Safety Belt Retractor & PRETENSIONER: Removal

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2009 Mercury Grand Marquis and 2009 Ford Crown Victoria. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

WARNING: After any crash, all of the following safety belt assemblies and attaching hardware must be inspected by an authorized dealer to verify correct function:

Retractors
Buckles
Belt tension sensor (BTS) (if equipped)
Front safety belt buckle support assemblies (slide bar) (if equipped)
Safety belt shoulder belt height adjusters (if equipped)
Child safety seat tether bracket assemblies
Automatic locking retractor (ALR) feature for child safety seats (passenger seating positions only)

If any safety belt assembly is damaged, does not operate correctly or does not pass all of the Functional Tests in the DIAGNOSTIC TESTS , a new safety belt assembly must be installed. If any safety belt assembly attaching areas are damaged or distorted, the sheet metal must be restored to its original structural integrity and new safety belt assembly and attaching hardware must be installed. Failure to install new safety belt assemblies and attaching hardware may increase the risk of serious personal injury or death in a crash.

After any crash that results in deployment of the driver and/or front outboard passenger safety belt pretensioners, new driver and/or front outboard passenger safety belt systems (including retractors, buckles and height adjusters) must be installed. Failure to install new safety belt systems increases the risk of serious personal injury or death in a crash.

WARNING: Never probe the electrical connectors on safety belt buckle/retractor pretensioners or adaptive load limiting retractors. Failure to follow this instruction may result in the accidental deployment of the safety belt pretensioners or adaptive load limiting retractors, which increases the risk of serious personal injury or death.

WARNING: Never probe the electrical connectors on air bag, safety canopy or side air curtain modules. Failure to follow this instruction may result in the accidental deployment of these modules, which increases the risk of serious personal injury or death.

NOTE: The air bag warning indicator illuminates when the correct restraints control module (RCM) fuse is removed and the ignition switch is ON.

NOTE: The supplemental restraint system (SRS) must be fully operational and free of faults before releasing the vehicle to the customer.

All vehicles

Depower the SRS. For additional information, refer to Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) Depowering and Repowering in the General Procedures portion of SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM article.

NOTE: Inspect the D-ring cover for damage. If the cover is damaged or does not remain closed, install a new D-ring cover.

Release the 2 tabs and open the D-ring cover.
Remove the bolt and D-ring.
Remove the safety belt anchor bolt cover.
Remove the bolt and safety belt anchor.
Remove the upper and lower B-pillar trim panels. For additional information, refer to INTERIOR TRIM & ORNAMENTATION article.
Remove the secondary safety belt guide screw.

Vehicles with seat side air bags

NOTE: The side impact sensor bolts must be removed in the sequence shown in illustration.

Remove the side impact sensor.
1. Disconnect the electrical connector.
2. Remove the bolt.
3. Remove the bolt.
4. Remove the side impact sensor.

Fig 1: Side Impact Sensor Bolts Removal Sequence

Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.

All vehicles

Disconnect the pretensioner electrical connector.
Remove the bolt and safety belt retractor and pretensioner assembly.