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First vehicle with seatbelt return system problem

8K views 21 replies 16 participants last post by  Rio Rider 
#1 ·
Since about
1965 or so,
this has not been a problem in the
many, many vehicles I have owned:

Souls we owned:
2011, 2014, 2016
Front seat belts have
consistently been
extremely sluggish
returning to the coiled / ready position.

I have to be
careful to look back to the door to check that the belt has returned.

Very, very often have to
step back to the vehicle to
manually pull the seat belt to the recoiled position.

My brand new 2016 had a recall on the rear seat belt (s). I had no experience of troubles there, as the rear wasn't used for passengers to that point.

Front belt has been consistent in
following me out the door, to
only partially retract; at which point it

gets caught in the door / door jamb area.

A startling sound, and luckily, I'm gentle, or there would possibly be

dents, or

damage to the seat belt webbing.

Has anyone else this experience?

How could this be the only vehicle with which I've had the experience?

It didn't occur in the 2011 Rio.

I'm aware that there would seem to be something in the way I exit, but - only with the Soul?
 
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#3 ·
The belts on my 2012 work fairly well, but I have noticed it sometimes having some slack in it when I'm getting out, but usually just have to give it a bump and it retracts fine. I know it is much better than the 2005 Spectra I had. Those belts were always getting stuck. Don't know of anything to do about the belts except take them to the dealer and have them repaired. It should be covered under warranty.

Greg
 
#4 ·
Zero problems on my 2014, front or rear.

On a side note, I rode in a friends 20 year old Mercury Sable this week. Man, I forgot about how some of those older seat belts don't allow you to "move" once you click in place. To reach the gove box I had to unbuckle to lean forward a couple inches :)
 
#8 ·
First vehicle with seatbelt return system problem
Front seat belts have
consistently been
extremely sluggish
returning to the coiled / ready position.

I have to be
careful to look back to the door to check that the belt has returned.

Very, very often have to
step back to the vehicle to
manually pull the seat belt to the recoiled position.



I'm aware that there would seem to be something in the way I exit, but - only with the Soul?



I doubt your seat belt problem has anything to do
with the way you exit, from your driving position.


Before driving over to the dealership,
you might try something.

Clean it.

Maybe over the years the mechanism
has gotten dirty. Dust, pollen, sweater lint,
that MC Donald's french fry that "disappeared"
that one time?

I suggest (when you're not driving) pulling the belt
all the way out. Have a damp cloth handy.
Wipe it down from top to bottom.

If you have access to compressed air,
I would "blow out" the belt retract assembly.

Then try it again, see what happens.






Note: I do not recommend using any lubricant.
 
#11 ·
First vehicle with seatbelt return system problem





I doubt your seat belt problem has anything to do
with the way you exit, from your driving position.


Before driving over to the dealership,
you might try something.

Clean it.

Maybe over the years the mechanism
has gotten dirty. Dust, pollen, sweater lint,
that MC Donald's french fry that "disappeared"
that one time?

I suggest (when you're not driving) pulling the belt
all the way out. Have a damp cloth handy.
Wipe it down from top to bottom.

If you have access to compressed air,
I would "blow out" the belt retract assembly.

Then try it again, see what happens.






Note: I do not recommend using any lubricant.
Well, it's got less than 25000 km / 15000 miles. And the other Souls were all the same. They were this way since first exited. However, I'll give this a shot.
 
#12 ·
So ... like ... is there some way to beef up the seatbelt return?

I mean, the dealerships seem to dismiss this stuff:

The manual locking of my doors is ridiculous;
the seat belt retraction is wimpy;
they could not hear the rattle of the headliner when the door closes.

These dealer "shoulder shrugs" are why they don't get much opportunity to service my vehicle.
I have a long list of disappointing reactions from my local dealer.
Then he wonders why I didn't get my new car from him.
He wonders why, even though he offers oil changes at half price,
I don't get the oil changed there.
Like, I called to get an service appointment. It rang and rang and rang. Someone picked up. They transferred me to the service dept. It rang and rang and rang and rang. I hung up, called back. Same repeated ringing. Finally picked up. I relayed the fact that they didn't pick up, and that they should respond to the phone call. The manager said sarcastically, "I'll get right on that."
So he wonders why I don't come in?
He wonders why I didn't buy from him?
He wonders why I drive further to some other service facility?
He wonders why I spend more money on an oil change and reject his half price offerings?

Note that this is my experience with 4 brand new Kias, and with a second hand car from them.

The family is just too comfortable in the ownership of the dealership.

Would I expect the dealership to feel my frustration
with the "stupid key" / lock,
with the cheap rattle in my headliner
every single time I close the driver door?

It's been many years since the local Canadian Tire store got my business after they damaged my old car.
No oil, no gas, no credit card purchase, no paint, no sport gear, no houseware, etc.
Poor service demands that you stop giving these businesses money.
It's what they hear and feel.
They don't feel your needs.

Door locks and seatbelts are the dealerships voice to me, and I hear them.
 
#13 ·
Same feeling here, good service...or any service at all, is getting harder to find these days. And it's not only for car stuff, it' general. The Kia dealer here in Gatineau is not better. They ask that you do the service on your Kia at the dealer, for warranty purposes (that's bovine excrement),but takes a month at least, to get a simple oil change. They sell a cabin filter 45$, got it online (oem part) for 28$ delivered at my door. Here i go again: I miss the good old days :disillusionment: .
 
#14 ·
Not sure that the recoil is that weak. It could be that the belt is thinner and softer than older belts allowing it to fold or twist easier binding the system up. I have noticed this a number of times with this belt. I now guide the buckle to my shoulder. Seems to retract fine to me.
 
#15 ·
zerogee

You may have the right target. They do flop around more than the "good ol' daze". I wonder if I could run it through the corner store cleaners and ask them to put a lot of starch in 'm.

So, I'll dream on this; maybe there is something ... wait. Neodium thinks it needs cleaning, but maybe, if you're right it needs mud or something. I probably will do nothing. (I know then I should be a dealer, right?) I know you don't fool with Safety stuff.

Good observation, Zerogee. I noticed it, but didn't note it as a cause.
 
#16 ·
Seems to be that the seat belt retracts better if the adjuster on the door post is set to the high position, whereas, if it's set low, closer to the shoulder, it will follow you on exit, potentially getting caught in the door. That's my experience. I don't exit slowly.

This is the only car that's been a problem in this regard, in my short sixty years of driving.

The belts certainly seem of a more flexible material, meaning they can twist with body movement, and this, combined with a seemingly less snappy retraction, gets the belt hanging out the door or slammed into the door post by the closing door.

Like some computer issues, I have to learn to work to the machine; it is not working with me. So I have to be conscious of every single exit and door close.

Just add that to the need to check at least two doors when the car is manually locked with the key, as the key, with one turn or two turns, will not lock all doors. The rocker on the inside of the door will work it.

Same for manual key entry. I have to use the rocker switch in the door interior side to unlock the rest of the doors after the driver door is unlocked.

These are frustrating shortfalls, considering the number of cycles they are involved in.
 
#17 ·
Since about
1965 or so,
this has not been a problem in the
many, many vehicles I have owned:

Souls we owned:
2011, 2014, 2016
Front seat belts have
consistently been
extremely sluggish
returning to the coiled / ready position.

I have to be
careful to look back to the door to check that the belt has returned.

Very, very often have to
step back to the vehicle to
manually pull the seat belt to the recoiled position.

My brand new 2016 had a recall on the rear seat belt (s). I had no experience of troubles there, as the rear wasn't used for passengers to that point.

Front belt has been consistent in
following me out the door, to
only partially retract; at which point it

gets caught in the door / door jamb area.

A startling sound, and luckily, I'm gentle, or there would possibly be

dents, or

damage to the seat belt webbing.

Has anyone else this experience?

How could this be the only vehicle with which I've had the experience?

It didn't occur in the 2011 Rio.

I'm aware that there would seem to be something in the way I exit, but - only with the Soul?
We have a 2015 Soul and the front seat belts keep locking up when unclipped and getting stuck in door jambs. It has caused numerous dents and scratches in the jamb of both front doors. Would Kia like to fix our car as a result of their manufacturing? Shame on Kia for not addressing this problem and fix the damage as a result of cheap faulty components?
 
#18 ·
We don't experience anything like this with our 2014. How long have you had the car? Did you buy it from a Kia dealership or a private party?

I had seen a video where another Soul owner had return problems with their seatbelts and they had a less-than-graceful solution of adding duct tape to the door edge and frame to avoid scratches and dents. I would not try that, duct tape's a PITA to remove from car paint when it ages! ?

The only seatbelt problems that we've had was when my wife was sitting in the back and she accidentally kept activating the child seat lock. A check with the user manual fixed that. The other was comfort-related as we're short people and the seatbelts would dig into our necks. That was fixed with some super-soft seatbelt pads.
 
#21 ·
I have the same issue but not just on my Kia, our truck has the issue as have many other vehicles I have owned.
 
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