passive restraints work sometimes?

[mechanicguy]

Hello all,
I have a 91 Festiva with 87,000 miles on her. I have the ford repair manual and have been reading on the automatic seatbelts and I am NOT an electrician by any means. Basically whats going on is the passenger belt works all the time no problems. The driver side works only sometimes. The door buzz's everytime I am open it so, I know it's not that thingy. The fuses look good. WHAT else could be the problem?

Should I take it in and have a professional look at it or is it something simple (loose wire) that could be happening. I have not busted into yet because I'm great at taking things apart but not so great a putting them back together. HA.

Thanks for all your help,
Denny

[stefan]

It could still be the door switch. The electric belts have a separate switch! The switch in the door jamb is just for your interior light. The electric belts use a switch located in the door latch its-self! Perhaps try lubeing up the door latch.

If that dosen't work, I hear the control module under your drivers seat is a common thing to go wrong too! (Try replacing it, JY item, or FMS has them new for a decent price)

[CharlieZ]

mechanicguy = "I'm great at taking things apart but not so great a putting them back together." Oh-Oh! There are a lot of potential problem points. Checking all the connections and grounds would be a place to start
Here's the wiring diagram.

[jglutz]

If you were sitting in the rear driver's side seat, on the plastic wall panel where you left knee would be is a small (3/4") button that can be removed.
Remove the plug and insert a 5mm hex key (allen wrench), the factory supplied one in the glove box. while turning the wrench the clasp on the door track shouls easily fully extend to the side mirror or retract to the running position.

If the clasp moves easily...the problem is most likely electrcial. If it does not move well, the motor or more likey the cable drive is shot.

If you pull the plastic panel covering the motor...right behind where the wrench was inserted..is the motor and cable drive. If I remeber correctly their is a fuse in the wiring at the motor.

[BigWheel]

If you were sitting in the rear driver's side seat, on the plastic wall panel where you left knee would be is a small (3/4") button that can be removed.
Remove the plug and insert a 5mm hex key (allen wrench), the factory supplied one in the glove box. while turning the wrench the clasp on the door track shouls easily fully extend to the side mirror or retract to the running position.

If the clasp moves easily...the problem is most likely electrcial. If it does not move well, the motor or more likey the cable drive is shot.

If you pull the plastic panel covering the motor...right behind where the wrench was inserted..is the motor and cable drive. If I remeber correctly their is a fuse in the wiring at the motor.

This is good stuff because neither of my electric belts work. They are both in running position so I can buckle up but one is a little higher than the other. I love this site