Seatbelt Arm Broken, what to do

panzer948 · 07-08-2011, 12:19 PM

Hi all,
I have a coupe with the little robot arm that hands you the seat belt. Last night I got caught in the rain and jumped in rather quickly while trying to manhandle a large bag. Somehow the harness got caught on the seat belt arm and pulled on it hard. Now the arm doesn't fully retract and sticks out about 2 to 3 inches when at rest. But it still hooks and pushes the seat belt to you when needed. It just looks funny not fully retracted while at rest. Also, I guess it could get in the way a little if I needed to get in the back seat. So basically trying to figure out if this thing is worth fixing or not since it is still functional. Curious if it could be an easy DIY to make it right. Anyone have any experience with this arm??

Thanks,

slowSwede · 07-08-2011, 12:24 PM

Had that happen once when I was in a hurry.
I just snapped it back when it was in the extended position. Thought I had to buy a new arm, but I could just snap it back in place.

panzer948 · 07-08-2011, 12:33 PM

Yea I tried that. It goes back in place and will stay there. However, after extending back out it to assist you with seatbelt, it will not fully retract and stops short again about 2-3 inches from it's full resting spot. Who knows, maybe one day it will go back fully but I don't have much hope in that.

slowSwede · 07-08-2011, 02:32 PM

Maybe something broke on yours and didn't on mine?
It was some sort of plastic connector on the arm that had slid past it's should be position. It snapped back in place when the arm was extended and I pushed it back.
Mine was stuck maybe 4 cms from where it should be, just didn't fold to fit nicely in the allotted space.

AlterZgo · 07-08-2011, 02:56 PM

Maybe the dealer will fix it under warranty since it's a seatbelt/safety related issue.

70X200 · 07-08-2011, 03:12 PM

There is a DIY thread somewhere in here. Very simple fix. Takes longer to find the thread than it does to do the repair. It isn't actually broke. It just needs to be reset. I had to do that to mine a long time ago so without looking up the thread I can't remember the actual process. I do remember it was simple.

panzer948 · 07-08-2011, 03:56 PM

Ok cool.... I need to find that DIY since my car is no longer under warranty.

evicfinite · 07-08-2011, 04:07 PM

i think it's just popped out of the socket, just push it back in when its retracted outwards, till you see it snap back in.

panzer948 · 07-25-2011, 09:46 PM

Hi guys, totally forgot to respond to this. It's all good now. You were right. Just needed to be popped back in. I thought i was going to break it but I guess that's what it's meant to do. Thanks again...

Scotty335i · 09-23-2012, 10:24 AM

you didnt happen to find the thread did you? I'm having trouble finding it

John 070 · 09-23-2012, 11:46 AM

I got so mad once I ripped it all the way out, thinking I'd just get a new one. Then I saw it was nearly $400 for the part, and I pushed it all the way back in. Oddly, it's worked again ever since.

07-08-2011, 12:19 PM	#1
panzer948 Lieutenant 82 Rep 432 Posts Drives: F82 M4 (April 2015 ED) Join Date: May 2006 Location: Charlotte, N.C. iTrader: (0)	Seatbelt Arm Broken, what to do Hi all, I have a coupe with the little robot arm that hands you the seat belt. Last night I got caught in the rain and jumped in rather quickly while trying to manhandle a large bag. Somehow the harness got caught on the seat belt arm and pulled on it hard. Now the arm doesn't fully retract and sticks out about 2 to 3 inches when at rest. But it still hooks and pushes the seat belt to you when needed. It just looks funny not fully retracted while at rest. Also, I guess it could get in the way a little if I needed to get in the back seat. So basically trying to figure out if this thing is worth fixing or not since it is still functional. Curious if it could be an easy DIY to make it right. Anyone have any experience with this arm?? Thanks, __________________ ED Trip - April 2015: SO F82 M4 Link to Trip Report ED Trip - Jan. 2007: BS E92 335i Link to Trip Report
	Appreciate 0 Tweet Quote

07-08-2011, 12:24 PM	#2
slowSwede Lieutenant 21 Rep 549 Posts Drives: 335 coupe Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Skåne iTrader: (0)	Had that happen once when I was in a hurry. I just snapped it back when it was in the extended position. Thought I had to buy a new arm, but I could just snap it back in place.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-08-2011, 12:33 PM	#3
panzer948 Lieutenant 82 Rep 432 Posts Drives: F82 M4 (April 2015 ED) Join Date: May 2006 Location: Charlotte, N.C. iTrader: (0)	Yea I tried that. It goes back in place and will stay there. However, after extending back out it to assist you with seatbelt, it will not fully retract and stops short again about 2-3 inches from it's full resting spot. Who knows, maybe one day it will go back fully but I don't have much hope in that. __________________ ED Trip - April 2015: SO F82 M4 Link to Trip Report ED Trip - Jan. 2007: BS E92 335i Link to Trip Report
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-08-2011, 02:32 PM	#4
slowSwede Lieutenant 21 Rep 549 Posts Drives: 335 coupe Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Skåne iTrader: (0)	Maybe something broke on yours and didn't on mine? It was some sort of plastic connector on the arm that had slid past it's should be position. It snapped back in place when the arm was extended and I pushed it back. Mine was stuck maybe 4 cms from where it should be, just didn't fold to fit nicely in the allotted space.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-08-2011, 02:56 PM	#5
AlterZgo Lieutenant Colonel 1538 Rep 1,665 Posts Drives: 23 X3 M40i, 21 911S, 24 Taycan Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Gilbert, AZ iTrader: (0)	Maybe the dealer will fix it under warranty since it's a seatbelt/safety related issue.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-08-2011, 03:12 PM	#6
70X200 Private 2 Rep 81 Posts Drives: 2008 BMW M3 E92 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: No where in particular iTrader: (0)	There is a DIY thread somewhere in here. Very simple fix. Takes longer to find the thread than it does to do the repair. It isn't actually broke. It just needs to be reset. I had to do that to mine a long time ago so without looking up the thread I can't remember the actual process. I do remember it was simple.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-08-2011, 03:56 PM	#7
panzer948 Lieutenant 82 Rep 432 Posts Drives: F82 M4 (April 2015 ED) Join Date: May 2006 Location: Charlotte, N.C. iTrader: (0)	Ok cool.... I need to find that DIY since my car is no longer under warranty. __________________ ED Trip - April 2015: SO F82 M4 Link to Trip Report ED Trip - Jan. 2007: BS E92 335i Link to Trip Report
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-08-2011, 04:07 PM	#8
evicfinite Private First Class 13 Rep 147 Posts Drives: E92 BMW Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: in your mind iTrader: (0)	i think it's just popped out of the socket, just push it back in when its retracted outwards, till you see it snap back in. __________________ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2007 BMW 328i Coupe\|Sapphire Black\|Gray Poplar Wood Trim\|Premium Package\|Sports Package\|Navigation iDrive\|Park Distance\|Aero Body Kit\|Logic 7
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-25-2011, 09:46 PM	#9
panzer948 Lieutenant 82 Rep 432 Posts Drives: F82 M4 (April 2015 ED) Join Date: May 2006 Location: Charlotte, N.C. iTrader: (0)	Hi guys, totally forgot to respond to this. It's all good now. You were right. Just needed to be popped back in. I thought i was going to break it but I guess that's what it's meant to do. Thanks again... __________________ ED Trip - April 2015: SO F82 M4 Link to Trip Report ED Trip - Jan. 2007: BS E92 335i Link to Trip Report
	Appreciate 0 Quote

09-23-2012, 10:24 AM	#10
Scotty335i New Member 1 Rep 17 Posts Drives: 335i Coupe Join Date: May 2012 Location: Wigan, England, UK. iTrader: (0)	you didnt happen to find the thread did you? I'm having trouble finding it __________________ If in doubt, flat out!
	Appreciate 0 Quote

09-23-2012, 11:46 AM	#11
John 070 Lieutenant General 1705 Rep 14,829 Posts Drives: 335i cpe Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: ZSP/ZPP/ZCW iTrader: (0)	I got so mad once I ripped it all the way out, thinking I'd just get a new one. Then I saw it was nearly $400 for the part, and I pushed it all the way back in. Oddly, it's worked again ever since.
	Appreciate 0 Quote