Own a 1991 3dr Hatchback Si and drove my car in to my local Honda dealership to check out my front seat belts. For many years I have noticed that when pulling or tugging on the seat belts they just would NOT lock. I would brake hard and would pull at the same time and they just would not lock like my other cars do. I recently became worried because of recent stories about people flying thru windshields due to not wearing seat belts. I have a family and want to be responsible in every way so I decided to get the front sat belts checked out. The Honda service rep was nice and professional and took notes down, sat in the passenger side of my car and told me to drive thru the parking lot. He then told me to leave the car and he would have the belts checked out first thing next morning. He printed a receipt that indicated a zero charge for the check. He then called me the next morning and told me that they had ordered both front seat belts and that the car should be ready by the next day. He then called me the very next day and told me that my car was ready to go and to come pick it up. I got a ride to the dealer and my car was waiting for me outside. They handed me a second receipt with a ZERO charge. I drove home and as I drove on the freeway I pulled fast and hard on the seta belt and it did NOT lock. I continued to pull and tug fast and quick and only managed to lock once. I called Honda the next morning and they told me that they ordered the entire mechanism and that it could be that the locking is dependent on movement and braking. I am concerned that the belts just don't work and that maybe there is a fuse or electrical connection that is just not working. The rear seat belts do lock with a slight fast movement and I feel like the front seat belts should be responding the same way. I checked all of my other cars that include a 2002 Silverado, 1988 Mbenz 300sel, and a 1979 Mbenz 300sd and they all lock with the fast pull of the belt. I went on to the TAKATA website to try to find more info and I could not really find much info. What else might I be missing for these seat belts to lock the way they should or are seat belts only supposed to lock when in a collision. hate to find out the hard way. The belts installed appear brand new and actually retract(return to original position) a lot better than before..attached is a link to what I think was ordered..
http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/...gry5=SEAT+BELT

Hope someone here can assure me that I'm ok driving my car with only 467k original miles..yup you read it correctly, going on 468k and same engine..Please advise

 

I just got my drivers belt replaced, as well as both front buckle receptacles. The belt looks and works great. Locks just fine, retracts perfectly. All for no charge. I had been approved for all 4 new belts, but sadly they said the other 3 were out of stock nationwide...

 

Does your door ajar light on the gauge cluster work ??? If not you must check your door latch switches, these are inside the door in the latches.

Does your seatbelt reminder light work on the dash when you buckle or unbuckle your seatbelt ?

What happens if you unbuckle your seatbelt, and open the door, while driving, does the seatbelt reminder on cluster blink ???

 

Update
My 91 Honda Civic 3dr hatchback is now at a different dealer and has been there for about 2 weeks. It almost seems that I always have to repeat myself. I again explained that my seat belts don't lock when there is sudden braking. They replaced the BRAND NEW seat belt mechanism that was previously replaced by the first dealer ship I took it to. I repeated to them that the seat belt mechanism were already replaced and they stated, and I quote, "we replaced it just in case". Honda dealer continued to state that the buckles were also replaced and that my car was ready to be picked up. So I got a ride to the dealer and asked my buddy to wait in the car and not leave because I had a bad feeling these guys did not fix the problem. The service guy gave me the keys and I took them and asked him one more time if they tested the car after the repair and he said "yes". Started the car, reversed 2 car lengths and drove forward by slamming on the accelerator pedal and then braked really hard. No locking observed so I ran inside the dealer and told him that the seat belts were still not working. He called the QA guy, walked over to my car and I demonstrated to him how the rear seat belts were working and would lock with the slightest tug. He observed the demonstration and asked me to leave the car and he would contact HONDA to try to figure it out. The QA guy called me today and told me that there might be an electrical interference at the door latch and they also heard a beeping and clicking sound. The diagnostic for the left side, which is the side where the sounds were coming from, would cost me 115.00 dollars and an additional 115.00 for the other side if needed. So thats where I'm at. I'm sure they made their money by unnecessarily replacing the brand new seat belt mechanisms previously replaced by the first honda dealer...please advise

 

If anyone on this forum can check their 88-91 civic 3dr hatch to verify that the front driver and passenger side seat belts lock when tugged..So far I'm participating on 3 honda Civic forums and it seems that everyone is puzzled about my seat belt situation. Could it be that you have never checked?