Bgw70

as mandyfig said, clean the belt. It worked everytime for me.
They are dirty.

Wilson2000

Bgw70, Thanks for linking this seat belt cleaning video! I always like to see how others do things. I would add an additional step, which is to do a 15 minute rinse in a fresh bucket of water. Laundry detergent is an aggressive cleaner and needs to be rinsed out completely. The last thing one wants to do with seat belts is to compromise them in any way. Most experts would recommend Woolite over detergent, but if the grime is extreme, detergent may be the only way to go.

Here's my tip for making belts move fast between cleanings...I figured this out by accident. I applied a few drops of Paul Mitchell Smoothing "Gloss Drops" to my hair one day while stopped at a light, on my way to work (to get rid of the frizz). I then noticed my hands were very slippery on the steering wheel from the residual product on my hand. I then transferred what was left on my hands to the seat belt and it immediately fixed the slow retraction. My guess is the product contains silicone. Any food-grade silicone spray would likely work as well. As with the detergent, one needs to be careful with what one applies. I would never apply any product directly to the belt, but instead apply to a rag or to my hands and then transfer it to the belt.

doobs

Sorry to revive an ancient thread, but seat belts are considered a safety item, and thus should be covered regardless of warranty situation. The buckle on my Element was replaced for free even though the car was long since out of warranty.

Why did the dealer disavow the claim?

I ask as the seat belts in my '07 are very slow to retract. One of the previous owners closed the door on them and put a couple of small dents in the door panel.

Thanks,

SCowner88

any new news on this topic?

mandyfig

Woolite and warm water as mentioned above, works! Not hard to do at all. Follow the process. Good luck.