# Seat belt tensioner **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [August 24, 2010, 2:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/seat-belt-tensioner/54067 "2010-08-24T14:26:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kalley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ac8455/32.png) [@kalley](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kalley)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 2:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/seat-belt-tensioner/54067/1 "2010-08-24T14:26:33Z")
i have a 2005 dodge caravan has the air bag light on checked codes it reads drivers seat belt tensioner circuit open. replaced seat belt male and femail ends code still active any ideas? thanks. ---
**Author:** ![meaneyedcatz](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/meaneyedcatz/32/692_2.png) [@meaneyedcatz](https://community.cartalk.com/u/meaneyedcatz)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 2:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/seat-belt-tensioner/54067/2 "2010-08-25T02:17:44Z")
Take the van to the dealer and have the computer reset. ---
**Author:** ![tardis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@tardis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tardis)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 1:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/seat-belt-tensioner/54067/3 "2010-08-25T13:06:51Z")
The tensioner is not the buckle ends. It’s the reel that the seat belt winds back into when you release it. You have to replace this as a whole assembly that includes the seat belt. It is mounted on the floor of the car. It has an explosive charge in it that goes off when the airbags do to tighten the seat belt. You don’t want to mess with it if you don’t know what you are doing. No offense, but if you replaced the buckles when the code was for the tensioner, then you don’t know what you are doing. ---
**Author:** ![tardis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@tardis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tardis)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2010, 1:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/seat-belt-tensioner/54067/4 "2010-08-25T13:07:40Z")
A reset won’t help when the OP has done nothing to fix the actual problem. ---
**Author:** ![kalley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ac8455/32.png) [@kalley](https://community.cartalk.com/u/kalley)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 12:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/seat-belt-tensioner/54067/5 "2010-08-26T00:53:56Z")
when i said i replaced both ends i ment the whole assembly.when i replaced the part that is mounted to the floor i did not see an explosive charge where is the charge located? their was a cylinder on the female end what is that for? ---
**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 1:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/seat-belt-tensioner/54067/6 "2010-08-26T01:28:34Z")
The error code refers to an open circuit. I don’t know the circuitry for this system, but presumably some problem in the tensioner itself could cause this - or some problem in the wiring. So you need to check the wiring to whatever reads the tensioner activity. But it is also the case that after replacing the seatbelt the codes should be cleared. Then you know that you still have a problem if the code returns. ---
**Author:** ![tardis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@tardis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tardis)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2010, 2:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/seat-belt-tensioner/54067/7 "2010-08-26T02:53:38Z")
In that case, I’d look for a problem with the wiring. You should always run the troubleshooting flowchart for each code before replacing parts.