Central Rear Seatbelt (and Other Niggles)

[terryhfs]

I'm not sure how many people have suffered from this, but the only other Berlingo owner I know personally has experienced it.

(2003 1.6 16v Forte, comfort pack, safety pack, styling pack, modutop, air con)

The central rear seatbelt seems to be of the standard inertia reel type, which means that if it is inverted it locks. Unfortunately, when you fold the rear seat it inverts the belt and it locks. there's then not enough slack on the belt to release the lock and you can't put the seat back into the upright position.

My local dealer (Tanfield) just dismantled the seat, put everything back the right way up and said "don't do it again" which wasn't much help really.

The solution I've found is to always have the central seatbelt clipped into the catch. That way, when you fold the seat up and try to put it back upright again, you'll find that the belt has locked, but you can now use the slack from releasing the catch to free the mechanism and put the seat back again.

Isn't this a serious design flaw ? Shouldn't the central rear seatbelt have a different design ? I can imagine this jamming away from home and then not being able to carry passengers home again without cutting through the belt or something.

My other ongoing fault is wiht the stereo - if I'm listening to CD and push the TA button I'm then treated to 2 seconds of whatever is tuned to FM radio preset 4 every single minute. Tanfield say they will change the stereo for this problem though.

Other faults I've had, but now fixed are;

1) Insane indicator stalk - indicate left, turn left, centre wheel - find that you are now indicating right.
2) Wayward bonnet release - kept loosening and jabbing passengers in ankle
3) Driver's door lock (via key) not working. Was fixed but is doing it again now, key just spins round
4) Driver's window making amusing loud "Clunk" every time it was wound down.
5) Niggle this one - when car was delivered, modutop was really dirty and grubby.
6) Modubox - erm, isn't the handle too short to actually use this thing ?

Other than that, this is the best car I've ever owned I think, certainly up there with my AX GT and Mehari.

Cheers,

Terry...

[StephenM]

I got a locked belt (see my post somewhere on this forum) - dealer had to replace the whole seatbelt assembly as they could get the seat back up! fine since then (over a year and 20k miles later)

Indicator switches are a weak point - mine went twice, but has been fine for a year now. Its a known fault where the switch breaks - second time i got a jammed on indicator!

[terryhfs]

So do you think there's a batch of cars with the wrong seatbelt fitted in the rear ? A normal inertia reel belt will always lock when inverted so maybe there's a modified version that's supposed to go in there ?

Thanks,

Terry...

[clanixion]

This happend twice in quick succesion to the Gold Bling - an 03 plate - but has never troubled my Silver Bling - a 54 plate. I have the seats up and down regularly and so far so good.

[DesdinovaUK]

Just happened to me tonight for the first time (53 reg)

Yes it's rather difficult transporting 4 people with only 3 seats

[DesdinovaUK]

Dealer in Folkestone released the seat in 30 mins this morning - but have strict instructions not to fold away seat until replacement part is obtained next week.

[Johndouglas]

The same thing has just happened to my Xantia estate. I've always kept the rear seats folded, and yet when ever I've needed to carry back-seat passengers, the seats have come up OK - until recently. Hell of a job to get the centre belt released.

[Terry1100]

Just to "bump" this thread.

 

Our centre rear jammed a few weeks ago (seats upright) - we kept it as a "get it done next time we're in" job as we rarely need more thean the outer two rear belts.

 

The trouble is, over the weekend, I tipped the seats for the first time since it jammed - and now I can't get the seat back up !!!!!!!

 

Fortunately (as it were :angry: ) SWMBO has an injured hand so she's driving the C2 this week as its easier.

 

We'll see what happens when we get it in one day this week - I had a quick look but couldn't get anywhere near the mechanism. I reckon its about halfway down the back of the seat.

 

:P :angry: :angry:

[iannez]

the seat belt wont release if the seat is not upright. the strap has a plastic pip to stop it reeling in to far and what is happening is the trim on the top of the seat that stops the pip going through is opening allowing the pip to pass causing the seat belt to jam. you dont have to get to the mech. if you have the seat down get in the boot and you will see the belt fixing on the bottom of the seat back. it is a pin with a clip. remove the clip and draw the pin noting how the spring is located. then you can lift the seat back up and the belt will draw out. citroen have a modified trim for the top of the seat where the torx screws go through both front and back parts of trim instead of just the bac stopping it from opening.