, and that seems to be working fine for now, until I get the chance to rip apart the whole assembly so I can completely clean the track and cable and regrease it like it should be.

 

[rellimpk]

Well, I broke down and just unplugged the damn thing in the "back position." It´s a little annoying, but it´ll have to do until I get some spending money.