Seat Belt Retracts Poorly & Can't Find A Replacement

1995 LS 400 · September 6, 2012

My 95 LS 400 has had a poorly (at best) retracting seat belt on passenger side. We've had a very difficult time finding a replacement belt. Although I prefer tan to match my others, I'd take any color now just to make it safer. My wife is developing a complex thinking that I don't really care or want to fix it so she can ride safely.....but honestly, multiple efforts have turned up no supply of after-market or used.

I don't think it can be repaired.

Suggestions?

1990LS400 · September 6, 2012

Seat belts are awfully important. How pricey is a new one at an online discounter like Sewell with a car forum discount?

steve2006 · September 7, 2012

I have a black one from a 1997 model if that's any help except it would be the driver's side being a UK model, the only problems are the shipping cost and the fact it has the SRS fitted so may be a restricted shipping item.

yotoy82 · September 9, 2012

Just replaced both driver and passenger side on my LS400.

1. Junk yards have them but they are usually already exploded and not a safe item.

2. Tan color for passenger side is discontinued.

3. Even if the drivers side is working fine, when you replace one side, you will see how fresh and new it is and what an amazing retraction it has that you might want to replace both!

4. Sewell refuses to ship this part due to hazardous shipping issues.

5. 73210-50082 is the part number for Passenger I believe, 73220-50082 is for the drivers side, and then add E0 or B0 or something at the end means the color, ie 73210-50082E0. Driver available in Tan, Passenger available in like Blue or Grey or something, it doesn't look bad. Part is roughly $180-230 depending on who you find online. The one I found, can't recall now, ended up calling me back on my phone and saying it would cost extra $40 bucks to ship due to hazardous material (ie can't be flown has to be driven), GOOGLE THESE PART NUMBERS TO FIND SELLERS!

6. Changing them out a regular dealer wants 1.5 hour for each side, a Toyota dealer that charges maybe $80 an hour will cost you $120 labor. I found out the body shop at the Toyota dealer charges $50 an hour labor and I was like well, they fix cars in accidents all the time they should be able to do it in faster time at a lower rate and actually better than a mechanic with all the trim pieces, only charged me $50.

So roughly $240 Shipped for one seatbelt of a grey color for passenger side and maybe $80 labor, roughly $300, or you could do it yourself, great tutorials online here, just a few bolts, trim pieces, some good instructions in the box, but for safety sake and fear of releasing a lever, let a pro do it. Expensive, yes. Worth it in an accident.. YES. Lexus sometimes honors a warranty on these but you have to have a lexus dealer show they are completely failed.

Also some tutorials on here on how to take it out and clean it. Sometimes they are just so dirty!

billydpowell · September 9, 2012

My 95 LS 400 has had a poorly (at best) retracting seat belt on passenger side. We've had a very difficult time finding a replacement belt. Although I prefer tan to match my others, I'd take any color now just to make it safer. My wife is developing a complex thinking that I don't really care or want to fix it so she can ride safely.....but honestly, multiple efforts have turned up no supply of after-market or used.

I don't think it can be repaired.

Suggestions?

You hide where you are, so, dont they have any salvage yards there?? does craigslist operate where you are?? they are always parting out cars on it.. but you can probably go to the dealer and get one if all else fails.

yotoy82 · September 10, 2012

There is a proper way to remove the seatbelts, if you don't do it, kinda ruins it. I can't explain it exactly but there is some latch or lever, most salvage yards don't remove them properly.. Most salvage yards seatbelts have already exploded from accidents as well, and even if they haven't they will also not retract well. Its worth a gamble if you only pay $35 from a salvage yard, they also don't mind shipping it without a hazardous fee apparently (dangerous). I guess its worth a try, I wouldn't personally, because the two I got were bad and they refunded my money and told me to just throw them away (and you can't just throw unexploded ones in the trash like normal garbage, these are explosive devices!).