Am I being petty?

[Chris Akabusi]

I don't want to sound like a whinging fart, but am i being petty?

My CLC is just over 1 year old, thus still in warranty and the drivers side seat belt has become a bit of an annoyance.

When taking the seat belt off, it won't fully retract, so when i get out of the car and shut the door the seat belt is either getting trapped, or, worse the buckle is slamming against the door, which has caused a few scratches.

I know its such a minor thing, hence the topic title, but could i get the dealer to look at this and fix it under the warranty?

I'm not one that likes to moan at relatively insignificant things, but it's just getting a bit annoying. I know i could easily check every time i get out and 'help' the seat belt retract, but, well, i just forget more often than not.

 

[stumpy1]

You're not petty. Get them to change it.

 

[219]

I'd think on such a new and expensive car it would be entirely reasonable to mention this either at a service or on its own .

Loose seatbelts annoy me too (especially when my partner seems to have the knack of jumping out of any car , somehow twisting the seatbelt round several times so that it cannot retract ) this irks me not a little as throughout years of advanced driver training I had it drummed into me to 'remove and stow seatbelts neatly' as part of the stopping drill , even now with inertia reels I still always retract belts carefully before getting out - just habit I suppose .

 

[grober]

Under warranty- potential safety issue---get them to change it FOC ASAP!

 

[chiefski26]

yep make a trip/call to dealer

 

[nullogik]

I had it drummed into me to 'remove and stow seatbelts neatly' as part of the stopping drill , even now with inertia reels I still always retract belts carefully before getting out - just habit I suppose .

I do the same too. When I've undone the belt I make sure it is fully retracted and taut so it doesn't catch in the door.

I've seen quite a few parked cars where someone has locked up the car and the seatbelt clasp is stuck outside the vehicle!

Absolutley mention at the next service. The car is only a year old and one would expect the seatbelts to retract fully.

 

[kwakdonut]

And get them to sort out the scratches too!

 

[Lugy]

Certainly not, as Grober says potential safety issue, could there be a fault with the belt?

I wouldn't like to find out in a crash!

 

[Stratman]

There is a fault in the belt mechanism. Failure to retract may not be the only symptom of that fault.

Can your dealer guarantee that failure to lock in an accident will not be another symptom?

You're not being petty, you're being sensible.

 

[Geezer]

I had both replaced on my old CLK Cabrio under Service Plus. Get them to do it.

 

[Chris Akabusi]

Cheers guys, it had it's first service in December and nothing was noted then. It's only really started happening in the last month, so I'm going to arrange for it to be booked in.

 

[johnsco]

Loose seatbelts annoy me too (especially when my partner seems to have the knack of jumping out of any car , somehow twisting the seatbelt round several times so that it cannot retract )

Sounds like your partner and Mrs J have much in common.

1. Try not to twist the seat belt, dearest ... It won't retract and looks a mess.
2. Try not to trap it it the door, dearest ... It nackers the webbing.
3. Try not to trap the buckle in the door, dearest ... It nackers the paint-work.
4. Try not to trap the seat belt in the door, dearest ... It will get all wet and muddy from road dirt and might spoil your frock.

Point No. 4 at least elicited a minor show of interest.

Rant over !!

 

[Aoraki]

Not petty at all, also a MOT failure if a seat belt doesn't fully retract.

 

[wxmclk]

I can assure you this is not petty and neither is your claim. I have taken my MB's back for much less- a warranty is a warranty after all.

 

[Merc Owner 2B]

Not petty at all, also a MOT failure if a seat belt doesn't fully retract.

Quite right.

Here is an extract from a testers guide which is defined as a failure.......

A retracting mechanism does not retract the webbing sufficiently to remove all the slack from the belt with the locking mechanism fastened and the seat unoccupied.

 

[petermansell]

you're not petty. Get them to change it.

+1

 

[bpsorrel]

+2

 

[Pappilo]

Off topic but are you the real Chris Akabusi?

 

[JohnDeere8530]

get it changed, that is what warranties are for

 

[stevesey]

Not petty at all, also a MOT failure if a seat belt doesn't fully retract.

Quite right.

Here is an extract from a testers guide which is defined as a failure.......

A retracting mechanism does not retract the webbing sufficiently to remove all the slack from the belt with the locking mechanism fastened and the seat unoccupied.

So actually failing to retract fully is not an MOT failure - failing to retract as far as it can when the buckle is engaged is. Still plenty of scope to pass that test and leave enough slack to get stuck caught up in the door.

Am I being petty?