My seatbelt just broke!!

ohiomommy08 · Sep 18, 2011

I was putting DD's Marathon back in Daddy's car tonight. (RF on passenger side - no latch) I was pulling the seatbelt tight and I heard the sound of plastic cracking. As I checked it out I saw this!!

I put her seat on the driver's side, so we're OK for now, but what do I need to do about replacing/fixing that seatbelt? I'm assuming a dealership. And also, do I trust the seatbelt on the other side? Scary!!!

Jessica61624 · Sep 18, 2011

What kind if car is that? I broke both my latch plates in my Alero. They're fine to use with a locking clip or lock offs. Or in my case dd frontier takes every inch of the seatbelt so we don't need it to lock.

ohiomommy08 · Sep 18, 2011

It's a '99 Malibu. I've tried to use the lockoffs on the Marathon, but the seatbelt hits in the wrong spot, so they won't close. After asking on here, I decided to use it without lockoffs. I guess I could use a locking clip if I ever needed to.

Would that seatbelt be safe to use for an adult sitting there?

Laurie

Judi · Sep 18, 2011

Looks like mine! I broke both the the outboard ones in my Malibu. Call the dealer.

Jessica61624 · Sep 18, 2011

ohiomommy08 said:
It's a '99 Malibu. I've tried to use the lockoffs on the Marathon, but the seatbelt hits in the wrong spot, so they won't close. After asking on here, I decided to use it without lockoffs. I guess I could use a locking clip if I ever needed to.

Would that seatbelt be safe to use for an adult sitting there?

Laurie

Yes its still safe for an adult. It looks just like mine! Do you have a ma70? The lock offs are a pain but once you get it they'll be easier.

cupcakepirate11 · Sep 18, 2011

if it is a ma70 don't you have to use atleast one lock off? I use both still (rear facing blue tabs)

Jessica61624 · Sep 18, 2011

cupcakepirate11 said:
if it is a ma70 don't you have to use atleast one lock off? I use both still (rear facing blue tabs)

I'm pretty sure you only use the one closet to the buckle. Not both.

creideamh · Sep 18, 2011

Yup, only the one closest to the buckle. Someone else told me that and I had to read the manual more closely to find out that is, in fact, true.

ohiomommy08 · Sep 18, 2011

It's an older model Marathon. Actually I just checked and it was manufactured in Jan '06. I am correct that it expires in Jan '12?

So basically I need to have some sort of locking mechanism right? So if I leave it behind the driver it's find with just the seatbelt locking. If I need to have it in the passenger seat I need to use the MA locking clips (is it the one near where it buckles or the side where it comes out of the seat?) or use a regular locking clip. And adults are fine. I just want to make sure I'm safe for now!

Jessica61624 · Sep 18, 2011

ohiomommy08 said:
It's an older model Marathon. Actually I just checked and it was manufactured in Jan '06. I am correct that it expires in Jan '12?

So basically I need to have some sort of locking mechanism right? So if I leave it behind the driver it's find with just the seatbelt locking. If I need to have it in the passenger seat I need to use the MA locking clips (is it the one near where it buckles or the side where it comes out of the seat?) or use a regular locking clip. And adults are fine. I just want to make sure I'm safe for now!

Just keep an eye on the latch plate. Mine both broke within a week of each other. I have a 99 alero and they look exactly the same.

Pixels · Sep 18, 2011

ohiomommy08 said:
It's an older model Marathon. Actually I just checked and it was manufactured in Jan '06. I am correct that it expires in Jan '12?

So basically I need to have some sort of locking mechanism right? So if I leave it behind the driver it's find with just the seatbelt locking. If I need to have it in the passenger seat I need to use the MA locking clips (is it the one near where it buckles or the side where it comes out of the seat?) or use a regular locking clip. And adults are fine. I just want to make sure I'm safe for now!

On an old-style Marathon (65 pound limit) you can use the lockoff on the buckle side, the one on the far side, or both (or none if your belt locks in some other way, which yours no longer does) RFing. FFing, you have to use the one on the opposite side of the buckle. You cannot use a locking clip on a Britax seat that has built-in lockoffs.

Yes, it expires Jan '12.

Judi · Sep 18, 2011

Wow, my post took forever to post.

cupcakepirate11 · Sep 18, 2011

I guess you don't have to use the lock offs if your seat belt locks so i was wrong about that. I have always just used both lock offs, If i am correct they said to use both and then changed it to only one.

Per the Britax site about the change. So i'm not loosing my marbles the manual i had with my old seat did say use both! Going to only use one from now on.

A. In the spirit of continuous improvement, BRITAX has revised the lock-off installation method for all BRITAX U.S.A. next generation convertible car seats (ROUNDABOUT 55, MARATHON 70, BOULEVARD 70, BOULEVARD 70 CS, ADVOCATE 70 CS), allowing you to use only the lock-off closest to your vehicle seat buckle instead of requiring you to use both lock-offs. This change applies to both rear- and forward-facing installations and eliminates the occasional convenience button interference issues that have been observed. This change only applies to U.S.A. car seats; all Canadian next generation child seats manufactured on or after August 1, 2010 were produced utilizing the single lock-off installation method.

The change was implemented in production on October 5, 2010. All seats with a manufacture date of October 5, 2010 or later should be installed using only the lock-off closest to the vehicle seat buckle. A kit can be requested free of charge for seats manufactured that instructed use of both lock-offs. To request a kit, contact BRITAX Consumer Services at 1-888-427-4829 with the serial number and manufacture date of your seat.

ohiomommy08 · Sep 18, 2011

Pixels said:
On an old-style Marathon (65 pound limit) you can use the lockoff on the buckle side, the one on the far side, or both (or none if your belt locks in some other way, which yours no longer does) RFing.

So if I keep it behind the driver where the buckle is not broken, I don't have to use the lock offs right? If I put it on the passenger side (broken buckle), then I need to use at least one of the built in lock offs. Am I OK right now, or do i need to fight to get the lockoffs on when it's behind the driver?

Thanks for everyone's help!!

Laurie

Judi · Sep 18, 2011

No, you don't have to use a lock off with the unbroken latchplate.

dneul · Sep 18, 2011

I broke both latch plates on my husband's neon years ago. We just used locking clips when we needed to use seats or placed the seat in the middle lap belt.

indycoltsmom · Sep 19, 2011

I was just showing my husband the picture of the broken seatbelt (he is a mechanic) and he said it was caused by pulling on the seat belt too tight to install a car seat. He also pointed out to me that once the plastic cracks the belt can fray as well... I know when he installs my seats he is very careful with the seatbelt and does not pull too hard and still gets rock solid installs...

Pixels · Sep 19, 2011

indycoltsmom said:
I was just showing my husband the picture of the broken seatbelt (he is a mechanic) and he said it was caused by pulling on the seat belt too tight to install a car seat. He also pointed out to me that once the plastic cracks the belt can fray as well... I know when he installs my seats he is very careful with the seatbelt and does not pull too hard and still gets rock solid installs...

That can be one cause, but certainly not the only one. DH's broke on his driver's seat belt, and he never installs child restraints there. Neither does he pull his own seatbelt particularly tight. The OP's vehicle is a '99 as is DH's. Plastic ages and gets brittle, where small forces will break what was once strong.

If you pull the broken plastic fragments off, there will be nothing there to fray the seat belt.

Jessica61624 · Sep 19, 2011

indycoltsmom said:
I was just showing my husband the picture of the broken seatbelt (he is a mechanic) and he said it was caused by pulling on the seat belt too tight to install a car seat. He also pointed out to me that once the plastic cracks the belt can fray as well... I know when he installs my seats he is very careful with the seatbelt and does not pull too hard and still gets rock solid installs...

I have these same latch plates. When I broke mine they were not being pulled to hard. They both broke long after the seats were installed. Gm is known for having flimsy light weight locking latch plates.

My seatbelt just broke!!

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