Bob's Component Resto, Part 7: The seat belt interlock system

-

cruiser

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2016
Messages
783
Reaction score
884
Location
Bloomington, MN
Good evening my fellow Moparites. For your bedtime reading tonight, I present my latest component resto installment: The seat belt interlock system. And yes, that's the odious system that first arrived on the scene during the 1974 model year. Uncle Sam decided that he didn't want you to start your car until you were buckled in, and thus was born the seat belt interlock. This system relied upon a series of switches and a control unit behind the dash to work, and yes, you are correct in assuming that most motorists disconnected it immediately after their new car rolled off the showroom floor. It wasn't too difficult to unplug the wiring harness under the front seat, and voila! this miserable distraction was gone. For some reason, however, I'm obsessed with having everything working correctly on my Duster. And so I decided to reactivate the system that everyone else in the world hated. That shows just how sick I am, I suppose. In any case, step one was to evaluate what I had to work with. When I bought the car, this system was deactivated and the engine would start normally. I learned that the system consisted of three pressure switches in the front seating positions, an underhood relay, and a control module behind the instrument cluster. I checked the control module and determined that it was good, then pulled the front seat. Two wiring connectors under the seat had been disconnected, and one of the leads on the driver's pressure switch was severed. I replaced the driver's pressure switch and reconnected the open connectors, then reinstalled the front seat. I then replaced the underhood relay with an NOS part (see photo), and it was time to test the system. I climbed in the front seat and tried to start the car while unbuckled. The system reactivated itself and would not allow me to start the engine until I buckled in. I also noticed that if I placed a heavy object in the center or right front seating positions, that the "Fasten Seat Belts" red light would illuminate on the instrument panel until I moved the heavy object to the floor. So for the first time since 1974, the system was working again. Yeah, I know what you're thinking. You're thinking "Bob (that's my real name), what in the wide wide world of sports were you thinking?". I can only tell you that there's something oddly satisfying to me when everything on my car works as it was originally built. If there are any psychologists out there who can explain this behavior, please feel free to add your comments. Well there you have it, tonight's component resto installment. I hope you've enjoyed it. Now go to bed.
IMG_0224.jpg
 
Last edited:
I too like to have the OEM parts on and working.

Only thing that is deactivated on my 67 Dart is the CAP (green plastic capped) vacuum valve, adjusting screw all the way tight to prevent valve from functioning.

But there is this nagging voice in the back of my head, (in a whisper voice)"if you fix it he will come"
 
-
Back
Top