The expenses you listed apply to private mechanics as well.
Any business has the right to charge what they feel like.
I just feel that charging double for labor compared to other certified mechanics is a little high.
What are your qualifications and training that tell you repair is not possible ?
I am sure no one will attempt to repair a safety item if it can not be safely done.
They do not want to be sued.
Have you considered that something got jammed in the mechanism ?
And that removing it would fix the problem ?
The belt retractor that I tried to repair was clearly marked âDo Not Openâ. I think this was on a 1987 Buick Century. âWell,â I figured, ânothing to lose.â
All I lost was a bit of time learning that a DIYer really cannot rewind the many feet of steel strip coil spring that flies out of the mechanism. Maybe Iâm lucky it didnât hit me in the eye.
AIR, I got a replacement at a junk yard Probably not the safest approach, but (again, fuzzy memory) maybe the car was so old that the belt was not available from a dealer. Or maybe I just did not want to pay $$$.
Go ahead. Try to fix it. Iâll be interested to hear your results. Wear safety goggles.
That seat belt retractor has a passive restraint pre-tensioner inside, replacement seat belts with per-tensioners are usually at least $150.
**WARNING: **
â˘Handling the front seat belt (pre-tensioner seat belt) improperly can accidentally deploy the pre-tensioner seat belt, which may seriously injure you. Read the air bag system service warnings and cautions before handling the front seat belt
I do not consider it a big hurry.
The belt does lock up if I hit the brakes hard. (Done in an empty lot )
Half the time it works fine and the other half I âhelpâ it go back inside.
Itâs irritating to hear the door make a sound when it hits the metal on the belt. 
Dealer wants $160 to replace.
"Seat belts are warranted for the life of the vehicle. Make an appt. take it in and it will be repaired for free."
If the vehicle in question is a Subaru, then the answer is âyesâ.
If the vehicle in question is any other make of vehicle, then the answer isâŚmaybe yes, maybe no.
This type of warranty coverage varies to an incredible extent from one vehicle manufacturer to another.
All of that factual information notwithstanding, I would absolutely NOT apply graphite to any mechanism that comes into contact with clothing.
You are entitled to your opinion.
Graphite is very inert. (I am a chemist.)
I only applied a SMALL amount to a short section of the belt.
It neither stained my shirt or caused any problems.
I have a factory repair manual for my car and read that warning.
Struts can kill a person if not properly installed/removed.
I wonder what would happen if I visited a chemistry forum and made a statement about how chemists are overpaid and then asked for some chemistry advice?
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You should do so.
Most would not be bothered with a small issue like that.
Are you a dealership mechanic ?
No, independent. The comment just struck me as odd, mechanics are just people trying to make a living like anyone else. Dentists, accountants, plumbers, many other professions bill out at $135/hour or more and donât seem to get the snide comments that mechanics do. I see no reason why a talented, quality automotive technician shouldnât make as good a living as a college administrator, longshoreman, or chemical engineer.
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Hopefully OP understands that mechanics are not able to bill for all of their time. They may be on the job 10 hours a day, but only bill 4 hours. The other time is spent on the phone with parts vendors, talking to customers visiting at the shop, looking up information in their service database. And mechanics sometimes have to re-do work gratis b/c of a faulty part they got sourced with. They donât bill the customer for that usually. But it still has to get done. Then from that 4 hour billing income for the day they have to pay the shopâs rent and utilities, which is probably a significant monthly bill. And thereâs plenty of other expenses, like insurance, cost to repair or replace diagnostic equipment, lifts, etc. I donât think even $135/ hour highly experienced inde-shop mechanics are living in quite the same lap of luxury as their high paid office-working mates, physicians and lawyers.
Unless that $160 matters whether you eat this week or not, that is small change to relieve the aggravation and insure that the belt works every time you need it to. Just because you tested it in a parking lot doesnât mean that the [quote=âandrew_kennedy7, post:22, topic:102647â]
something got jammed
[/quote]
wonât find its way into the mechanism that saves your life. Iâd pay $160 to get it fixed, myself.
[quote=âandrew_kennedy7, post:27, topic:102647, full:trueâ]I only applied a SMALL amount to a short section of the belt.
[/quote]Where did you get the idea this could possibly fix the problem?
If in any doubt about the ability of the belt to do its job, have it replaced.
I am at a loss as to why a few here can not accept what I am doing about my seat belt. ??
I did not reach 60+ by making foolish decisions.
I do not recall any posts I have made criticizing decisions others have made.
I have an excellent mechanic who is also very honest.
He frequently charges less than the norm.
I feel very blessed by that.
When the seat belt gadget started acting up on my truck, all I did was clean the seat belt material on both sides using warm sudsy water, followed by clean water, wipe dry with a clean cloth. That helped, but didnât fix it. So I cleaned it again the same way. After it dried out, problem solved. If that doesnât do the job, part replacement is probably necessary.
When asking questions on a forum you will receive all kinds of replies. Just ignore the ones you donât like. Usually people offer what they believe to be the most logical and safest course of action.
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Consider too, that itâs an essential piece of safety equipment which is not supposed to be modified, only replaced if defective. They care about your safety
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With all due respect, YOU asked our opinion about your belt problem.
WE gave you our opinions about your belt problem that might be a bit more educated than yours or even your mechanicâs (we have very experienced, very professional techs, engineers, and life-long DIY-ers on this site).
We are trying to help you rely on facts and science so you can save your âluckâ for other times when luck actually comes into play.
Sorry if I offended.
