My Seatbelt Cartridge fired!

[JimM]

Hello pals.

I'm not sure if this thread is in the right place?

I had a big shock yesterday.

I drove very slowly over a high kerb on my left to get round a parked truck on my right, something caught underneath (to the left side) and scraped, and then my seatbelt cartridge fired!

The belt snapped up tight against my chest, and a light haze of smoke and a smell of cordite invaded the cabin - just like a banger! lol

No damage to me.

The belt released normally but of course it is locked and won't retract.

A black plastic cover about a foot square-ish with vent slots in it was pulled off from under the car.

The SRS light is on too.

I haven't checked yet to see if the passenger belt triggered too. I was in a bit of a daze when it happened.

I've not yet got under the car to have a look, I'm dreading what I might find.

Does anyone have any idea what caught that would do this? Is there a wiring loom under the car?

And what do I need to replace to restore the car please?

 

[whitenemesis]

Sounds like an under tray or part thereof, has been pulled off.

On many models there is a crash sensor on the door sills each side. May be on was jarred and it set of the SRS.

Either way you will need to replace the seatbelt pre-tensioner(s) and reset the SRS. Best get the codes read using STAR.

 

[television]

No crash sensor in the sills, I suspect that what ever you caught hit the bottom of B pillar firing the pre tensioner.

To get to the belt reel, pull off the draft excluder round B Pillar opening, remove the bolt holding the belt at the top, you then prise off the B pillar covering, use a wide flat blade and lever it off, if some of the plastic breaks away there is nothing you can do about that, but you can move the clips up or down and inch or so to a new part, so no problem there. you then just unbolt the belt real and unplug the connector.

You can buy one from a breaker cheap enough, but it must be the same make as the old one. It probably will need STAR to remove the SRS warning

 

[star]

There are side impact sensors on the cross rail under the front seats. hope fully codes will reset on star after replacement

 

[JimM]

Thank you guys. So you think it fired because the car sill hit the kerb as the front wheel came down off the kerb then?

 

[star]

Thank you guys. So you think it fired because the car sill hit the kerb as the front wheel came down off the kerb then?

More than likely, the sensors should be ok, just the belt needs replacing and srs reset.

 

[JimM]

Thanks Star.

The panel that came off is the front left wheel arch liner, it pushed back and must have caught on the tyre and ripped off because the kerb was so high.

I opened up the trim panel (thanks TV - the belt slider doesn't pull off to expose the top nut, but it is easy enough to pull out the trim gently all the way up) and removed the reel over the weekend, but the two W210 reels that I found at the local breaker are different entirely from mine and from each other, and there are warning labels on them to not put them into another car, so I will go for a new one.

Can anyone help with a price for a new one please? My reg is LC02ECT. It's a black belt.

Or am I stuck with buying from the local stealer?

They really are stealers here unfortunately.

 

[television]

Using a secondhand one is no problem providing it is the same make and part number.

 

[JimM]

Thanks TV.

If a new one is not too pricey I will still consider that, can anyone else supply them other than the dealer?

 

[television]

No Sir only the dealer.

 

[JimM]

Thanks TV.

I called two dealers to double-check the price. Both quoted £170+VAT.

I found one finally for £25 and picked it up and fitted it.

Now that I did it 3 times it is easy! :roll:

So today my local friendly mobile Merc mechie will try to reset the SRS light.

We'll also check the suspension, the car has been progressively wandering more and more.

While I drive I normally hold the wheel firmly and still, making minor adjustments as needed, but recently I can feel the pressure as the car pulls off track, then I have to correct it, and then it pulls the other way after a couple of seconds, and then rinse & repeat. It is tiring at times. And worrying.

I checked the right hand road wheel for play in the steering rack while standing beside the car and waggling the steering wheel, but it seems to respond immediately and to minor movement too. I can't see the left road wheel of course so that will have to wait until there are 2 of us.

Is it probably worn ball joints and/or bushes? Or is there something more likely and more sinister?

 

[television]

Jack the car passenger side then rock the wheel sideways while someone looks at the linkages.

 

[JimM]

Yep, that's what we did today, jacked up both front wheels way up, and the left-hand tie-rod ball joint is worn (inside the gaiter), there is about 1cm of play at the wheel rim.

No wonder she is wandering all over the place!

The driver's side has slight play too so we're about to replace both rods and gaiters too as soon as the parts arrive.

The SRS light did reset as we hoped, and there were no other stored codes, so we're back in business again.

That leaves 4 tyres, 3 have worn down and the sidewall threads are showing, in less than 3 years, about 20k miles, and the 4th has about 1mm of legal tread left, and she needs pads all round.

I had only gone in to have the balancing done because of wheel shake!

Oh dear, big bill time.

 

[television]

Sadly Mercedes ball joints are crap and only last ½ as long as many others.