Component Tests and General Diagnostics

Continuous-Loop Shoulder/Lap Safety Belt

WARNING: IF THE RETRACTOR OF A NEW FRONT SAFETY BELT HAS BEEN BOLTED INTO A DAMAGED OR DISTORTED MOUNTING AREA, THE NEW RETRACTOR COULD BE WARPED AND MAY NOT FUNCTION. IF THIS IS THE CASE, REWORK THE SHEET METAL BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL SHAPE AND STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY AND INSTALL ANOTHER NEW FRONT SAFETY BELT.

1. Driver will buckle up and proceed to a safe test area. If the passenger safety belts must be tested, a passenger should be buckled into the appropriate seat. The passenger front safety belt may be tested using a driver only, providing the driver has the ability to grasp the right front safety belt and extend it approximately 660.4 mm (26 inches) with no compromise to safe driving. This method applies to the 8.05 km/h (5 mph) test only.
2. After reaching a safe area to perform sudden stops, the driver will attain a speed of approximately 8.05 km/h (5 mph). The driver should inform the passenger, if applicable, that he is preparing to make a severe brake application. At this time, both driver and rider should grasp their respective front safety belts and prepare to lean slightly forward at the moment the brake application is made.

WARNING: THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SHOULD BE PREPARED TO BRACE THEMSELVES IN THE EVENT THE SAFETY BELT RETRACTOR DOES NOT LOCK.

3. The driver will make a maximum brake application of approximately 9.7 m/sec (32 ft/sec) without tire skid. The maximum brake application should be on dry concrete or equivalent hard road surface, never on a wet or gravel road. The driver and passenger should lean forward slightly into the front safety belt. At this instant, the front safety belts should lock up without webbing payout.
4. If there is a lockup of both shoulder belts, the front safety belts are functioning properly. Should either or both front safety belt retractors fail to lock up at the 8.05 km/h (5 mph) speed, the test should be repeated at a constant 24.14 km/h (15 mph). This test must be performed with a right side passenger if the right side belt is to be tested.
5. If any shoulder belts do not lock up at the 24.14 km/h (15 mph) test, the vehicle is to be returned for repair of the malfunctioning front safety belts. Remove the retractor and rework the sheet metal in the retractor's mounting surface back to its original shape and structural integrity. Install the front safety belt retractors and test the front safety belts as previously stated.