# Seat belt retractor tensionor

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/seat-belt-retractor-tensionor/71227>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** civic, honda\
**Created:** [March 1, 2012, 5:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/seat-belt-retractor-tensionor/71227 "2012-03-01T05:08:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Gord777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ea666f/32.png) [@Gord777](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Gord777)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 5:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/seat-belt-retractor-tensionor/71227/1 "2012-03-01T05:08:28Z")

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The seat-belts in my 1998 Honda Civic Si (coupe) are slow to retract when unbuckled. Usually end up helping them along by pushing the belts up into the slot. Any way to juice the re-tractor mechanism without major $.  
Thanks for any advice. Love the show, enjoy the knowledgeable, down-to-earth and respectful discussion.

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**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\
**Post date:** [March 1, 2012, 11:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/seat-belt-retractor-tensionor/71227/2 "2012-03-01T23:48:16Z")

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I find that cleaning the retractors and lubing them carefully with white lithium grease you can sometimes get some of the tension back. I say carefully because you don’t want the lubrication on the seatbelt themselves. If that does not work then I would pick up some used ones at the salvage yard. Make sure they have good tension before you buy them.