Westfalia Seat Belt

RWA · 07-10-2008, 04:41 PM

Any Westfalia owners experiencing problem with the passenger front seat belt tightening itself too much once extended too far the first time? With the seat belt fastened, if one leans forward as to get something out of the glove box and then returns to thier seating position the belt starts ratcheting on the return and will not release until you un-do the seat belt,
return it to its retracted position and rebuckle. The seat belt has been replaced and I am told that the seat belt is working as designed.

overlander63 · 07-10-2008, 06:29 PM

Welcome to the forums.
Wha is going on, is part of the pretensioner system. A quick fix is to get a seat belt clip from an auto parts store. You put it on the seat belt, and it will only retract as far as the clip. I have seen this on many european vehicles.

Andrew Selking · 07-10-2008, 08:57 PM

I had this same problem on my 2003 Chevy. A friend of mine sent me to the dealer they had two lengths of seatbelt extensions that I could get free of charge so this does not happen . My wife loves me since I GOT ONE.

herrgirdner · 07-10-2008, 09:18 PM

Our Interstate has the identical behavior. Lots of complaints from the navigator.
Been to the "Dodge" boys several times, but it still gets her from time to time.
I believe this is a "feature" of the Mercedes van design, and what cannot be cured..
must be endured.
regards

myfirstrv · 07-11-2008, 01:21 PM

I would take it back , claim it as a SAFETY issue, talk to service mgr, follow up hard copy.
Just my opinion
Rob

RWA · 07-12-2008, 07:11 AM

Chrysler maintains that seat belt is working as designed. Airstream states that it is Chrysler concern. We have compared it to the Sprinter vehicle and the seat belt works the same. However, there is more allowance in the seat belt but the seats
are different.

myfirstrv · 07-21-2008, 08:02 AM

Maybe take it to a different Chrysler Dealer?

wayner61 · 07-21-2008, 11:22 AM

It sounds like it is working as designed to me. I have seen this behavior in many different vehicles. Back when I was quite a bit heavier than I am now, I frequently found my self re-buckling in cars because I had pulled the belt to it's full extension when I was buckling in.

I think you will find most passenger belts (front and rear except the driver's position) work this way. You probably just don't notice it as much in other vehicles since you are not extending the seatbelt to it's limit. I don't know all the reasons behind this mechanism, but one was to better secure a car seat before the LATCH system became a standard. You would pull the seatbelt all the way out, then belt the car seat in place. If you pressed the car seat into the seat a bit, it would become very secure.

Wayne