[polcat98]

I was doing a bit of searching and I couldn't find the right answer to my issue. My 98' base doesn't seem to have seat belts that work well for child car seats. Both outer sides don't lock when pulled all the way out. I don't mean in an impact fashion, I mean once pulled out it isn't supposed pull when once tight..like locking the seat tight. The second issue I am having is the middle belt isn't long enough to go over my infants car seat in the base. With as many of these cars on the roads, I cant seem to be the only guy with this issue.

Has anybody else had this issue? :banghead:

 

[RCE2WIN]

I haven't had this problem before. I've had a single in the center of the rear seat, as well as (2) on either side of center at the same time. All belts reached fine and seemed to lock in place. Is yours equipped with the 3 car seat points mounted up on the rear deck? I don't think that was an option until after '98.

 

[polcat98]

I dint see any seatbelt tabs or hooks at all on the rear deck or between the seats. I had to fasten to the bars that make up the seat. I am ok with that as long as the belts lock the seat in place. They don't so I am a little concerned. I am sure if I had to slam on the brakes they would lock, but they don't when installing the seat. As for the middle one, length seems to be my problem...lol (that didn't sound good) I have to pull real hard to connect the belt. My wife wont be able to do it. Its a weird problem huh?

 

[cdmccul]

Use the "H" clips on the outside. I've got a 1st Gen, and it does not have the locking belts that you speak of either. I like them, but I always back it up with an "H" clip. As for the middle, are you sure you're routing it through the seat correctly? You really don't want the belt going very far away from the back of the seat, otherwise as you tighten the belt it may lift the carrier from the base of the seat, and not hold in case of emergency. The car seat would be allowed to flip forward upside down... Unless it is that the seat is too TALL (up and down, as apposed to inline with the length of the car), and the belt won't reach around... Do you maybe have the detachable seat base on it and you really want to run the belt through the base?

 

[RCE2WIN]

length seems to be my problem...I have to pull real hard. My wife wont be able to do it. Its a weird problem huh?

With some creative editing, i'm not touching that with a 10' pole.

It would be very odd to think that all 3 seatbelts are having issues. My rear 2 outers don't seem to "lock" like the fronts, but i think they would function properly in the event of an accident. As for the center, i would check it to see if something's jamming it, preventing it from releasing all the way. The bottom rear seat just pulls up and out of the way. 19mm socket w/ extension will remove the nut holding the female end of the seatbelt. Maybe the kid(s) jammed something in there? No doubt you'll find some change.

 

[polcat98]

I think its just the age of the car for the outer belts not to lock out when pulled . I do agree they would function properly in an accident. If I pull real fast and hard it locks so I am comfortable there. As for my middle belt. Its a lap belt only and if I were using a front facing seat, it would be ok. My infant is there so he is in a 2 piece (base and seat) set up. With both in, the belt barley goes around the seat. All slack is out and nothing is wrong behind the seat. I want to measure the total legnth and re post to see if others are the same. I haven't had this problem in other cars, but most were 2004 and newer.

By the way, RCE, I like your led set up on your car. I might have to try it. Which seats are in your car? They look good.

 

[cdmccul]

The middle belt should go through the base only, or the carrier only, not both... right?

as for the outer belts, not all cars have the locking-at-full-extension feature... Generally, the older they get, if they have that feature, the more frequently, not the less frequently, the engage when you don't want them to, let alone when you do want them to.. *chuckles* A friend of mine has an f150... the drivers seat locks up less, but the passenger seat locks up with just me sitting in there... what an annoyance!

 

[polcat98]

It barley goes through both. The base uses the two hooks. I used the bars in the actual seat to attach them. The seat latches into the base then the belt is supposed to go around both securing it to the car more so then just the base does.

 

[cdmccul]

Odd! I'm used to the type that the base is held in by belt alone, and the carrier clips into the base alone... sorry I can't help you more with that one...

Good luck with it!

 

[RCE2WIN]

I think its just the age of the car for the outer belts not to lock out when pulled . I do agree they would function properly in an accident. If I pull real fast and hard it locks so I am comfortable there. As for my middle belt. Its a lap belt only and if I were using a front facing seat, it would be ok. My infant is there so he is in a 2 piece (base and seat) set up. With both in, the belt barley goes around the seat. All slack is out and nothing is wrong behind the seat. I want to measure the total legnth and re post to see if others are the same. I haven't had this problem in other cars, but most were 2004 and newer.

By the way, RCE, I like your led set up on your car. I might have to try it. Which seats are in your car? They look good.

So you don't have the full shoulder belt in the middle?

As for the seats, the rears are covered in a Katzkin leather kit to better match the fronts that are out of a 2003...

The car came with cloth seats, so the rears didn't match when i installed the fronts. Got a killer deal on the Katzkin set and the taupe/putty inserts actually match the door panels.
The LED's are all from the seller "PLASMALED" on Ebay. Pre wired and easy to work with. Those mods are time consuming, but well worth it in the end.

 

[freezingbelow]

The full shoulder belt was only offered in 2002 and up. The earlier models just have a lap belt.