This was discovered last autumn, but I've been too lazy to do something about it. We rarely use the rear seats. Most of the time they are down, so this is not due to repeated wear. The rear seat driver's side seatbelt is frayed and I really don't know how it happened. Because it is a seatbelt it is a safety issue and I'd like to get it repaired.


2016 Honda Fit, Rear seat driver's side seatbelt is frayed.


2016 Honda Fit, Rear seat driver's side seatbelt is frayed.


2016 Honda Fit, Interior/bumper, Seatbelt is #8


I have no dogs, the kids are teens and don't chew on random polyester belts. The belt might have got caught on the protruding rear seat lock, but I don't know.

The whole seat belt assembly needs replacement. The part is $70, #8. Honda wants 1.5 hrs of tech time., which is $188 ($125/hr). It does not seem that difficult replace. There are 4 bolts, with some panels that need disassembly. I have ordered the parts but hesitate on the 1.5 hr install. I have all the tools, including a torque wrench.

Is this a DIY job? Has anyone done this before?

 

Bottom bolt is almost exposed, so easy access. The belt tensioner is behind the interior plastic of the c pillar, and tucked into the headliner. I'll also need to remove the left shelf bracket.

 

I guess it all depends on what level of risk or personal responsibility you're comfortable with?

I used to work for Chrysler in the body shop where the Body in White is produced. There are federal safety welds and safety torques. Basically anywhere a seat belt or child safety seat mounting point was on the body of the car. These required additional inspection with sign off by the inspector and as a supervisor I was also required to sign off that the inspection had taken place and performed to the standard. I was well advised that if the welds were to fail and injuries happened on stuff that I signed off on that I could loose my job, face personal law suits and possible jail time. For sake of discussion someone is injured wearing the seatbelt you replaced and they were able to track it back to you personally doing the repair/replacement regardless if during your ownership or sometime in the future if you sell. This thread is now a record. Why would you want to put yourself in the position of trying to defend yourself for so little money? So with my knowledge of the industry and standards, I'd pay the 1.5 hours labor for the dealer to do the repair and let them have the liability.

 

Good point. The other option is to cut it completely so nobody will be sitting there.

 

If you cut it completely that doesn't stop someone from sitting there and your liability is even worse because you provided no seat belt.

Looks like it got chewed by a mouse.

 

That is the dumbest solution I have ever heard. I have a 1 year old car, repairable for $250 and you want me to cut a safety belt?

 

Gees, sorry, I didn't know you were judging solutions. Which one was best?

 

If it were me, I'd do it myself. The bolts don't care who's holding the wrench, as long as they get the specified torque- and you have a torque wrench.

Yes, you could get sued. If you crash. With someone in the rear seat, which you say is rarely used. And they suffer a serious injury. As a result of the seat belt failing. Not the mechanism, though, only the mounting bolts. If an investigation shows incompetence during installation caused them to fail, rather than a defect in manufacture. If they're the type of person to sue at all- and in that case, I wouldn't give them a ride in the first place.

Not sure how it is in Canada, but here in the US pretty much anyone can sue anyone for anything at any time. If there are no laws where you live requiring professional certification and inspection of used car repair jobs, though, it would be pretty difficult to find grounds for a real lawsuit.

 

I would go ahead and try to install it and if you run into difficulty, bring it to Honda to finish the job. The job itself looks simple enough (4 bolts). I can't imagine why it would take a tech 1.5 hr to complete. With his background, maybe Rob H knows why.

Agree.

 

I don't know much about flat rate guides that mechanics use. Other than I believe it's the time it would take an average mechanic using hand tools?

For the OEM side. The plant I worked at had a 45 second cycle time. One car would roll off the assembly line in 45 seconds. That part was installed in 45 seconds. Granted it was installed somewhere in the sequence that it was easy to install before other items obstructed it's assembly.

Again, I personally wouldn't touch it to save 1.5 hours of labor. I'm very mechanically inclined, do most if not all the maintenance on my vehicles at home. I just wouldn't want to take the liability for the 1.5 hours of labor savings. I went to court for a traffic ticket that I received. Anyway, it cost me $400 in attorney fees to get a $100 fine and 6 months supervision. I'm guessing $180 would be a drop in the bucket to even start defending yourself in any lawsuit?

For the DIY people. I'd buy new fasteners from Honda. I know some of the Chrysler ones come thread locker on them. Again, it's comes down to what level of responsibility does one want to take? Do you want to just reinstall the used bolts as is, put your own thread locker on them that may or may not be the same as what was OEM? That's up to the OP to decide. Besides, he's from Canada. I don't have the slightest idea what their laws are like.

 

My bottom line would be agreement with Rob H.
It's not worth the possible liability. I'd pay to have the dealership do it, and have documentation that THEY did it.

Sometimes a DIY project even if possible, just isn't worth it for peripheral reasons. When it comes to direct safety equipment? This is the case IMO.

I'm not messing with seat belt repair.

 

Honda has a lifetime warranty on seatbelts. I'd reach out to Honda corporate and see if they will cover it.

 

I picked up the $75 part, packaged in a generic brown box. From the diagram it looks like there are 4 new bolts included, but I have not opened the box yet.

I called Honda Canada, who called the dealer. Honda Canada says that the dealer believe the seatbelt was somehow sliced and then frayed on its own. They say that this is not a manufacturer's defect and therefore not covered under warranty. Honda Canada says that I can go to another dealer for a second opinion. I have an afternoon appointment at a different dealership.

Honda Canada does not have the US lifetime seatbelt warranty.

 

Install it yourself? throw some blue locktite on there and torque to spec. Recheck in a week or so on the torque. It not complicated.

 

Don't tell me they make these belts out of soy too?

 

mouse ate it? haha very possible. check for mouse droppings.

 

I have had mice in my Fit, which I killed with traps in my garage. It is possible but I cannot prove it.

 

I think the proof? Is pretty much in the form of your munched seat belt.
Especially if you KNOW you had mice in your vehicle or the vicinity of your vehicle.
I'd be willing to bet a lot...a rodent did it.

 

I did not really consider mice as the culprit, but a quick search shows that mice indeed do eat seatbelts. This would go far in solving the mystery of my frayed seatbelt. I've had mouse droppings in the car and killed 6 mice in my garage.

Two dealers have denied that this is a warranty claim, and Honda Canada only relies on what the dealers say, so I'm out of luck. Both dealers are saying that someone slammed the seat belt in either the door or the rear seat latch. I don't believe either, as we hardly use the rear seats, which are down almost all the time.

Thanks for all your ideas.

 

Haven't had mice in our Fit, seems we finally rid ourselves of them a few years ago ....but I believe they chewed some unknown wires in an old '93 Celica I had, which led to an engine fire and the scrapping of the car. Damn varmints!!!