If you drive a car or have driven in a car (who hasn’t?), you know what a seat belt is and why it is essential to use one when driving or occupying a moving vehicle. However, you may not know the different mechanisms of the seat belt and what they specifically do. Let me tell you about the two main parts that make up the seat belt: the pretensioner and the retractor.
Let me first familiarize you with the seat belt pretensioner. This is known as the female part of the seat belt. Most commonly, people refer to it as the “buckle.” This part of the seat belt is where the seat belt latch clasps in. You will know that a seat belt pretensioner needs repair when it looks compressed or “squished in.”
The other central portion—otherwise known as the male part—of the seatbelt is the retractor. This is where the actual seat belt webbing comes out from and causes the belt to lock up during a rapid stop. Additionally, the retractor connects to the airbag system and has a gas charge that explodes when a crash occurs. A few things that can cause a seat belt retractor to work slowly is simple wear and tear, the spring weakening, or build-up of sweat on the webbing material. Ever since 1995, all cars made in America are required to have at least one retractor built-in.
If either the seat belt retractor or pretensioner on any of your seat belts is defective, you need to look into getting seat belt restoration. Pretensioners can become compressed, and retractors can become deployed after a crash. Seat belt restoration is a much more cost-effective alternative than buying brand new belts. At Safety Restore, you can expect both quality and a fair price from the company’s seat belt restoration service.