Hello.

 

Has anybody here experienced that a small part has disappeared from the slot in the front seat safety belt buckle which makes it very difficult to fasten the seat belt? Please look at the image. On the left is the broken buckle, on the right is a good one for comparison.

Are they both from the same car and both factory original, only the image on the right looks the same as the front seat buckles in my wife's 2015UK MK3 Fabia, the image on the left I have no idea if it is broken or a just a different type of buckle to go into it.

 

If you have anything broken on a seatbelt then replace it, the seatbelt serves an important purpose and just like you should not rely and wait for any dash warnings you should not rely on the SRS airbags especially without fully working seatbelts being worn, but I expect you do not need telling that living in Sweden with your country's history of seatbelts.

 

Yes, they are both from the same car, front left and front right. It seems that a small plastic (nylon?) part has popped out, probably when releasing the belt, and disappeared. This part has the function of pushing the "lock" to the side so you easily can push down the "hook" and lock the belt. It is still possible to lock the belt, but I have to press the release button and wobble the part on the safety belt which takes some time.

 

And you are right, I would never dream of driving whithout the safety belt properly attached.

 

So I wonder if this plastic part could be replaced, or if it's necessary to replace the entire buckle.

You would have to contact Skoda or the seatbelt manufacturer about parts but I can't imagine they would sell anything but a full seat belt but I could be wrong.  You could see if used parts are available, probably as a complete working stalk and catch, perhaps best to avoid any where the vehicle has been in a serious crash and if it is driver's side then those are the most worn anyway so age/use considerations.

 

When changing the stalk you might (I don't know) have to consider unplugging a connector, getting at the connector, perhaps disconnecting the battery and whatever is required not to upset any VW computer system or computer safety system.  A new screw is required and that it is clean when fitting.

 

Also if I remember correctly(?) and it still applies but I don't know, it used to be that UK cars used imperial threads and sizes for seatbelt anchor point fittings even if the rest of the car was metric, whether that applied or makes any difference to the UK Skoda seat belt stalk part or fitting I have no idea.

 

I have fitted seatbelts to old British cars and it was quite straight forward but I have no idea with modern cars. In the UK you didn't have to legally wear front seatbelts until the 1980s (IIRC) and rear seatbelts later still, though anchor point had to be installed by the car manufacturer since 1963(?) IIRC(?), a UK 1970s car might have front seatbelts fitted from factory but not rear ones.  We are grateful to Sweden for the three-point but like many things England had the start of a seat belt all much earlier and let it slip by.

 

There might be a part number on the stalk/catch even perhaps a VW one but I really don't know.

 

Perhaps others will have more and better ideas and information than me.

 

Let us know how you get on, good luck.

  

It has been a while since I posted this topic. Updating: I booked time for replacement, quite costly for such a small problem (though important). While waiting I used a piece of plastic to push away the metal part so I could lock the seat belt. It got easier each day. After a few days it was enough to push the red button to get the part to lock down and after some more days I tried without pushing the release button - and it worked.

 

Now the function is restored to normal, all by itself... I suspect, that the grey plastic part broke to pieces and fell down into the mechanism, blocking proper function. After a while it seemes to have been pulverized... Funny.

When I took apart a replacement seat belt reel assemble for a "vintage /.classic" car I was surprised to find the part that holds the retractable bit of the belt firm in an accident  was quite a flimsy looking plastic assembly with just a single metal ball bearing IIRC.