GM Seatbelt Issue

[BobRip]

I have had rear selt belts get trash in the mechanism. I took them off, cleaned out the trash and they worked fine. It was parts from some kids toys. I wonder how GM would react to that. My boss used to say "We don't see any problems that we care to deal with".

 

[KAB]

First off, there's no doubt "this" seat belt was defective. It never caught and wouldn't retract after the accident. Second, the service manager of a GM dealership (eye witness to this seat belt) was the one that suggested and gave me the phone # to call GM.

If the seat belt was appeared to work fine BEFORE the accident and does not work AT ALL after the accident, then something happened DURING the accident. This seat belt should be replaced by the insurance company NOT warranty. When I used to run a bodyshop, I would have made sure that the insurance company replaced it.

I wish I had better documentation to how the seatbelt in your truck is designed to work in an accident, then we would know if it worked correctly or not. Either way, based on what you have described the accident caused the problem with the seat belt.

When I was in high school they had a demostration unit that was designed to show how seatbelt held you in. A person would sit a cockpit, buckle up, someone whould then release a handle which would let the cockpit accelerate down an incline. At the bottom of the incline the cockpit would come to a sudden stop. The person in the cockpit would come to a sudden and HARD stop against the seatbelt. The speed of the unit was supposed to be 7mph.

You have indicated that the seatbelt did not work, which it might not have, is it possible that the seatbelt worked like it was intended and your wife did not feel it? (The last time that I came to a sudden stop against a seat belt I ended up with back problems and some marks on chest.)

This is something that CAN happen with any vehicle. Due to legal issues and governments regulations, safety on newer vehicles do not work as they did in the past. They are now designed to help reduce injuries and sometimes they may not seem to work even when they actually worked as designed.

If you want some boring reading check this out for the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards FMVSS for seatbelts
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/....gpo.gov/cfr_2004/octqtr/pdf/49cfr571.209.pdf
Kurt

 

[Timber]

The seat belt and the air bag are the entire safety system I would not want an air bag to deploy and not have my seat belt on. I try to tell people that don't want to use a seat belt that an air bag deployment with out it will hurt you worse than the accident will.
At any rate I own a 1989 Chevy 3/4 ton pickup and a 2003 Z71 extended cab and a 2002 S15 crew cab. I have bought my last Smoker. These trucks I will keep for ever especially my 89. If can not buy a EV in this country when I need a new car I will convert one to Electric. I need my trucks to work my property but for commuting and errands I am done with smokers

 

[gemini5362]

The seat belt and the air bag are the entire safety system I would not want an air bag to deploy and not have my seat belt on. I try to tell people that don't want to use a seat belt that an air bag deployment with out it will hurt you worse than the accident will.
At any rate I own a 1989 Chevy 3/4 ton pickup and a 2003 Z71 extended cab and a 2002 S15 crew cab. I have bought my last Smoker. These trucks I will keep for ever especially my 89. If can not buy a EV in this country when I need a new car I will convert one to Electric. I need my trucks to work my property but for commuting and errands I am done with smokers

when you say smoker does that include hybrids. GM makes a hybrid silverado

 

[Timber]

Yea I know about the silverado hybrid. I am not to impressed with the stats on those. I am excited about the Volt though. The only Hybrid that seem even close to the mark is the Prieus and that is not even that great. I am pretty sure the only way to get an electric car is to build one. Sad isn't it. But yes those are EVs on some level. My trucks will last a long time unless I wreck them. I have gotten older and my values have changed.