Seatbelt arm replacement - how to (with pics)

piper1st · Post by **piper1st** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 11:54 am

It's not often I get to provide info to people on the forum ... and I know this one is VERY easy, but since members are asking and I just replaced both arms on my GT at the weekend, here is a 'How To'.

Items Required:

8mm Allen Key
Phillips screw driver
Replacement seatbelt arms (see below)
Mallet (maybe)

Description ----- Part Number ----- Unit Price ex VAT
ARM L.H. ........... 3450814 ................ Ã‚Â£5.50
ARM R.H. ........... 3450816 ............... Ã‚Â£5.50

Step 1:

Remove rubber surround on the coat hook to reveal the Phillips screw as detailed in the pic below.

Step 2:

Remove the screw from inside the coat hook and remove the plastic panel to reveal the seatbelt mechanism. (As show in the picture below).

Step 3:

Keeping the arm raise (as in the pic above) to reduce the amount of tension from the spring. Use an 8mm Allen key to loosen the bolt (sorry, the pic below is the passenger side). You may need to use a mallet or something to get it started.

Take care when loosening the bolt as you will be aware the spring is attached to the seatbelt arm so it is important to keep the bolt straight to provent ruining the thread on the bolt or the car.

Step 4:

Once the bolt is completely out, remove the spring by twisting the arm ... then remove the broken seatbelt arm and replace it with the new one.

Reassemble

To put back together again, do the reverse of the above steps.

I hope this is of use and if there is anything I?ve missed, let me know and I?ll edit it in!

Ross

**** EDIT ****

Clubman Dan's tip:

the only thing i would add is that if you lift the spring up you can unhook it from the top where it mounts on to the car, then you have no tension on the bolt. i am guessing it would be easy to cross thread, especially when putting the bolt back in.
once the bolts in you can lift the spring back in to the bodywork.

robin_xr4i · Post by **robin_xr4i** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 12:42 pm

Well done that man, top step by step!

LANTIN · Post by **LANTIN** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 12:50 pm

Brilliant ! I just needed that.

Mitch · Post by **Mitch** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 5:09 pm

Thanks Ross. This is just the sort of help some of us need. We are not all mechanically or technically minded, but I for one am happy to tackle simple repair jobs like this. I don't know about the rest of the girls on here, but step by step instructions like yours are brillliant. I literally didn't know where to start with this job, but now I feel quite confident to do it myself. Congratulations. Perehaps this could be the start of more "How To" items. There are enough experts on here

Thanks again.

stu chacks · Post by **stu chacks** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 5:33 pm

Nice1 Ross, if only it would put the spring back into the seatbelt retraction at the same time huh? You just never know what's hiding behind them there panels.

Just need someone to do a guide on replacing the bulb in the ignition illumination next - looks like the steering wheel has to come off when I had a butchers the weekend as 2 screws just sitting behing the wheel on the lower casing. Grrrrr.

Stu.

piper1st · Post by **piper1st** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 8:51 pm

thanks for all the positive response to my 'How To'.

Mitch wrote:I literally didn't know where to start with this job, but now I feel quite confident to do it myself.

HAPPY DAYS!! good luck!!

stu chacks wrote:You just never know what's hiding behind them there panels.

stu ... thats just it! its always better if you know what to expect!

stu chacks wrote:Just need someone to do a guide on replacing the bulb in the ignition illumination next.

Sound like a dare to me ...

Joolz · Post by **Joolz** » Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:57 pm

Excellent........10/10

cant wait for mine to break now!!!!! and we all know one will one day

guitarcarfanatic · Post by **guitarcarfanatic** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 12:34 am

stu chacks wrote:
Nice1 Ross, if only it would put the spring back into the seatbelt retraction at the same time huh? You just never know what's hiding behind them there panels.

Just need someone to do a guide on replacing the bulb in the ignition illumination next - looks like the steering wheel has to come off when I had a butchers the weekend as 2 screws just sitting behing the wheel on the lower casing. Grrrrr.

Stu.

I'm guessing you have a airbag? On the non airbag cars you just turn the wheel until you can undo the screw and then do the same on the other side. I imagine with an airbag you would have to take teh wheel off!

Mitch · Post by **Mitch** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 3:23 pm

Job successfully completed and only two broken nails

Many thanks to Ross

chigo · Post by **chigo** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 6:04 pm

excellent work ! this weekend i'm busy now

Thank you !

piper1st · Post by **piper1st** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 2:36 am

Mitch wrote:Job successfully completed and only two broken nails
Many thanks to Ross

Your very welcome ... and well done yourself!

Moongoose · Post by **Moongoose** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 6:41 pm

Thanks Man!

Someone obroke mine today and I was looking for something like this.

Hi from Spain!

piper1st · Post by **piper1st** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 9:04 am

Moongoose wrote:Someone broke mine today and I was looking for something like this.

I'd be looking for a window to chuck them out!! hehe!!

Hope it all goes well!

Hi from Scotland!

wreeve · Post by **wreeve** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 9:41 am

Thank you. I am more impressed by the price! I managed to snap mine the second time I got out of the car and though Volvo would want an arm and a leg for the replacment!

ozturbo · Post by **ozturbo** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:21 am

The ignition switch light is easy - just two screws to undo and remove the cover under the steering wheel. The light is a common garden variety bulb with the flat base. Took no time at all to do mine the other day. Some idiot cracked the cover on mine at some stage though. Why do people always over tighten screws on plastic bits? I've seen it a million times over the years.

clubman_dan · Post by **clubman_dan** » Fri May 25, 2007 11:46 am

good guide there, i just did my passenger side one today, very easy!
the only thing i would add is that if you lift the spring up you can unhook it from the top where it mounts on to the car, then you have no tension on the bolt. i am guessing it would be easy to cross thread, especially when putting the bolt back in.
once the bolts in you can lift the spring back in to the bodywork.
cheers
Dan

muddyfox470 · Post by **muddyfox470** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 1:44 pm

Cheers for this it was invaluable. however the bolt was so hard to get off, had to use the force of a mallet to start it off

Also I just bought a pair of seatbelt arms, and they are currently Ã‚Â£5.50 exc VAT each in case you wanted to update your post.

Again cheers

Ian

paulsgarden · Post by **paulsgarden** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 6:55 pm

great how to but you forgot one thing .
those blody springs bit.

piper1st · Post by **piper1st** » Sat Jul 07, 2007 2:13 am

No worries Ian, thanks for your kind words!

muddyfox470 wrote: Also I just bought a pair of seatbelt arms, and they are currently Ã‚Â£5.50 exc VAT each in case you wanted to update your post.

Cheers and duly up-dated!

paulsgarden wrote:great how to but you forgot one thing.
those blody springs bit.

Cool ... i can't quite remember exactly how i did it now, so i'll copy in Dan the Clubman's comments.

Dutchman_in_uk · Post by **Dutchman_in_uk** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 9:57 am

Absolutely brilliant walkthrough, piper!

I do have to throw in a total newbie question though...

Are those arms ordered through your local Volvo dealer or is there a place online that I haven't found yet? Ebay charges 15 quid!