I noticed this on several of the LR3's I looked at prior to buying mine, where the driver's seat belt is very slow to retract. Most had clear damage to the finish in the door frame where it had been shut on the metal buckle. Mine has started exhibiting the same symptoms and recently I too shut it on the buckle by accident.

Since this seems to be a fairly common issue, is there any fix for it?

 

Here's a thread I started on the subject. Recommendation is to pop the plastic covers and check the belts for twisting.

https://landroverforums.com/forum/lr...atbelts-75847/

 

Yeah I'll try that and spray some silicone lubricant on them. Apparently there is a TSB for this problem as well? I can't find the recommended fix anywhere though. Anyone know what it was?

• Date Reported JULY 28, 2011
• NHTSA Reference #10041790
• TSB Reference #LTB-00397

Description: LAND ROVER: SEAT BELTS ARE JAMMING, SLOW AND/OR FAIL TO RETRACT. *PE

 

Good find. I wonder what's in that document. Somebody with a paid subscription to TOPIx could grab it for us...
Anyone...?

 

For anyone else searching for a fix, silicone spray seems to have at least helped for now. Smells a little strong, but they retract fairly normally now.

 

Try the youtube fix where a bit of detergent and a 5 gallon bucket of water sit in the seat while you wash the seatbelt in that. Have heard good things, not tried yet mind you but will.

 

I downloaded a bunch of TOPIX documents at one point and I have a tech bulletin on the seat belt problem, but literally all the tech bulletin says is the following:

"Refer to Workshop Manual, section 501-20A: Safety Belt System, and perform the appropriate diagnosis and testing."

Do you have a copy of the workshop manual?

 

I do. There's no diagnosis and testing anywhere in that section - only removal and fitting instructions.

 

I have this issue on my D1. Ultimately, I think it's an issue of a worn spring, and a replacement is the solution. Technically, seat-belt retractors and the entire seatbelt assembly are a replacement item with a limited lifespan. For highway vehicles in the US, I'm not aware of any enforcement of the replacement schedule, but most race sanctioning bodies have 2 or 5 year expirations on seatbelts.

I was working on my D1 the other day, and found the rear seat belts bolt to a bracket that is riveted under the floor pan. The floor pan is cracked around bracket. Although it would still probably hold a couple hundred pounds of force, fatigue will eventually make it so the floorpan just rips out.

The bottom line is, the OEM stuff is going to be complete garbage after 20 years. Some LR3 are more than 12 years old now.

I have other makes that are similar age. In those cases, the webbing is sun-faded and weakened. Nylon does poor with UV exposure. In the case of this other vehicle, the attachment points are much better engineered. The driver's retractor is weak. In that case, I also need replacement, but the Land Rover is very poor quality in this area.

For an LR3, I'd recommend new replacements. For an older D1 or DII, an owner is very likely to have to reconstruct the attachment points and find aftermarket belts.

 

My LR3 is 7 years old. No way I'm replacing my belt. I'm hoping it's twisted behind the plastic and an easy fix. If not, I'll try some lube...