Seatbelt Pretensioner Repair: Right vs Wrong

How do you know if a seatbelt pretensioner repair is done properly? We'll show you some truly questionable examples from unnamed sources in comparison with a proper MyAirbags repair. You might be in the collision repair business or maybe you just bought your dream car at a repairable car auction for a bargain. Either way, if you have a car with crash damage, there's a good chance that the vehicle's SRS system deployed. That means -- at the very least -- the airbag module is in need of a reset and more than likely, the seat belts have locked up and are in need of repair.

The only way to repair a seatbelt pretensioner is to replace the entire pretensioner tube assembly. Unfortunately, the industry is marred by bogus repairs that look like they escaped from a MacGyver episode. At the end of the day, since seatbelt pretensioners are safety devices they should only be fixed by replacing the deployed tubes and installing sealed pyro sensors. All internal components must be replaced to OE specs.

Seatbelt Pretensioner Repair: The right way

• The pretensioner tube assembly must be replaced. The new part will be all metal and fully enclose the pyro sensor.
• The seatbelt pretensioner repair must include a new pyro sensor.
• The seatbelt must lock under load and if tilted at an angle. 
• Your parts will be returned in packaging marked "Haz Mat Class 9" due to tiny explosive charges in pyro sensors. 

Seatbelt Pretensioner Repair: The wrong way

• Repair has a used pretensioner tube that is cut or split open (like a flower) to remove or replace a deployed pyro sensor.
• Plastic crimp rings or rubber shrink wrap that covers cut pretensioner tubes instead of an all new tube.
• Exposed or glued pyro sensors.
• Missing or used (deployed) pyro sensors - typically replaced with resistors to fool SRS modules.
• Loose or rattling internal components. This is a sign of missing or damaged internal parts.
• If seatbelt reels extend and rewind, but do not lock under load or at an angle, it is a sign that internal parts are missing, are installed improperly, or have been defeated.
• If your parts are returned in non-Haz-Mat packaging, something is fishy. Either your parts do NOT have new pyro sensors installed, or the vendor is breaking federal law by shipping explosives without proper handling.

In the comparison photo above, the MyAirbags repair at right features an all-new, all-metal replacement pretensioner tube and pyro sensor. The bogus repair at the left attempts to repair the existing tube. The result of this improper repair at left is that gas charges can escape through the cuts if the pyro sensor is deployed.

On this bad repair above, you can see the cuts made to remove the old pyro sensor. These cuts may allow the gas charge to leak. The ring attempts to dress up the faulty repair or perhaps contain the explosive charge. Presumably, the offending companies do this because they are unable or unwilling to buy new replacement pretensioner tube assemblies.

Someone attempted to repair the seatbelt pretensioner in the above photo by gluing a pyro sensor onto the end of a tube and adding silicone. If you receive a part like this, do NOT use it. Assuming there is a new pyro sensor installed in this mess, (which is unlikely) it may shoot off the end of the pretensioner when ignited.

What is hiding under this tidy shrink tubing in the above photo? It could be a cut pretensioner tube, glue, a plastic ring, and in many cases, a 2 ohm resistor in place of a new pyro sensor. ...and the pretensioner tube assembly is used. We have seen it all. More than likely, this will not pretension the attached seatbelt in an accident.

MyAirbags ships your repaired seatbelt pretensioners in Haz Mat-labeled packaging because the repaired pretensioners contain pyro sensors -- active explosive charges. If you purchase seatbelt repair from another source and the parts are NOT returned in Haz Mat packaging, the vendor may not be installing new pyro sensors. Be sure to inquire.

LINKS:

Order Seatbelt Pretensioner Repair HERE
DOT Haz-Mat Classifications HERE
Chelsea Allen - Crush Customs - Upholstery, audio and upgrades, Click HERE