Driver's side seat belt replacement

Ok, so I need to replace my driver's side seat belt On my 03 Ext cab SR5 due to extensive fraying. I ordered the replacement based on my VIN and have the new belt. I install the sucker based on instructions enclosed and a few Utube videos and...........shazzam, the freaking air bag idiot light comes on because THIS idiot forgot to disconnect the battery! WTF!!! How do I clear the code for this one?! Thanks folks!

 

Wondering if this is one of those "disconnect the battery for 10 mins" kind of things. So there's an electrical connection on the seatbelt? How does the airbag system know the seatbelt has been messed with?

 

Don't know if ours are different, but I had to do this to my '02, and never disconnected the battery. No problems. Did you reconnect the wiring harness?

 

The electrical clip is referenced with belt systems that have a "pretensioner" which I guess I have. I learned too late that you must disconnect it 90 seconds after turning the ignition switch off and disconnecting the negative terminal to the battery! I'm going to try repeating the procedure correctly and checking the connection as well. I may have damaged the clip during removal so I might be up the proverbial creek! Thanks for the response, I'll post again with my findings.

 

Any photos or part numbers?
How did you get the plastic panel off with/ without destroying the plastic clips?

 

Probably gonna have to pay to have it cleared. ..

 

Yeah, that's how it's looking. Having it cleared by Toyota techs is probably what I will have to do!

 

I don't have any part #'s or pics but I didn't pull the panel off completely. I just pulled it out enough to get the belt unit in. That's where I ran into a problem with getting the electrical clip off. I was able to line up the panel clips and it snapped back into place with no issues. So, does anyone know how much Toyota charges to reset the air bag light? I read anywhere from $50 - $300 ?! Also, I imagine to get a new electrical clip I would have to get the whole wiring harness as well? I can't imagine them selling just the electrical clip?!

 

You're kind of vague explaining the electrical clip issue. You said that you had a problem unclipping, what we need to know is did that cause another problem with the clip? If it did, figure out a way to fix it (junkyard donor connector) or bite the bullet and take it to the dealer.

 

Yeah, sorry about that. I don't believe the problem I have with the SRS airbag light flashing on and off is related to the problem I had getting the electrical clip off. The clip is back on but does not have the small clip that locks it in. So, your suggestion of locating a clip at a junkyard is what I'll have to do if possible. I called the dealership and they are going to reset the system after doing a diagnostic. $104.

 

You probably just turned the ignition on with the connector disconnected and the system saw an open circuit. I would drive it for a week and see what happens before I drop a hundy at the dealer.

That secondary retention clip is not your problem.

 

Well, it still sucks for you having to drop cash, I was hoping for a cheaper fix for ya.

 

Ok, so had to go to the dealer and dropped the $ for a diagnostic. Result: system sees a short at the connector which I messed up when I took it off! They said the same thing and find a junkyard donor otherwise it's a new wiring harness, $300 plus labor! Screw that! So, looking for junkyard donor! Anyone that can help, let me know! Thanks.

 

Www.car-part.com

 

I would take it apart and see if the pins are all straight you may have bent one slightly

 

Yeah, good idea. Also, I was wondering if the this same connector is the same for other Toyota's and not model specific?

 

Thanks for the car parts link!

 

Just fix what you fudged and be done with it. No need to replace an entire wire harness just to ensure that two wires are properly connected to each other. It ain't rocket science.

 

Yeah go back in, especially since you already know where and what the busted connector is. At this point you've got nothing to lose and a bunch of money to "save."

Fun little anecdote:
I had a door panel off while replacing the speaker, and forgot to secure/tie up or otherwise store away the power window/power lock harness while working. Closed the door for some reason and CRUSHED one of the dangling harness connectors. I mean to tell you the pins were almost falling out, plastic smashed.

I carefully (but somewhat crudely) superglued it back together as best I could. Had to do it in two stages since two areas of the connector got munched, at different angles. It wanted to pull back apart but I knew that if I could make it click back into the mating connector, that other portion would hold it together. And so it did!

Worse case, you could bypass the harness by jumping each wire in it, either with permanent individual connectors or removable ones. Hell, even if you buy some kinda junkyard harness you'll still wind up splicing it in, so just operate on the one you already have.

 

Question for Luke. Why did the seat belt fray? Mine frayed also, but the reason for it was that the lower seat molding was missing and the spring mounting pin wore into the belt. Toyota is proud of those moldings too, $110 for that, and $220 for the belt.