02 Maxima seatbelts unlocking?

NicoleCPST

Senior Community Member
I'm not sure if this should go here or under the installations but here goes... (please move if you need to.)

I have a 2002 Nissan Maxima w/ switchable retractors in the rear lap/shoulder belts. I use LATCH to install Bella's MA, so I'm not worried about the current install, but this just confuses me to death.

For the seatbelts, you have to buckle it and then pull the shoulder belt all the way out to "lock" it into ALR mode. If I install a carseat this way I always try to check it often to make sure the belt is still tight and is still locked. In my car, and in DH's 99 Maxima as well, it doesn't stay locked.

I install the seat, and upon finishing the installation, I check the belt at the shoulder retractor to be sure that it is locked. I pull lightly on the shoulder belt and it catches, locked. I wait a few seconds, pull lightly again, locked... wait a miute or two, pull lightly and it gives, the belt is no longer locked.:eek: I can then pull the carseat more than a inch if I try to move it because it only locks at the shoulder retractor.

Now, I do have both an MA and a SS1. So they do have lock-offs. But if the seatbelt is not locking properly I'm not sure I trust it to work properly in an accident and lock when it is supposed to either.

Am I missing something? A "maxima" trick? Or is it just my luck that both of our cars have bad seatbelts?

BTW- Hopefully in the next 6months I will be getting a new car and DH will get my Maxima. Right now he doesn't have a carseat for his car at all because of the seatbelt issue, as well as a few other things like it. And the MA in my car is installed with LATCH, but what do I do after she outgrows the LATCH limits?
 
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ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob
Staff member
Most seatbelts with switchable retractors have a "sweet spot" that if you have something held in, and lock the belt, it will unlock itself. It's possible your car has a larger than normal "sweet spot."

Just make sure to use a locking clip (or on the MA, the lockoffs) when you install using the seatbelts.

I suppose if you're really concerned, go get them inspected. But chances are, you're just dealing with a big sweet spot.
 

NicoleCPST

Senior Community Member
Where would I get them inspected? A Nissan dealership?

I'm a tech and have had other techs check them out, and the conclusion has always just been, "that's not right" or "that's weird"... I'm just glad I have LATCH in my car. But DH's car doesn't- so no possiblility of a carseat in there.

It also just seems odd to me that both of our Nissan cars would have this problem, but it is not a "known" problem with Nissan. It is this way with both of our seats, a Britax and SS1.

They were both bought used, I wonder if they weren't both damaged in a car accident and not replaced?
 

Pixels

New member
I agree, take them to a service place to have them inspected.

Do all of the (not driver's) seatbelts do the exact same thing, or is it only the position where you happen to be trying to install the carseat? If there was some sort of crash damage to the mechanism, it would be highly unlikely to be in every position in two vehicles.

I have closely examined the mechanism on a Honda. The mechanism to lock to hold a carseat is totally separate from the mechanism to lock in a crash. I'm comfortable using a locking clip and relying onthe ELR. Your other option is to use a belt shortening clip.
 

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