Front Seat Shoulder Belt - Jams Up

91ford22

Article No.
91-14-1

07/11/91


PASSIVE RESTRAINT - FRONT SEAT SHOULDER SAFETY BELT - RETRACTOR JAMS UP FROM FOREIGN OBJECTS


FORD: 1991 ESCORT

LINCOLN-MERCURY: 1991 TRACER


ISSUE: The front seat shoulder safety belt may jam up if coins or other small objects become lodged in the retractor spool.

ACTION: Unjam the shoulder safety belt retractor by using the following service procedure.

Figure 1:

NOTE: MAKE SURE HANDS ARE CLEAN BEFORE HANDLING THE SAFETY BELT WEBBING.

1. Grasp the shoulder strap webbing near the opening in the floor console and try to feed some of it back into the retractor. Sometimes this action unlocks the retractor, Figure 1.

2. Unbuckle the opposite side shoulder belt and allow the webbing to SLOWLY retract.

3. Remove the rear portion of the floor console as follows:

a. Pull the parking brake handle up.

b. Remove the four (4) screws retaining the rear portion of the floor console to the floor.

NOTE: IT IS NECESSARY TO MOVE THE SEATS FULL REARWARD TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE FRONT RETAINING SCREWS. MOVE THE SEATS FULL FORWARD TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE REAR RETAINING SCREWS.

c. Pull the tongue ends of both shoulder belts through their openings in the console panel and lay the panel aside.

Figure 2:

NOTE: IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO REMOVE THE ENTIRE FLOOR CONSOLE.

4. Grasp the safety belt webbing near the retractor spool and fully extract the webbing until the bare spool is seen, Figure 2. Inspect the area for lodged coins or other foreign objects that may be trapped in the webbing and remove them.


NOTE: IF DAMAGE TO THE WEBBING OR RETRACTOR IS APPARENT, REPLACE THE RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY. REFER TO THE FORD/MERCURY CAR MASTER PARTS CATALOG FOR SPECIFIC COLOR AND PART NUMBER.

5. Move the shoulder belt several times in and out. Observe the following items.

^ If the retractor performs properly, install the console panel. Follow Steps 6a through 6c of this procedure.
^ If the retractor still does not unlock, perform the procedure outlined in TSB Article 91-8-2.

6. Install the floor console as follows:

a. Extract the webbing and, while holding the webbing in the extended position, insert the shoulder belt tongue through the opening in the rear portion of the floor console.

b. Install the shoulder belt tongue into the emergency release buckle. (Repeat the above steps for the opposite side shoulder belt.)

c. Position the console panel over the parking brake handle and install it to the floor using the four (4) retaining screws.

7. Cycle the shoulder belt to the "B" pillar.

8. Make sure that the shoulder belt lays flat across the seat back, with no twist. If the belt is twisted...

a. Unbuckle the belt.

b. Remove the twist.

c. Insert the tongue into the emergency release buckle.

NOTE: WHEN THE SHOULDER BELT RETURNS TO THE "N" PILLAR, THERE SHOULD BE A HALF-TWIST IN THE BELT.

9. Repeat Step # 8 for the opposite belt.


10. Cycle the shoulder belts from the "A" pillar to the "B" pillar a few times to be sure they function properly.


OTHER APPLICABLE ARTICLES: 91-8-2
WARRANTY STATUS: INFORMATION ONLY
OASIS CODES: 104000