Passenger side seat belt re-tractor removal and replacement E36 convertible

[loveverts]

Hi guys,

I have searched this forum for any instructions on how to replace the seat belt assembly in an E36 convertible. My wife gets choked every time we go for a ride. Every little bump we hit in the road makes the seat belt cinch a little tighter against her until it finally is so tight she can't breathe. We have to stop, unbuckle it and slowly pull it back out to latch and ride for another 10-15 minutes before she is squeezed against the seat again.

Anyone replaced one or have seen a thread in here about doing it?

Thanks so much for any help. Vert season is fast approaching here in the Northeast and I'm pulling the car out of storage to prep for season. Couldn't do it over the winter because it was too cold...not stored in a heated location.

[B328iC]

Usually when mine locks I sit back a bit and then lean forward. This usually unlocks it.

[Twistytee]

Replacing it is pretty straight forward. But unfortunately the majority of the rear interior needs to come out. Remove the seat bottom, head rests, and seat back. You then need to remove the side panel and arm rest insert on the side you are replacing. The side panel is held in place by a single torx screw (behind the arm rest insert), a plastic rivet at the front that secures the weather strip, and five metal clips at the top that hold the panel against the window channel (similar to the clips that hold the top of the door panels). You need to pull the panel up and out to release these clips. Once the panel is free you’ll see the seat belt retractor mounted with a single 16mm bolt. You also need to unbolt the bar at the floor that anchors the lower end of the belt. Pass the free end through the side panel insert and the upper anchor bar and you are done. Install is reverse of removal.

https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...ar-Side-Panels

[loveverts]

Thanks, Twistytee! This will really help. How does the arm rest insert come out and I assume it comes out before the side panel, correct?

[Twistytee]

The armrest insert has no fasteners. Just two plastic L shaped clips molded into it at the rear (seatback side) and two matching clips at the forward (door side). Grip the panel at the armrest and pull firmly forward (towards the front seat) to release the clips. It should slide out of the side panel relatively easily. You’ll notice two square shaped holes in the front of the side panel for the clips and then the rear clips slip under the side panel edge on the other side of the rear speaker recess.

[loveverts]

Awesome! I'm attacking this today sometime. It's still rather chilly here in the Northeast and I'm a little hesitant to operate the top when it's under 60 degrees.

BTW, would you know what a proper ohm reading would be for the E36 pretensioner? What range should it be in? I've got one that reads 2.3 ohms and the other at 3.3 ohms. I'm not sure the 3.3 is good.

[loveverts]

Make that 3.9 ohms, latest reading.

[Twistytee]

I’m doing some other work on mine today and noticed you might be able to get away with removing the retractor through the side insert/arm rest access without having to remove the whole side panel. You’ll still need to unbolt the front lower anchor point and feed the belt up through the side panel slot/upper anchor bracket, but it looks like there’s enough room to squeeze it through without removing the whole side panel. If that’s true it will save you a lot of time by not having to fiddle with the side panel clips. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Not sure about the pretensioner readings but they might be in the Bentley.