Seat Belt Tab and Buckle TOO LOW

[user 1096]

I'm 6'3" and don't have the driver's seat elevated much (just enough to be BMW comfortable with the steering wheel), but I find reaching for the lap belt tab along the door/B-pillar and then poking for the buckle on the right edge of the seat to be unnecessarily difficult. BOTH are TOO LOW --even for long-armed me, so I can't imagine what shorter people with raised seat elevations are going through.

I know that I am going to ask my dealer to install one of the plastic-headed "nails" that all my last 30 years of BMWs have had, several inches ABOVE where the gather or pleat in the belt holds the tongue/tab. I'll still have to poke around on the right for the short stumpy buckle (why aren't they the standard BMW height????) but at least I won't spend 15 seconds groping first for the tab.

 

[GranTourer]

Had my i3 for a few weeks now and still occasionally dig deep down the right trying to find the buckle too.

 

[BoMW]

Oh yes this is a definite bug bare of mine especially when I try to belt up my mother in the passenger seat, why it could have not been an inch longer I don't know?!

 

[DAZ]

Someone suggested, I and took their advice. I pulled the buckle up around shoulder level and placed a lapel pin to hold it up to the proper level. Works good.

 

[surferdudetoku]

If you see the owner's manual there is a picture of the seat belt. The buckle is pictured much higher. I dont know why!!

Anyways, i think BMW designed to locate the buckle low to avoid hitting the driver when a rear passenger closed the door.

 

[i3atl]

I just ordered these from my local dealer:

72111950829 x 2
72111917406 x 2

They're the factory "buttons" that are used to hold the buckle up on other BMW models - should solve this issue.

 

[Lincsat]

I have always used a seat belt extension clipped into the fastener, it helps when you have Arthritis in the wrists & hands.

 

[srswans]

+1

Buckle rests below left hip (for a USA driver) and I have to use my left hand to grab the buckle and then pass it to my right hand to latch it. My other BMWs have the buckle at left shoulder which I can reach with my right hand and buckle in one smooth motion.

 

[FrancisJeffries]

I have always used a seat belt extension clipped into the fastener, it helps when you have Arthritis in the wrists & hands.

Me too. The buckles are so low down, it's hard to find and then clip the belts in . And it's a nightmare with a disabled passenger!

Which seat belt extension do you recommend, Lincsat?

 

[Lincsat]

I have these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2x-Adjust-Car-Vechile-Auto-Rear-Seat-Belt-21mm-Buckle-Extender-Extension-Lock-/131416069348?

You can also get longer ones with a strap between the buckle and clasp

 

[jadnashuanh]

For the price of the plastic button (costs more than it should around $4US) from the dealer, you can install another one at your preferred height. You'll need something to heat up and melt the pointy end of the half that pierces the webbing to anchor it in place (maybe a soldering iron, or maybe the tip of a screwdriver heated in a flame).

 

[i3atl]

I just ordered these from my local dealer:

72111950829 x 2
72111917406 x 2

They're the factory "buttons" that are used to hold the buckle up on other BMW models - should solve this issue.

FYI, these work out great. They look completely stock and you can put the buckle where you expect it to be.

At shoulder height, the buckle will rattle when you open and close the rear door, so I applied some velcro felt to the top of the buckle (away from the belt path) so that it's not plastic on plastic.

I haven't done the passenger side yet because of the rattling issue, but the velcro on the buckle is working well, so I'll probably do that side soon.

 

[FrancisJeffries]

There are two topics running in this thread!
One is about where the male part (the "tab"?) rests on the belt when it's not deployed, which can be fixed by putting a cheap button through the belt to hold the tongue part where you want it.
The other - which is the one that troubles me - is about the female socket down beside the seat. It's is almost impossible to find because it's so low when you're actually sitting in the seat :x . I've ordered a pair of extenders for the latter problem as suggested by Lincsat (for which, thanks).
I can't think why BMW didn't put a longer extension on the sockets, unless it was to save weight.

 

[I33t]

I can't think why BMW didn't put a longer extension on the sockets, unless it was to save weight.

Could it be for correct seat belt placement on the standard sized driver?

Extend the buckle and you change the seatbelt geometry.

 

[i3atl]

Extend the buckle and you change the seatbelt geometry.

I agree, I wouldn't feel comfortable modifying that with anything other than a solution that was approved for the i3 by BMW.

 

[jadnashuanh]

I can't remember if the socket end is attached to the seat or not. Does the seat height affect where it is? I have mine all the way down for maximum headroom and it doesn't seem problematic to me.

 

[FrancisJeffries]

Does the seat height affect where it is?

It does, and that's the problem.
I have the seat on the highest setting, and so the buckle is right down low beside the seat cushion, not above it where it can be got at easily. Putting an extender in will get the geometry right again for the high seat position.

 

[tonyemerson]

Buy a chip clip (the kind used to keep potato chip bags closed) at your local supermarket, put it on the seatbelt at the height you want it.

 

[FrancisJeffries]

Buy a chip clip (the kind used to keep potato chip bags closed) at your local supermarket, put it on the seatbelt at the height you want it.

That doesn't do anything about the problem half the posters on this forum are complaining about: Seat Belt Tab and Buckle TOO LOW!
It's not about the tab - it's about where the tab fits beside the seat - which is TOO LOW!.

 

[jadnashuanh]

If you stop in a Nissan dealership, they do make an extension for the Leaf (at least I saw it on the USA website)...see if the tab size/shape is close enough for it to latch. Cost was about $45US.