Rear seat seatbelt issue. Fragile electrics.

[Fluffykins]

By way of a warning that the "done up" sensors on the rear seatbelt sockets are possibly a little fragile.

I realised I was only getting two of the three rear seatbelt idiot lights coming on for the couple of minutes self test at car switchon. A process of elimination confirmed it was the nearside seat.

I've not had a chance to inspect things closely but a preliminary probe with fingertips suggests the cable into the socket has been pulled out/broken.

I'll be taking the squab out and have a proper look when I get a bit of time next week.

I rather think the issue has been caused by a heavy-handed "small person" trying to do up the seatbelt and twisting the thing this way and that.

I know the damn things tend to disappear into the hole in the squab so I think I'll be putting a length of plastic hose round the stem as a support.

Just beware!

Mind you, I'm a bit surprised there wasn't an end of line device in the socket and a properly configured Module input, that would pick up either an open circuit or a short circuit wiring fault. Think fire alarm switches.

Small update.
A quick removal of the rear seat squab revealed:
Offside seatbelt socket with part of the electrical connector clip pulled off.
Nearside seatbelt socket with one wire snapped and part of the electrical connector clip pulled off.
Centre socket OK (so far)

Offside socket with damaged connector

Centre socket, OK for now at least

Nearside socket disaster area, with parted wire and damaged connector

Not impressed. There's three issues at least here:

• It shouldn't have been possible to twist the seatbelt sockets
• The existing setup can't differentiate between seatbelt done up and failed cable
• No proper stain relief

We'll see what the dealer says.

 

[Alb]

That certainly doesn't look like a very robust design.

 

[Fluffykins]

Right. We had a good start and brownie points for the dealer from whom I'd bought the car. I used the "Contact us" bit of their website and outlined the problem. Within just half an hour, I had a phone call from them and got an email addy to send photos.

Sent photos and less than 24 hours later got the reply that they'd get a pre auth put into MG Warranty to replace them and be in touch as soon as the parts arrive which should hopefully be next week or if sooner if there is any issue.

More as it happens.

Chased the dealer and the buckles have arrived. Now just waiting for an appointment to have 'em fitted. Small potential issue in that I'll soon be stuck in the bundoo for three weeks soon on a narrowboat.
Progress though.
More as and when.

 

[Fluffykins]

W00t! All fixed without quibble under warranty, by the dealer, so big shout out for Crayford & Abbs in Bodham, Norfolk. They do also sell Nissans but we won't hold that against them.

Do take heed of this thread. Apparently, in that instance, the flailing end of cable intermittently grounded out and corrupted the CANBus, resulting in the car getting totally confused and stopping, so check your rear seat belt buckles!

 

[dragon2611]

Wondering if one of mine is starting to show the same problems, was getting an alarm for middle seat earlier we thought maybe one of the bags were too heavy and did up the seat belt to shut it up (had dogs in the boot so couldn’t use it).

Took the belt off again for the next journey and it was bonging again, stopped and pushed on the connectors slightly on the bottom of the belt buckle thing and it seemed to clear it.

Is that likely to be the connector or the weight sensor playing up?

 

[Fluffykins]

Possibly. The only way to tell is to whip off the back seat squab and have a shufti.
Pull up the front edge and then pull the whole squab forwards. Should lift off ok.
Reassembly is the same in reverse, except you sweat in different places.

 

[MikeW]

Having the same problem. Offside rear buckle switch wires broken and getting intermittent seat belt warning boinging on the dash. Wires seem very fragile,not a great design. Booked in with our dealer for a new buckle in a couple of weeks. Hopefully they'll sort it out.