[SONET]

Well, I'm loving my new 330Ci. Overall, I think the design was very well thought out. However, there are a few little things that I can't quite figure out. This is one of them:

<img src="http://home1.gte.net/res0jr6t/buckle.jpg">

Why does the seatbelt get hooked on the seat release?? The way it is designed, you can't tell if it was an accident or it was meant to be that way.

If it was an accident/mistake, it was a big oversight. How could one not notice that the seatbelt gets caught on the release?

If it was on purpose, it was poorly planned. The seatbelt just kind of hangs there all retarded, and when you shut the door the metal buckle hits the door or the trim and the plastic release surround. It's going to put unnecessary wear on these parts.

I know the convertable doesn't have this problem because the seatbelt is integrated into the seat, and the sedan doesn't have this problem because there is no release. Is there any reasonable way to get around this poor design on the coupe?

And am I the only one annoyed by this? :dunno:

--SONET

 

[nate]

Mine does it, I live with it...

 

[AF]

I thought it was supposed to get caught there so it''s easier to grab :dunno:

 

[ashecnc]

yep, its stupid, just like it took them two years to figure out the door seals were junk. I finally got pissed and raised hell to BMWNA when they kept telling me the door seals had no fix ( this was before the tsb). 40k for a car with the rubber seals split and falling on to the ground. IT was nice opening the door and rubber would just hang there or fall off. Then think, no fix? please, I was about to say never BMW again:dunno:

 

[SONET]

I thought it was supposed to get caught there so it''s easier to grab :dunno:

I can see where that might be true (although my seat is all the way back so it doesn't save much 'reach'). But the way it hangs there is just weird.

It doesn't always catch either. Also like I stated before, the way the buckle smacks into things just isn't right.

I guess I'm just a freak. :eeps:

--SONET

 

[ashecnc]

I can see where that might be true (although my seat is all the way back so it doesn't save much 'reach'). But the way it hangs there is just weird.

It doesn't always catch either. Also like I stated before, the way the buckle smacks into things just isn't right.

I guess I'm just a freak. :eeps:

--SONET

I agree with that, on my passenger side..I have the latch pulled up to the top when the belt comes out to it does not hit the seat while driving..can't stand to here knock knock knock over there..so Sonet, we are both freaks

 

[The HACK]

yep, its stupid, just like it took them two years to figure out the door seals were junk. I finally got pissed and raised hell to BMWNA when they kept telling me the door seals had no fix ( this was before the tsb). 40k for a car with the rubber seals split and falling on to the ground. IT was nice opening the door and rubber would just hang there or fall off. Then think, no fix? please, I was about to say never BMW again:dunno:

They finally figured it out?! Man oh man, when did they figure it out? It's been like this since the first BMW I've ever seen, an '87 528e. The weatherstrip would tear and fall off after about 1 year of use, and it's on every BMW I've ever seen since.

If they did figure it out, it'd have taken them at least 14 years, not just two.

 

[paul330ci]

I am constantly amazed at some of the questions. Every two door car (coupe) I've owned has an issue with the seat belt. It has to do with the long doors.

The only real solution is like the 850 where the belts are built in to the seat itself. As I recall Mercedes use to have an arm that came up and handed the seat belt to the user - I don't know if this is still the case.

At any rate. The question is inane.

 

[Chris330Ci]

I thought it was supposed to get caught there so it''s easier to grab :dunno:

I'm with you Alan. But I guess now that I think about it, was it meant to be or not..? :dunno: I do know that when the passenger side gets hooked and I have the windows down, the contant flapping really gets on my nerves so I have to reach over and unhook it.

 

[AF]

I'm with you Alan. But I guess now that I think about it, was it meant to be or not..? :dunno: I do know that when the passenger side gets hooked and I have the windows down, the contant flapping really gets on my nerves so I have to reach over and unhook it.

Great minds think a like just at which model, color and options we went with

 

[Ack]

I'm with you Alan. But I guess now that I think about it, was it meant to be or not..? :dunno: I do know that when the passenger side gets hooked and I have the windows down, the contant flapping really gets on my nerves so I have to reach over and unhook it.

Chris330ci - this is the WORST! I've had to do this on many occasions. That buckle just rattles and the seatbelt flutters so badly it sounds like a helicopter is landing on my roof! (well, maybe it isn't that loud/bad).

The way the release latch is curved, it does seem like to was designed to catch the seatbelt. :dunno:

 

[ashecnc]

They finally figured it out?! Man oh man, when did they figure it out? It's been like this since the first BMW I've ever seen, an '87 528e. The weatherstrip would tear and fall off after about 1 year of use, and it's on every BMW I've ever seen since.

If they did figure it out, it'd have taken them at least 14 years, not just two.

Let me rephrase that, they finally figured out the rubber needed to be glued in, cuz it was getting SLAMMED into the door hence tearing it. After a year, no more signs of damage, marks, and the door shuts perfect. I now have to do the passenger door, been putting it off

 

[cenotaph]

Uuummm.

1) You're a freak. It's a feature. If you used a proper (read closer) seating position you'd realize this.

2) If you put the buckle in the "hook" it doesn't flap around.

I do, however, purposely place my belt there whenever I get out of the car, so I don't have a problem with the belt getting caught instead of the buckle.

 

[JerryL]

I happen to like where the belt hooks in because it is easier for me to grab when I am buckling up.

 

[alanra]

welcome to the world of coupes

most front seat-belts on coupes have these kind of catching/retraction issues. it's because you don't have that nice pillar between the front and the back seats to put a seat belt on, so engineers need to loop them through the door. It's the price you pay for having a cooler looking ride

 

[ALEX325i]

Sonet,

What you illustrated with that pic used to annoy the heck out of me too... But then, I started to "like" it (way back when I had a 323Ci), since it made my life easier when grabbing the seat belt...

 

[dredmo]

my seatbelt hangs up the same way 330ci new one too, oh well they have to have something to improve on, better the seatbelt than the motor =P

it is annoying though, cuz sometimes it hangs up when you try to pull it