Thread: 04+ Interior Swap - Seat Belts

For those that have put the 04+ seats into your 97-03, how did you address the fact that the seat belts are hard to connect; you have to wiggle and jiggle for it to lock, because you have 97-03 male end and 04+ female end (buckle). I had read where one person was going to swap the buckle from his old seat, but I never saw a follow up, and it appears to be not that simple. The 97-03 one just unbolts, but the 04+ one is strange, turns to cable that is wrapped around a piece, and has a tubular arm that goes to the front of the seat. So, no easy swap.

Picture from the write-up on GTP World.....





So far mine has always connected, but you have to really wiggle and jiggle it sometimes, and I can see that getting very annoying.

http://www.grandprixforums.net/threads/89417-Help-with-2006-seat-swap-into-1998-seat-belt-issues

http://www.grandprixforums.net/threa...-seats-in-a-98

http://www.grandprixforums.net/threa...ng-04-08-seats

http://www.clubgp.com/newforum/tm.as...de=&s=#4232464

Originally Posted by wstefan20

Have been meaning to do a write up on this for some time since I ran into this too. This "tubular arm" is actually the side air bag (which for safety reasons I recommend removing since we have no way of hooking it up, and the idea of something that could just blow up for no reason on my seat is a bit terrifying). I'll have to take some pictures, but all I did was locate the disconnect for the air bag plug and the seat belt switch wire, unbolt the assembly, and then bolt the old seat belt to the frame (same thread size and everything). You'll have to disconnect the seat belt switch from the old seat, and I can't remember if it's identical or if you have to splice the wires. Anyways, all the seat belt switch is is a closed circuit to turn off the light on the dash, so the old one works no matter which way you hook it up (or just connect both and bypass it altogether if you are feeling like being unsafe). The only side note is that it bends the "buckle sheath" a bit, but don't be alarmed as you cannot see it once it's installed.

Passenger seat is exactly the same, but on 97-03 there is no passenger side seat belt switch to worry about so don't fret about that and just cut it back to the wire harness so it doesn't get tangled in something!

Hope this information helps someone! I'll try to post some pictures and do a write up soon.

Thanks for posting this. I new there had to be a logically way, and I would have never thought that tube was an air-bag. I will pull the passenger seat and mess with it first.

Originally Posted by wstefan20

Only reason I found out about this is completely stripping one of these seats at the junkyard down to the metal frame and completely re-wiring the wiring harness to get the heated seats to work! lol
I'll try to post something tonight if I have time to help your process, but if I remember correctly, you can access the bolts to remove the airbag assembly by un-doing the velcro on the fabric that wraps around the lower part of the rear seat hinges (not sure if that makes any sense without a picture), and pulling up slightly on the leather and foam to expose one or two bolts that hold it on (again sorry. If my wife wasn't driving my car right now I'd take some pictures).

Any pics will help, but I may dive in tonight if the rain holds off. Gotta love being able to fold the passenger seat up and remove it in a jiffy.

Originally Posted by dirtyape

When i swapped 04 seats into my 97, had to go to the dumpster and retrieve the seat belt parts from the 97 seats. The 04 unbolted and the 97 ones bolted right in. I don't remember any wires or airbags but i did this 10 yrs ago. It has been fine ever since.

Thanks for the reply. Maybe the cloth seats didn't have airbags, or maybe different models. I have an idea of how the seat belt comes off, so the next chance I get I will practice on the passenger seat (easier to remove).

Got the buckles swapped, but they are sitting to hi.



The 04+ buckle:





Alignment tab:





15mm nut:













I cut-off this to separate the belt from the bracket:







Cut-off some steal that was in the way:





Bolted together:





No more wiggling and jiggling, but they are sitting to hi:





Did the same on the drivers side, just had the electrical wire to deal with.

In regards to the height, I was going to attach the buckle to the stud at the rear of the seat, but it didn't line up nicely. Might have to go back and go that route. Time for some measuring.

Originally Posted by wstefan20

...This "tubular arm" is actually the side air bag (which for safety reasons I recommend removing since we have no way of hooking it up, and the idea of something that could just blow up for no reason on my seat is a bit terrifying)

This isn't entirely correct, but it is part of the SIR system...

That black tube is actually a seat belt tensioner. a really strong spring that is held under tension by a tiny little clip and release mechanism... When the front airbags get the signal to fire, this bar gets the same signal and fires, allowing the spring to pull the cable routed through the seat belt strap and the buckle, tightening the seat belt in an instant and keeping your ass firmly planted in the seat during a frontal collision.

The side airbags are either in the B pillar, or in the top half of the seat in the side bolster. My car doesn't have side airbags, but it has that tube.

Plus, the tube is on the inboard side of the seat, which would be pointless in a side impact if it was an airbag. Just sayin...

Originally Posted by WarStryker13

This isn't entirely correct, but it is part of the SIR system...

That black tube is actually a seat belt tensioner. a really strong spring that is held under tension by a tiny little clip and release mechanism... When the front airbags get the signal to fire, this bar gets the same signal and fires, allowing the spring to pull the cable routed through the seat belt strap and the buckle, tightening the seat belt in an instant and keeping your ass firmly planted in the seat during a frontal collision.

The side airbags are either in the B pillar, or in the top half of the seat in the side bolster. My car doesn't have side airbags, but it has that tube.

Plus, the tube is on the inboard side of the seat, which would be pointless in a side impact if it was an airbag. Just sayin...

I thought it was a strange place for an airbag. Now I can't blow them up. LOL

Originally Posted by wstefan20

IJust used the mounting bolt you pictured and height is the same. Feels a bit off at first since it didn't bolt exactly up, but the plastic bends when installing seat and looks factory to me. And height is the same.

Thanks. I new I should have held my ground and forced them on. Now I get to remove the seats for a third time. Yay.

Funny thing is that hours before I swapped the buckles, I went for lunch with a buddy. I said nothing of the seats, and he buckled in twice with no problems.

That buckle sure moved a lot. Very cool.

This is the proper way to attach the buckles.....

that looks so much more in place.

Dis you swap the rear seat at all? Interested in how to get the child seat loops that go in between the top and bottom half of the rear seat. Looked at one in the junkyard and it appears it is part of the metal bracket behind the seats in the rear.

Originally Posted by Scottydoggs

that looks so much more in place.

Yup. Although it was hard to get it there. The seatbelt needs more curve to it, so you have to force it into place this way.

Originally Posted by wstefan20

nice work with the wire loom! I might get up enough motivation to do that eventually.... you did exactly what I did, just made it look better... haha

The loom is to hide my ugly wiring, that will never be seen. LOL

Originally Posted by green97

Dis you swap the rear seat at all? Interested in how to get the child seat loops that go in between the top and bottom half of the rear seat. Looked at one in the junkyard and it appears it is part of the metal bracket behind the seats in the rear.

Haven't done the rears yet; will be a few more weeks, at least. I won't have that problem, as my anchors are in the rear deck lid.....