Dodge Dakota (ND). Manual - part 472

SWITCH-SEAT BELT-DRIVER

DESCRIPTION

The seat belt switch is a small, normally open, single
pole, single throw, leaf contact, momentary switch.
Only one seat belt switch is installed in the vehicle,
and it is integral to the buckle of the driver side front
seat belt buckle-half (3), located on the inboard side of
the driver side front seat cushion frame. The seat belt
switch is connected to the vehicle electrical system
through a two-wire pigtail wire (2) and connector on
the seat belt buckle-half, which is connected to a wire
harness connector and take out of the seat wire har-
ness routed beneath the driver side front seat cushion
in the passenger compartment.

The seat belt switch cannot be adjusted or repaired
and, if faulty or damaged, the entire driver side front
seat belt buckle-half unit must be replaced.

OPERATION

The seat belt switch is designed to control a path to ground for the seat belt switch sense input of the ElectroMe-
chanical Instrument Cluster (EMIC). When the driver side front seat belt tip-half is inserted into the seat belt buckle,
the switch closes the path to ground; and, when the driver side front seat belt tip-half is removed from the seat belt
buckle, the switch opens the ground path. The switch is actuated by the latch mechanism within the seat belt
buckle.

The seat belt switch is connected in series between ground and the seat belt switch sense input of the instrument
cluster. The seat belt switch receives ground at all times through its pigtail wire connection to the seat wire harness
from a take out of the body wire harness. An eyelet terminal connector on the body wire harness ground take out
is secured beneath a ground screw on the left cowl side inner panel, beneath the instrument panel. The seat belt
switch may de diagnosed using conventional diagnostic tools and methods.

DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING

SEAT BELT SWITCH

Refer to the appropriate wiring information. The wiring information includes wiring diagrams, proper wire and con-
nector repair procedures, details of wire harness routing and retention, connector pin-out information and location
views for the various wire harness connectors, splices and grounds.

WARNING: To avoid personal injury or death, on vehicles equipped with airbags, disable the supplemental
restraint system before attempting any steering wheel, steering column, airbag, occupant classification sys-
tem, seat belt tensioner, impact sensor, or instrument panel component diagnosis or service. Disconnect
and isolate the battery negative (ground) cable, then wait two minutes for the system capacitor to discharge
before performing further diagnosis or service. This is the only sure way to disable the supplemental
restraint system. Failure to take the proper precautions could result in accidental airbag deployment.

1. Disconnect and isolate the battery negative cable. Disconnect the seat belt switch pigtail wire connector from the

seat wire harness connector for the seat belt switch beneath the driver side front seat cushion forward of the
seat belt buckle-half anchor. Check for continuity between the seat belt switch sense circuit and the ground cir-
cuit cavities of the seat belt switch pigtail wire connector. There should be continuity with the seat belt buckled,
and no continuity with the seat belt unbuckled. If OK, go to Step 2. If not OK, replace the faulty front seat belt
buckle-half assembly.

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RESTRAINTS - SERVICE INFORMATION

2. Check for continuity between the ground circuit cavity in the seat wire harness connector for the seat belt switch

and a good ground. There should be continuity. If OK, go to Step 3. If not OK, repair the open ground circuit to
ground (G301) as required.

3. Remove the instrument cluster from the instrument panel. Check for continuity between the seat belt switch

sense circuit cavity of the seat wire harness connector for the seat belt switch and a good ground. There should
be no continuity. If OK, go to Step 4. If not OK, repair the shorted seat belt switch sense circuit between the seat
belt switch and the instrument cluster as required.

4. Check for continuity between the seat belt switch sense circuit cavities of the seat wire harness connector for the

seat belt switch and the instrument panel wire harness connector for the instrument cluster. There should be
continuity. If OK, test and replace the faulty instrument cluster as required. (Refer to 8 - ELECTRICAL/INSTRU-
MENT CLUSTER - DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING). If not OK, repair the open seat belt switch sense circuit
between the seat belt switch and the instrument cluster as required.

PRETENSIONER-SEAT BELT

DESCRIPTION

Seat belt tensioners supplement the dual front airbags for this model. The seat belt tensioners are integral to the
front seat belt retractor units, which are secured to the floor panel (club cab) or the inner B-pillar (quad cab) on the
right and left sides of the vehicle. On club cab models, the retractor is concealed beneath a clam shell-like trim
cover on the floor panel behind the front seat near the door opening sill. On quad cab models, the retractor is
concealed beneath the molded plastic inner B-pillar trim.

The seat belt tensioner consists primarily of a sprocket/pinion, a steel tube, a cast metal housing, numerous steel
balls, a stamped metal ball trap, a torsion bar and a small pyrotechnically activated gas generator with a connector
receptacle. All of these components are located on one side of the retractor spool on the outside of the retractor
housing except for the torsion bar, which serves as the spindle upon which the retractor spool rides. The seat belt
tensioners are controlled by the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) and are connected to the vehicle electrical
system through a dedicated take out of the body wire harness by a keyed and latching yellow molded plastic con-
nector insulator to ensure a secure connection.

The seat belt tensioners cannot be repaired and, if faulty or damaged, the entire front seat belt and retractor unit
must be replaced. If the front airbags have been deployed, the seat belt tensioners have also been deployed. The
seat belt tensioners are not intended for reuse and must be replaced following any front airbag deployment. A growl-
ing or grinding sound while attempting to operate the seat belt retractor is a sure indication that the seat belt ten-
sioner has been deployed and requires replacement. (Refer to 8 - ELECTRICAL/RESTRAINTS/FRONT SEAT BELT
& RETRACTOR - REMOVAL).

OPERATION

The seat belt tensioners are deployed in conjunction with the dual front airbags by a signal generated by the Occu-
pant Restraint Controller (ORC) through the driver or passenger seat belt tensioner line 1 and line 2 (or squib)
circuits. When the ORC sends the proper electrical signal to the tensioners, the electrical energy generates enough
heat to initiate a small pyrotechnic gas generator.

The gas generator is installed in one end of a steel tube that contains numerous steel balls. As the gas expands,
it pushes the steel balls through the tube into a cast metal housing, where a ball guide directs the balls into engage-
ment with the teeth of a sprocket that is geared to one end of the retractor spool. As the balls drive past the
sprocket, the sprocket turns and drives the seat belt retractor spool causing the slack to be removed from the front
seat belts. The ball trap captures the balls as they leave the sprocket and are expelled from the housing.

Removing excess slack from the front seat belts not only keeps the occupants properly positioned for an airbag
deployment following a frontal impact of the vehicle, but also helps to reduce injuries that the occupant might expe-
rience in these situations as a result of harmful contact with the steering wheel, steering column, instrument panel
and/or windshield. Also, the seat belt tensioner torsion bar that the retractor spool rides upon is designed to deform
in order to control the loading being applied to the occupants by the seat belts during a frontal impact, further reduc-
ing the potential for occupant injuries.

The ORC monitors the condition of the seat belt tensioners through circuit resistance, and will illuminate the airbag
indicator in the ElectroMechanical Instrument Cluster (EMIC) and store a Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) for any
fault that is detected. For proper diagnosis of the seat belt tensioners, a diagnostic scan tool is required. Refer to
the appropriate diagnostic information.

RESTRAINTS - SERVICE INFORMATION

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ADJUSTER-SEAT BELT TURNING LOOP

REMOVAL

WARNING: To avoid personal injury or death, during and following any seat belt or child restraint anchor
service, carefully inspect all seat belts, buckles, mounting hardware, retractors, tether straps, and anchors
for proper installation, operation, or damage. Replace any belt that is cut, frayed, or torn. Straighten any
belt that is twisted. Tighten any loose fasteners. Replace any belt that has a damaged or inoperative buckle
or retractor. Replace any belt that has a bent or damaged latch plate or anchor plate. Replace any child
restraint anchor or the unit to which the anchor is integral that has been bent or damaged. Never attempt to
repair a seat belt or child restraint component. Always replace damaged or faulty seat belt and child
restraint components with the correct, new and unused replacement parts listed in the DaimlerChrysler
Mopar Parts Catalog.

NOTE: A seat belt turning loop adjuster is used for both front outboard seating positions on all models;
however, the following procedure applies only to the B-pillar mounted adjuster used on quad cab models.
The telescoping roof rail mounted adjuster used on club cab models is integral to the front outboard seat
belt and retractor assembly.

1. Unsnap the trim cover (1) from the front seat belt

turning loop (2) and discard.

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RESTRAINTS - SERVICE INFORMATION

2. Remove the screw (6) that secures the seat belt

turning loop (5) to the height adjuster (3) on the
upper B-pillar (1).

3. Remove the seat belt turning loop from the height

adjuster.

4. Remove the upper trim (4) from the inside of the

B-pillar. (Refer to 23 - BODY/INTERIOR/B-PILLAR
UPPER TRIM - REMOVAL - QUAD CAB).

5. Remove the two screws (2) that secure the height

adjuster to the inside of the B-pillar.

6. Remove the adjuster from the B-pillar.

INSTALLATION

1. Position the seat belt turning loop adjuster (3) to

the inside of the B-pillar (1).

2. Install and tighten the two screws (2) that secure

the adjuster to the B-pillar. Tighten the screws to
39 N·m (29 ft. lbs.).

3. Reinstall the upper trim (4) onto the inside of the

B-pillar. (Refer to 23 - BODY/INTERIOR/B-PILLAR
UPPER TRIM - INSTALLATION - QUAD CAB).

4. Position the seat belt turning loop (5) onto the

height adjuster on the upper B-pillar.

5. Install and tighten the screw (6) that secures the

turning loop to the height adjuster. Tighten the
screw to 39 N·m (29 ft. lbs.).

RESTRAINTS - SERVICE INFORMATION

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