Are all 1st gen seat belts interchangeable?

I've got an 02 Tacoma xtracab and the driver's seat belt is really bad. It's got some small rips, etc. and needs to be replaced. A 97 Tacoma just hit the junkyard near me and I'm just wondering if the 97 seat belts will work in my 02? Or are they significantly different?

 

They should be very similar. The 97 might not have the wireing for the retracters, but the 02 will. I can't remember if a 97 had air bags for sure, but I know the 02 does. There was a change near the end of the first gen design, but belts are the same. I don't know the exact year that the wiring changed.

The job is a pain, you have to remove interior panels to get the seat belts winders out.

I just got done switching from a 98 to a 2004. All hardware was the same, just a small difference in the electrical plugs that are tied into the airbag system. Disconnect battery before you mess with any wiring. The retractrors actually have an explosive charge that winds up the seat belt when you have a collision. Unhooking battery inerts the system.

These retractrors are why people can get bruises across their chests in very small front end accidents. They wind the slack up in the belts very fast! You may get lucky and they are identically wired.

If your 02 does not have ABS, then there is even better chance they are the same.

 

NOOOOOO! I thought this and ended up with 2 different belts had to go to the dealer to get the right one for my 99 also the air bag sensor to lock the belt up is different on different years

 

Isn't that what I just wrote?

 

Sure is. Just didn't see your post till the page refreshed.

 

Gotcha.

In all honesty, I was looking forward to a internet argument. I'm stuck in the house recovering from a knee replacement. I'm absolutely bored out of my mind!

 

damn I just about fell into that trap, haha but decided to keep it civil but that sucks hopefully you have a speedy recovery though!

 

Damn. Gonna have to keep searching then. Maybe I'll still hit it up though. I'm missing both of the plastic covers on the top of the belt where they bolt on and those look to be the same at least.

Thanks for the quick answers.

 

How expensive can they be? Ask them to take $10. If no, out the door you go. Not a lot of people looking for belts for 97.