Fix a Faulty Seat Belt Warning Indication on a Mazda With Automatic Shoulder Belts
This article will guide you through the process of repairing that annoying seat-belt indicator on a Mazda with automatic shoulder belts. This procedure was written based on an MX-3, but similar vehicles include Protégé, 323, 626, MX-6, Ford Probe, and some Millenia.
Steps
- To determine that you do in fact need to adjust the sensor, wait until the indicator activates, then pull out several inches of shoulder belt from the center console. If this action repeatedly stops the indication, proceed to the next step.
- Unhook the shoulder belts from the door track and lay them out of the way.
- Remove the center console by removing four Phillips head screws. The two in front are angled to allow access past the seat. The two in rear can be accessed by reclining the seats.
- With the console removed, carefully unhook the wiring connector which is just forward of the seat belt retractors. Move it to allow room to work.
- Using a very small slotted (flat-head) screwdriver or preferably a flat jewelers screwdriver, pry the cover off of the sensor which is located at the aft of the retractor unit. You only need to pry the cover off of the switch attached to the seat belt retractor you are having a problem with.
- Remove the disk shaped circuit board being careful to note its original position. (If you wish, this is the part that you may replace if necessary. You will need to remove the other side as well because the part you order will include both sides.)
- Remove the white plastic disk shaped switch contact unit. An arrow will indicate which side is up. Be careful not to disturb the gears behind this unit.
- For the driver's (left) side, reinstall the switch you just removed 10 degrees counterclockwise of it original position.
- For the passenger (right) side, reinstall the switch you just removed 10 degrees clockwise of its original position.
- Replace the circuit board in its original position and reinstall the plastic cover.
- Reconnect the wiring connector.
- At this point, sit in the seat with the ignition on, adjust the seat to the desired position and reattach the shoulder belt to the door track connector.
- If the warning indicator has gone away, move on to the other side if necessary, or reverse these steps to reassemble the center console.
- If the warning has not gone away, go back and rotate the switch contacts another 10 degrees in the same direction.
Tips
- You will need a Phillips screwdriver and a jeweler's screwdriver.
- Driver and Passenger sides are based on the American orientation for this article.
