Seat belt retractor connector removal

[Plum01PT]

Hi all. I'm trying to remove the driver's side front seat belt retractor assembly
because it locked up and won't extend. I have two connectors on the
retractor; one for the seat belt light, the other for a charge port that activates
if you're in an accident. I cannot get the charge port connector off the
retractor. There is no lock clip on the plug and it won't pull out. I have factory
service manual and it mentions nothing special. I've seen others with a
locking clip like most automotive connectors have today. Picture attached. Any ideas?

[soonercruiser]

My guess would be (since the connection areas are round) that it might rotate to remove and tighten...much like headlight bulbs.

[Plum01PT]

Well, I found the answer . . . there are apparently a few years where the plug on the pretensioner is permanently connected to the seat belt assembly and uses a pigtail to the wire harness up inside the B pillar, which I didn't see until I tried to pull more wire out to figure out what was going on. Mine is a 2001. The seat belt assembly I bought was from a 2003. The auto salvage cross reference showed these fit 2001 - 2005 but that's not true as far as the pretensioner plug goes. Everything else was correct. I had to exchange it and they found a 2002 that fit. ARGH! That was driving me crazy!

[rckstein]

Thanks for coming back to report the fix, could help someone else out in the future facing a similar situation.