Seat Belt System Operational and Functional Checks: Notes

Front and Rear Seat Belt Retractors 

Front and rear seat belt retractors will lock under the following conditions:

• The vehicle exceeds a 15 degree angle
• The vehicle exceeds 0.60 g of deceleration force
• The webbing is pulled out of the retractor rapidly
• During hard cornering or while descending a winding downhill grade
• While braking to stop at a downhill intersection

All retractors will unlock when 25.4 mm (1 in) of the belt is fed back into the retractor.

Static Test

Fig 1: Checking Seat Belt Retractor Inclination
Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS COMPANY
1. Remove the retractor assembly.
2. Tilt the retractor slowly.
3. Verify that the belt can be pulled out of the retractor at an inclination of 15 degrees or less, but not at an inclination of 45 degrees or more.