General seat belt anchor bolt fell out

[sussexa]

strange , but true . never been touched by me , anchor bolt securing catch to the drivers seat has just come out literally just there on the wires ?
anyway had a quick feel to try to get back in quick but didnt seem to wanna start in any thread, does anyone jnow if its threaded in seat frame or possibly a nut on the inside somewhere ?
wont be looking now till tomorrow am in light.
thanks in advance

 

[Ralf S.]

The bolt will be screwed into a captive nut welded to the frame, most likely.

Hopefully you just need to screw the bolt back in. I'm hoping the nut hasn't become detached and the previous owner just jammed/glued the bolt into the hole, without thing else except luck holding it in place. Could be awkward (seat out job?) to repair.


Ralf S.

 

[sussexa]

Well it is a captive nut looks welded to frame and still looks in place and managed to get a usb boroscope to backside and threads look ok, problem is the plate on outside just doesnt seem to line up cant get bolt to start and cant even get a smaller allen key through the hole .
Looks like its seat out so i can see whats what, i got side airbags in seats is it a battery disconnect before taking seat out or ok to just unplug seat at connector plug ?

 

[chris3234]

Disconnect battery and wait 10 mins or so before removing the connector

 

[Ralf S.]

You could just unplug the connector. The battery disconnect is to make really, really sure it's not about to explode in your face... but there's no reason why it should.

On the other hand.. disconnecting the battery isn't a huge chore.


Ralf S.

 

[sussexa]

Sorted , disconnected to be safe left connector connected and found with the 4 rail mounting bolts out the seat had plenty of room to tip on its side while still connected enough to see.
Straight away could see problem, wrong hole. I was trying to put it in another hole, just couldnt see correct hole from down side, but also found other spacer washers (setup is shouldered bolt and plastic spacer bush front and backof bracket ) there was another washer i think someone may have placed in there to hold bracket fixed not allowed to swing ?well it took it took 13 years to fall out its gone back as found.

 

[sussexa]

Here is right and wrong hole
Was throwing me as wire for catch was coming out right by the hole in plastic trim, just looked so right, correct hole is one marked with white paint.

 

[Ralf S.]

You don't want your bolt in the wrong hole.. not when there's a perfectly good bush you can use...


Ralf S.

 

[sussexa]

not sure if related but my seat belt light on dash is popping up , only just noticed today.
when originally fell off i did put passanger seatbely in it and i anchored mine into passanger buckle, cant see this affecting swich but ?
hada fiddle and its definately my seat buckle and if i push it in light goes out but if let seat belt pull it out slightly it comes on.
just looks like switch inside rather than wiring.
anyone been in them before to fiddle with switch ?

 

[Ralf S.]

I don't think I've ever had one go wrong.

I have no idea how they're put together but if the contact is aged/worn/flattened it might not be salvageable anyway.

Since they hardly ever go wrong, the breakers yards will have thousands of them, so maybe easiest just to buy another.


Ralf S.