OH MY! Is it possible that my seat belt was installed INCORRECTLY by Toyota?!

Mags462

New member
Okay i will keep this short - just wondering if i am crazy, because i noticed for the first time today that:

When the belt in the 3rd row outboard passenger side is pulled flat from its source (eg the side of the van and below the seat on the side) without twisting (like it should be) - pictured here:
DSC01400.jpg

DSC01399.jpg


This is the position of the "tongue" part of my belt!!!! :mad::mad:
DSC01395.jpg

DSC01397.jpg


In order to buckle the seat belt, you have to twist the "tongue" part out, which looks like this:
DSC01394.jpg

DSC01393.jpg


I have never installed a car seat using the seat belt in that position nor has any adult ever ridden back there - so this is my first time trying to actually USE the belt.... and i am completely like - what gives???!!!

Am i crazy? Is that wrong? The other outboard position is NOT like that. No twisting is involved to get the "tongue" to be on the correct side of the belt to buckle.

Can this be fixed at the dealer???? It's a 2005 Sienna XLE if that matters at all....

*****Oh and also note - i was simply trying belt fit on my almost 5 yr old in the TB - he doesn't ride in it while the car is moving :thumbsup: And yes, i know the belt goes UNDER the armrest while in use, but i wanted to show pics that illustrated my problem, not proper use ;)
 
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HONEYhas3

CPST Instructor
Are you the 1st owner??

if you make a slight fold in the belt, and pull the latch plate over it, you should be able to turn it the right way.
 

geekKT

New member
I might be missing something, but can you just twist the buckle back to the right way on the belt, by folding the belt in half a little and sliding it through?

Seems to me I've had belts do that to me occasionally over time and I just work them back to the right way again.
 

flutie128

New member
I would think you should just be able to untwist it. Fold a piece of the belt in half and then feed the buckle through until it is facing the normal way. I don't know if I am making any sense or not.
 

Mae

Well-known member
Are you the 1st owner??

if you make a slight fold in the belt, and pull the latch plate over it, you should be able to turn it the right way.

I might be missing something, but can you just twist the buckle back to the right way on the belt, by folding the belt in half a little and sliding it through?

Seems to me I've had belts do that to me occasionally over time and I just work them back to the right way again.

I would think you should just be able to untwist it. Fold a piece of the belt in half and then feed the buckle through until it is facing the normal way. I don't know if I am making any sense or not.


Yep to all of that! It happens in cars all the time, but it's more prone to happen in cars that you install seats in. ;)

Just force it through, halfway folded over. I do it all the time, it's fine! No worries. :)
 

sirrahn

Active member
I would think you should just be able to untwist it. Fold a piece of the belt in half and then feed the buckle through until it is facing the normal way. I don't know if I am making any sense or not.

Yeah, it's fairly common for that to happen. It may take a little effort, but it should be able to be untwisted.
 

Mags462

New member
Oh geez - now i feel so dumb! :eek:

I was seriously stumped for 15 mins thinking, how do i fix this?! :whistle:

Just goes to show you that at least for me, the third baby really did end up using my last reserve of mental problem solving skills - its all mush now :ROTFLMAO:
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
that could have happened since you bought it... it happens even in vehicles with lightweight locking latchplates (where it's visibly harder to fix and you wonder how it managed to HAPPEN)... fold the belt... slide the latchplate over the fold... should fix it right quick.... may have to do it twice since it's a total backwards... I do one fold and slide when only half of the belt is twisted (ie, shoulder portion straight, but a twist in the lap, or vice versa)
 

Mae

Well-known member
Oh geez - now i feel so dumb! :eek:

I was seriously stumped for 15 mins thinking, how do i fix this?! :whistle:

Just goes to show you that at least for me, the third baby really did end up using my last reserve of mental problem solving skills - its all mush now :ROTFLMAO:

LOL! No worries, we've all done something similar at one point or another.

A tip: Sometimes, some latchplates are harder to fix that others. In those cases, I find it easier to have somebody hold the belt still while you force the latchplate over the fold. If you don't have somebody to help you, lock the seat belt (whether you pull it all the way out, or yank it fast and hard to make it lock). Works like a charm! :)
 

christineka

New member
Oh geez - now i feel so dumb! :eek:

I was seriously stumped for 15 mins thinking, how do i fix this?! :whistle:

Just goes to show you that at least for me, the third baby really did end up using my last reserve of mental problem solving skills - its all mush now :ROTFLMAO:

I posted about the exact same thing when we got our van.
 

Judi

CPST/Firefighter
If it makes you feel better.....

A dad had a twisted belt. He went to a tech. Tech said that the dealership would have to fix it.

Dad went to dealership. He was told it could be fixed for about $200.

Dad called me, I showed him how to fix it.

Moral, we all screw up.
 

Kac

Ambassador - CPS Technician
My belt was like that in my back passenger seat. My instructor at my tech class fixed it for me and made a lesson of it saying that it's common. She just folded the belt to a triangle and moved the latchplate over it.
 

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