MOT results on '03 Vauxhall Corsa

lawtz04

Hi guys
I really need some advice from any mechanics or likewise out there to save me some much needed money!

I just got my MOT results back on my little corsa (its not a boy racer one!).

It failed on rear reg plate lights which the garage has said its wiring, which I'm happy for them to do.

But, also, it failed on the rear middle seatbelt (which is a proper seatbelt not a waist one), as it was jammed. The problem is its built into the seat.

They've said its £70 odd quid plus VAT + labour to have a new belt.

I've been told though its not law to have a middle belt so I could just cut it out. I've also been told another option is to cut that one out at have a waist belt fitted.

Does anyone have any advice?

Thanks

anewman

If the rear seats can easily be swapped you could look for an entire rear seat in a scrap yard.

Probably best to do without the belt if you don't use it anyway.

lawtz04

To me (and i do know nothing about cars!) that sounds like a big job. If found a rear centre belt for £20 but I'm worried what the implications are in terms of labour costs for that.

I'm perfectly happy to just cut the thing out and then maybe when I have more money replace the seat like you say. However, will it pass the MOT test if i do this - any MOT inspectors out there??

Wig

Just read the MOT manual (google to find it online) and found that a car first used after 1987 (with 3 rear seats) must have 1, triple point-inertia reel seat belt fitted and 1 other belt. i.e. one seat can have no belt. It was a bit complicated reading all the options allowed, but I certainly got the idea that only 2 out of 3 belts were needed for the rear bench. And that all belts fitted must work (i.e. why you failed).

Problems in cutting out the belt....
What constitutes a fitted belt? In cutting it out you will leave the wire loop on the U bend (see below), and at the top of the seat there will still be a hole with the inertia reel and partial belt remaining on the reel - albeit out of sight inside the seat.

You need to know when does a belt become no belt? IUSWIM.

Problems in finding and fitting a rear centre lap belt... could be ... The rear belt as fitted to the Corsa C comes out of the top of the seat then goes down the front of the seat and
into the belt anchor point. there is a steel cable which is U shaped, with a central bolt in the middle of the U. One side of the U, being the release catch for the window seat and the other side of the U being a loop of wire which holds the centre belt in place.

If you went to scrap yard and found a Corsa B with a rear centre lap belt, you would have to ensure that the design was similar, i.e. that it was U shaped with a release catch on one side and the centre belt on the other side. Other wise you would not be able to fit it. The belt you found for £20... Just to say, that I would expect to pay about £20 - £25 ish for a whole new rear seat with a proper belt.



Reading about the design of the centre belt mechanism, to get at it, officially - you have to: (see alternative method at end of post)
1. remove the upright rear seat < you might get away without doing this bit.
2. remove the rear seat locking catches, prise out with screwdriver, remove the head rests & head rest locking sleeve (using 2 screwdrivers to press & prise out)
3 Remove the cloth trim from the edge of the rear upright seat.
4. Undo the 4 bolts holding the cover on the belt entrance hole.
5. There is then a single large bolt from the rear holding the inertia reel in place, undo and reel becomes loose.

The book metions there is a cable fitted to the inertia reel, which is linked to the upright rear bench seat catches, if the seat is not fully locked in place the belt will not work.

I suggest before you do anything, you double check that the seat back is fully locked in position on both sides, then check the belt works or not.

If it still doesn't work, you could try the removal steps 1 - 4 above to get a look at the mechanism and make sure the wire is properly connected to the inertia reel.

Or buy a new rear seat.

* All bolt heads are TX Star bolts
alternative belt removal
It may be possible to leave the seat in position, remove the centre head rest & headrest fastenings. remove the seat cover locally along the top of the seat back, peel back the cover and gain access to the 4 bolts holding the metal cover in place. In other words you are stretching the cover away rather than removing it completely.

Useless_With_Money_3

Look at it on the other foot,

yes your saving money on removing the belt and fitted a lap belt, but have you ever been in a crash in a lap belt? they are the worst thing in the world.

Also when reselling the car will be worth a lot less to correct your bodge.

If you really cant afford to pay out, win on on ebay and fit it your self, time consuming but free and dont difficult or pay a cheap mobile mechanic.

hewhoisnotintheknow

take the rear seat out for the mot, both the bench and the back rest, will take you 20mins tops. Then you have time to get it fixed or what ever for the next years mot

Wig

hewhoisnotintheknow wrote: »

take the rear seat out for the mot, both the bench and the back rest, will take you 20mins tops. Then you have time to get it fixed or what ever for the next years mot

A good idea, but what about the 2 side belts should s/he remove those aswell?

hewhoisnotintheknow

can do, just make sure they dont retract in too far, im sure hte belts only apply if the seats are in place

Wig

The OP has not been back anyway, They could have had a free retest within 24hours if they had done this. But now it's too late, all they can hope for now is a half price fee, within 10 days.

Useless_With_Money_3

if belts are fitted they have to completely work so you would have to remove ALL rear belts/sockets.

s30jok

regards the wiring for the lights are you sure its not a blown bulb and they are pulling the wool over your eyes, if it is genuinely faulty its probably a bad earth which can be repaired easily.

What i say to veryone is google whatever fault you have because someone somewhere else will have had the same and will have posted it on a forum on the web

so in your case google "rear seatbelt corsa locked" "rear number plate lights faulty"

in most cases whoever posts the question the answer will take you to a car owners forum there is literally a forum for every type of car made in the world. and also it may have pics on how to repair it your self.

just an idea maybe..