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[Varche]

My front seat belts have become very slow, sometimes needing help, to go back into the door pillar.

Is this something easily fixed by a squib of WD 40 or a bigger problem?

Is it MOT failure material in the UK?

olive

[Danny]

i dont think its gonna be an mot failure, unless it doesnt tense and hold you if you were thrown forward as it should

if you can get to the reels (i dont know how) then pull the belts out to their limit (so you dont get WD40 all over them) then pin them so they dont retract and squirt a bit on the reels to loosen them maybe?

[TheBoy]

Replace is the option imho

[hotel21]

Don't think the WD40 route is the best, IMHO.  It leaves an oily deposit and, given that the belt reel lives in the B pillar, it will attract dust and dirt and make it stick, causing potential further problems.

I would remove it and carefully clean the moving surfaces with brake cleaner to ensure no dirt or crap present.  Blow dry with an airline.  Leave dry and refit.  Try it out a few times and, it its still slow in retracting, get a new one.  

Its not worth realising it should have been replaced when you need to use it for the purpose it was designed for.

[LFF64]

I would not use wd40 or anything like that if you get that on the belt it is going to get on your clothes, I use a silicone type dry lub just spray this on to the plastic  where the belt comes out of the door pilllar it works wonders. It is also good to spray down the elecrtic window channels and sunroof seals etc. it really does make a difference I do this on mine every now and again      

[Varche]

Thanks

will try a bit of maintenance as suggested. If that doesn't work it can be added to the long list of other stuff to order from my nearest Opel dealer.

olive

[Tony H]

W.D is not a good long term lubricant its main property is water displacement

[Andy B]

The inertia reel seat belts in a MKIII Cortina have a bloody great big 'watch' spring in them to reel the belt back up again. Many many moons ago I decided that I'd try to increase the tension of the said spring to help it reel the belt back in again.
Have you ever seen one of these springs make a bid for freedom? There's lots & lots of spring!!!