Help with seat belt buckle

[artguy]

...nothing like having your buckle fall apart :D

I need some help putting this back together properly. Questions...
1) What is that wire/sensor for and what does it do?
2) Where does it go to work properly so I can glue the plastic cover back on?

TIA

EDIT: Sorry for the post resurrection...I wanted to post the solution
at the end of the list for anyone who might stumble across this problem. ;)

http://www.captive1.com/mrk/buckle_bare.jpg

http://www.captive1.com/mrk/buckle_covers.jpg

[Vanguard]

IIRC, it mounts vertically into recesses on the plastic cover. If you play with different orientations you'll find the one that fits.

[Bin_jammin]

Why did you take it apart in the first place? I won't mess around when it comes to safety stuff, just buy a used one and put it in.

[Omega]

It looks like it goes vertically on the right hand side of the piece of plastic on the right of the photo, with the metal "tang" pointing upwards.

I would suspect that it's the microswitch for the "buckle up" warning light, however if you have air bags it may be a bit more important that I give it credence!


Why did you take it apart in the first place? I won't mess around when it comes to safety stuff, just buy a used one and put it in.

Sorry, but that must be one of the dumbest replies I have read on this forum and it is up against some stiff competition.

If you are going to replace any safety related item, buy new. Who's to say that the buckle you buy off eBay wasn't cut out of a mangled car before it was sold?

Also the first line of the post was "nothing like having your buckle fall apart". Ah. So there's the clue. He didn't take it apart, it fell apart.........

Re-reading this answer it would appear that I have got out of bed the wrong side this morning. :D

[artguy]

Soon after I bought the car, the plastic cover just fell apart.

I'm not that curious as to start pulling apart my seat belt buckles. ;)

The plastic cover looks like it had glue residue around it, so I'm guessing it happen before and the glue just finally gave way.


Why did you take it apart in the first place? I won't mess around when it comes to safety stuff, just buy a used one and put it in.

[Ross]

The microswitch is to tell the restraint system if the belt is buckled or not.
I've had them fall apart also. It only goes together one way so as vague an answer that seems keep fiddling around with it and it will become apparent which way.
The plastic cover and switch have no bearing on the belts integrity. It looks like everything is there so no need to buy parts, just glue the halves together once you are convinced it's assembled correctly.

[artguy]

Thanks for the help. I will give your placement a try and also try to shoot a pict so if anyone else has this issue they will have a reference.


It looks like it goes vertically on the right hand side of the piece of plastic on the right of the photo, with the metal "tang" pointing upwards.

[artguy]

Yes, the buckle still holds perfectly fine and funny enough, I haven't had any warning lights or dinging bells warning me my seat belt isn't fastened. So I wonder if that little switch is even functioning properly?


The microswitch is to tell the restraint system if the belt is buckled or not.

[Ross]

I don't know if the switch is normally open or closed, but apparently being free of the buckle is recognized as seated and buckled up.
I wouldn't fool with the switch though to see what happens. In a Mercedes the switch being disconnected will set an SRS fault and in a BMW that means reset by the dealer.

[artguy]

Wanted to post the solution pictures in case anyone stumbles across this post in the future...

http://www.captive1.com/mrk/wire_installed_w.jpg

http://www.captive1.com/mrk/Sensor_to_notch_w.jpg

[e34.535i.sport]

Wanted to post the solution pictures in case anyone stumbles across this post in the future...

http://www.captive1.com/mrk/wire_installed_w.jpg

http://www.captive1.com/mrk/Sensor_to_notch_w.jpg


Well documented solution! Glad you got it sorted!

[shogun]

Nice pics, just stumbled across them. Made a concentrate out of that and posted also on Bimmerboard E32 for the records. Thanks artguy. Very helpful.