Service Procedure

1. Remove the bolt cover from the base of the driver's seat belt buckle.

2. Remove the seat belt buckle retaining bolt from the seat.

Important
In order to remove a driver's seat belt buckle there is an electrical connector that must be disconnected and a wiring harness that needs to be routed out from under the seat assembly in the next step. This wiring harness is not used on the right front passenger seat.

3. Disconnect the electrical connector from the seat belt buckle wiring harness and route the wiring harness out from under the seat.

4. Remove the seat belt buckle from the seat.

5. Position the new seat belt buckle to the seat.

6. Route the new wiring harness under the seat and connect the electrical connector.

Notice
Use the correct fastener in the correct location. Replacement fasteners must be the correct part number for that application. Fasteners requiring replacement or fasteners requiring the use of thread locking compound or sealant are identified in the service procedure. Do not use paints, lubricants, or corrosion inhibitors on fasteners or fastener joint surfaces unless specified. These coatings affect fastener torque and joint damping force and may damage the fastener. Use the correct tightening sequence and specifications when installing fasteners in order to avoid damage to parts and systems.

7. Install the seat belt buckle retaining bolt to the seat.

Tighten

Tighten the seat belt buckle retaining bolt to 52 Nm (38 lb-ft.).

8. Install the cover over the belt on the seat bolt buckle.

9. Repeat procedure on the passenger side, if applicable.

Seat Belt Buckle Replacement -- Rear Bench Seats

1. Move the front seats to the full forward position.

2. Release the bench seat from the floor. If necessary, see the vehicle's owner's manual for additional information.

A. Locate the two pins located on the inboard sides of the bench seat. If the vehicle has floor mats, the pins will be located under a flap that has been cut into the mat. The driver's side pin has a gray cap with a black "L" marked on it. The passenger's side pin has a black cap with a white "R" marked on it.

B. Pull the pin handle up to disengage the pin from the retaining clip, and then pull the pin out.

C. Repeat this procedure on the other pin.

D. Pull the seat rearward about 50 mm (2 in) and then lift the seat from the floor rails.

3. Reposition (tilt) the bench seat forward in the vehicle to improve access to the lower rear backside of the seat.

4. Release the J-strip(s) and hook and loop fastener(s) from under the rear of the seat cushion.

Important
Depending on the seating location, the seat belt buckle being changed may be attached to another buckle or a center lap belt with a bushing. The new buckle being installed at that seating location will also have the other buckles or lap belts already attached. Therefore, it is not necessary to remove the bushing (separate the buckles or lap belts).

5. Remove the bolt attaching the seat belt buckle(s) to the seat frame.

6. Route the seat belt buckle(s) being changed through the opening between the seat cushion and seatback.

7. Install the new seat belt buckle assembly through the opening between the seat cushion and the seatback.

Notice
Use the correct fastener in the correct location. Replacement fasteners must be the correct part number for that application. Fasteners requiring replacement or fasteners requiring the use of thread locking compound or sealant are identified in the service procedure. Do not use paints, lubricants, or corrosion inhibitors on fasteners or fastener joint surfaces unless specified. These coatings affect fastener torque and joint damping force and may damage the fastener. Use the correct tightening sequence and specifications when installing fasteners in order to avoid damage to parts and systems.

8. Install the seat belt buckle retaining belt to the seat frame.

Tighten

9. Tighten the seat belt buckle retaining bolt to 40 Nm (30 lb-ft.).

10. Repeat Steps 5-8 on the remaining buckles being replaced on that bench seat assembly.

11. Re-attach the J-strips under the seat and secure the hook and loop fasteners.

12. Repeat Steps 2-10 on any other bench seats.

13. Install all bench seats to the floor.

^ Position the seat into the open slots in both rails in the floor.

A. Push the seat forward in the rail, hooking both seat bases onto the pins inside of the rail.

B. Locate the hole in the rail for the locking pin.

C. Insert the correct locking pin into the seat base and push the seat to line up the pin with the base. The pin with the black cap marked "R" must be installed on the passenger's side and the pin with the gray cap marked "L" on the driver's side.

D. Push the pin down until it is in the retaining clip.

E. If the vehicle has a floor mat, put the flap back to its original position.

14. Move the front seats back to their original positions.