S212 rear center seat belt won't pull out
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Member
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 85
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From: Birmingham, Alabama
'11 E350 4Matic Wagon
S212 rear center seat belt won't pull out
Hi all, suddenly, after folding down the rear seat backs this morning, the center rear seatbelt in our '11 wagon won't pull out. It still has the little plastic button, but even after taking the top side valance off, I couldn't seem to jab at anything that would release the tensioner. I've looked all over online and haven't seen this as an issue. Thoughts? I'll consult the WIS, too, I guess, if no one has info. Just didn't want to take apart rear seatback if that wasn't necessary. If I get it unstuck, do you just lube it up and go? TIA!
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2010 E550, 273 Engine: 2012 S550, 278 Engine
Hi all, suddenly, after folding down the rear seat backs this morning, the center rear seatbelt in our '11 wagon won't pull out. It still has the little plastic button, but even after taking the top side valance off, I couldn't seem to jab at anything that would release the tensioner. I've looked all over online and haven't seen this as an issue. Thoughts? I'll consult the WIS, too, I guess, if no one has info. Just didn't want to take apart rear seatback if that wasn't necessary. If I get it unstuck, do you just lube it up and go? TIA!
I would think it is a single bolt holding the end of the belt that you access by removing the rear seat. No need to tear into the seatback.
This is not a lube issue either. If the belt is tightly wound it just means it wound just a bit too far and won’t release from the brake or lock built in it.
This same exact thing happened to my 2017 Durango and the only way was to unbolt the end of the belt to get the belt winder to release.
Last edited by Arrie; Jan 17, 2021 at 11:50 AM.
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'11 E350, '11 E550, '98 M3, '95 E320
As @Arrie the mechanism is likely just stuck. Can you not feed any more belt "in" to try and release the lock? There's is a small plastic button on the belt, to keep it from retracting to far in. If the belt is all the way into that point, you can't feed it in anymore.
Does the belt pull out a little and lock? If so, I've had success jiggling the seat back and belt to "release" it.
Does the belt pull out a little and lock? If so, I've had success jiggling the seat back and belt to "release" it.
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Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 85
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From: Birmingham, Alabama
'11 E350 4Matic Wagon
Is the belt tightly rolled in? If it is and there is no slack on it I think the only way to fix it is to to take the end of the belt loose to give it slack to allow the winding roller to release.
I would think it is a single bolt holding the end of the belt that you access by removing the rear seat. No need to tear into the seatback.
This is not a lube issue either. If the belt is tightly wound it just means it wound just a bit too far and won’t release from the brake or lock built in it.
This same exact thing happened to my 2017 Durango and the only way was to unbolt the end of the belt to get the belt winder to release.
I would think it is a single bolt holding the end of the belt that you access by removing the rear seat. No need to tear into the seatback.
This is not a lube issue either. If the belt is tightly wound it just means it wound just a bit too far and won’t release from the brake or lock built in it.
This same exact thing happened to my 2017 Durango and the only way was to unbolt the end of the belt to get the belt winder to release.
As @Arrie the mechanism is likely just stuck. Can you not feed any more belt "in" to try and release the lock? There's is a small plastic button on the belt, to keep it from retracting to far in. If the belt is all the way into that point, you can't feed it in anymore.
Does the belt pull out a little and lock? If so, I've had success jiggling the seat back and belt to "release" it.
Does the belt pull out a little and lock? If so, I've had success jiggling the seat back and belt to "release" it.
I guess you just have to take apart the seat? Undoing the bottom anchor won't do anything if the belt won't feed past the plastic button, I'd think.
For some reason, my WIS copy isn't working right, either. Do I take the back of the seat off? Looks like two cleats at the top of the seat held on by twin torx screws, but that might just be for the cargo cover when it attaches to seat.
Last edited by Luddyludwick; Jan 18, 2021 at 08:33 AM.
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2012 CLS63
Hi all, suddenly, after folding down the rear seat backs this morning, the center rear seatbelt in our
t still has the little plastic button, but even after taking the top side valance off, I couldn't seem to jab at anything that would release the tensioner. I've looked all over online and haven't seen this as an issue. Thoughts? I'll consult the WIS, too, I guess, if no one has info. Just didn't want to take apart rear seatback if that wasn't necessary. If I get it unstuck, do you just lube it up and go? TIA!
'11 wagon won't pull out. I
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'11 E350, '11 E550, '98 M3, '95 E320
It's all the way back to the button, unfortunately. I tried to stick a flathead through the two holes behind the belt feed, but no luck. I thought maybe the brake was up at the top in case something like this happens.
I guess you just have to take apart the seat? Undoing the bottom anchor won't do anything if the belt won't feed past the plastic button, I'd think.
For some reason, my WIS copy isn't working right, either. Do I take the back of the seat off? Looks like two cleats at the top of the seat held on by twin torx screws, but that might just be for the cargo cover when it attaches to seat.
I guess you just have to take apart the seat? Undoing the bottom anchor won't do anything if the belt won't feed past the plastic button, I'd think.
For some reason, my WIS copy isn't working right, either. Do I take the back of the seat off? Looks like two cleats at the top of the seat held on by twin torx screws, but that might just be for the cargo cover when it attaches to seat.
Maybe try folding it again, and giving it a good slam when locking it upright.
I’ll take a look in WIS later.
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Thread Starter
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Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 85
Likes: 36
From: Birmingham, Alabama
'11 E350 4Matic Wagon
Thanks for the WIS pages!
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 85
Likes: 36
From: Birmingham, Alabama
'11 E350 4Matic Wagon
Am I reading correctly in the WIS for replace/repair that the seatbelt isn't a repairable part? Is there really that much of a danger from the spring. I figured this seatbelt doesn't have the automatic retractors, and would be pretty simple to work on.
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'11 E350, '11 E550, '98 M3, '95 E320
Repairable as in parts available from MB to repair it, then no. It's replaced as an assembly. That said, could it be taken apart, probably. The warning is likely safety related due to risk of flying parts if the spring lets go due to improper disassembly.
A new center seatbelt assembly is ~$200.
A new center seatbelt assembly is ~$200.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 85
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From: Birmingham, Alabama
'11 E350 4Matic Wagon
Repairable as in parts available from MB to repair it, then no. It's replaced as an assembly. That said, could it be taken apart, probably. The warning is likely safety related due to risk of flying parts if the spring lets go due to improper disassembly.
A new center seatbelt assembly is ~$200.
A new center seatbelt assembly is ~$200.
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Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 358
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2015 E250 Bluetec
Did you ever make progress on this?
I thought that I had the same issue a while back (on sedan) but then realized that the center seatbelt simply has a very sensitive tilt sensor that locks the belt in anything but the normal seated position. Even a few degrees off and it locks, I assume this is a safety feature for rollovers. I actually started to take the seatback apart before I realized that it worked, but only at just the right angle. Not sure if this is your issue but I figured it'd be worth sharing.
I thought that I had the same issue a while back (on sedan) but then realized that the center seatbelt simply has a very sensitive tilt sensor that locks the belt in anything but the normal seated position. Even a few degrees off and it locks, I assume this is a safety feature for rollovers. I actually started to take the seatback apart before I realized that it worked, but only at just the right angle. Not sure if this is your issue but I figured it'd be worth sharing.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 85
Likes: 36
From: Birmingham, Alabama
'11 E350 4Matic Wagon
Did you ever make progress on this?
I thought that I had the same issue a while back (on sedan) but then realized that the center seatbelt simply has a very sensitive tilt sensor that locks the belt in anything but the normal seated position. Even a few degrees off and it locks, I assume this is a safety feature for rollovers. I actually started to take the seatback apart before I realized that it worked, but only at just the right angle. Not sure if this is your issue but I figured it'd be worth sharing.
I thought that I had the same issue a while back (on sedan) but then realized that the center seatbelt simply has a very sensitive tilt sensor that locks the belt in anything but the normal seated position. Even a few degrees off and it locks, I assume this is a safety feature for rollovers. I actually started to take the seatback apart before I realized that it worked, but only at just the right angle. Not sure if this is your issue but I figured it'd be worth sharing.
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2015 E250 Bluetec
Thread Starter
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Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 85
Likes: 36
From: Birmingham, Alabama
'11 E350 4Matic Wagon
I meant to follow up here. I'm embarrassed to say that, when I unbolted the bottom bolt of the seatbelt, it came right up. Weirdest thing ever. Thanks for the help in here, as otherwise I'd have had to take apart the whole back seat. Bottom cushion was no problem, of course. Love this board!
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Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 85
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From: Birmingham, Alabama
'11 E350 4Matic Wagon
And checking back in...every time I fold the seat, it locks up again...and then I have to undo the torx bolt. So, I'm examining this a bit more...we're loaning our van to friends for a bit, so anytime I have something big to haul, the wagon is it...so it's getting very old having to constantly fix this! Will report back if anything is found.
