Honda Car Forum

>"Elan7eOwner" <mr_gadget_guyREMOVETHIS@yahoo.com>

> clicking noise came from the extreme
> end of the driver door ...in a transparent
> plastic which keeps tripping

More likely the sound is from the belt retractor solenoid. This solenoid
is design so that in case of an accident, rescue teams will be able to
open the door. Without this solenoid, door mounted seat belts cannot
release and rescuer cannot gain access to cockpit due to the seatbelt
keeping the door from opening. But when the door is ajar just
slightly, the solenoid released the belt and door swing open. The
switch responsible for the triggering is probably located inside the door
latch mechanism.

> Is seatbelt battery powered????

Yes, but not all. The one referred to is the solenoid. Modern seat belt
comes with a tensioning device to pull back the seat belt, and thus
keep the occupants away from the air bag.

> Thats weird! I never thought it was, I thought it was purely mechanical
> based on accelerometers. the seatbelts dont even lock when pulled quickly.

This isn't a design flaw, it's made for convenience. Try slamming on
the brake and pull the belt to check them. Honda belt system is truly
reliable, other than foreign material falling into the buckle, jamming it.
It even comes with a free lifetime repairs.

--
Milo

What you said makes sense. So I went and tested if it works as you said. I
buckled the passenger side seatbelt and tried to open the door from the
outside. But the seat belt remained buckled and didn't come out even when I
pulled the door open halfway.
How is it supposed to work for the rescue crew?
Oh and this switch is not related to the latch at all, it clicks (on the
passenger side at least, assuming the drivers side is faulty) when swinging
the door only.

Also if its battery powered and the car crash breaks the battery or severs
the wires, how is it supposed to work? Do they really design such safety
devices with such failures possible?

"Indiån §ummer" <Almonds@pistachios.com> wrote in message
news:ee2b939d5803509c79eb85fad43056b6@news.bubbane ws.com...
> >"Elan7eOwner" <mr_gadget_guyREMOVETHIS@yahoo.com>
>
> > clicking noise came from the extreme
> > end of the driver door ...in a transparent
> > plastic which keeps tripping
>
> More likely the sound is from the belt retractor solenoid. This solenoid
> is design so that in case of an accident, rescue teams will be able to
> open the door. Without this solenoid, door mounted seat belts cannot
> release and rescuer cannot gain access to cockpit due to the seatbelt
> keeping the door from opening. But when the door is ajar just
> slightly, the solenoid released the belt and door swing open. The
> switch responsible for the triggering is probably located inside the door
> latch mechanism.
>
> > Is seatbelt battery powered????
>
> Yes, but not all. The one referred to is the solenoid. Modern seat belt
> comes with a tensioning device to pull back the seat belt, and thus
> keep the occupants away from the air bag.

Elan7eOwner <mr_gadget_guyREMOVETHIS@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Negative. No such history. Yes I am in the US, but this car may have come
> from canada. I am the third owner.

I don't know if the VIN tracker would reveal the country where the car is
first sold. It does reveal the country of origin.
http://www.autobaza.pl/ab/en/web/productaa0100

On the 2003 Civic, a VIN serial number starting with 8 is a Canadian model:
JHM ES9 5 5 * 3 S 000001 US Model
JHM ES9 5 5 * 3 S 800001 Canadian Model

>"Elan7eOwner" <mr_gadget_guyREMOVETHIS@yahoo.com> wrote in message

> But the seat belt remained buckled and didn't come out even when I
> pulled the door open halfway.
> How is it supposed to work for the rescue crew?

Your experiment is done correctly but instead of unbuckling, it's suppose
to release the belt "tension". Regrettably, I left the word tension out. Let's
say your seatbelt retracting mechanism is located on the door, as some
Hondas do (not referring to power seatbelts.) If one tries to open the door
after a collision when the solenoid is activated, the door can't open because
there's tension on the belt on the door. The belt tension releases when the
solenoid deactivates or the battery is damage, or the door cracks opens, for example.

> Oh and this switch is not related to the latch at all, it clicks (on the
> passenger side at least, assuming the drivers side is faulty) when swinging
> the door only.

Hmmm... I'm confuse but here goes nothing. You said connecting the battery
causes a click inside the little clear plastic box which hold the belt retraction
mechanism. If the so, the switch that tells the click to go click is faulty. I
believe a switch is closing when you swing the door, either that or the wire
loom at the door jam. This is where wires are moving and binding.

> Also if its battery powered and the car crash breaks the battery or severs
> the wires, how is it supposed to work? Do they really design such safety
> devices with such failures possible?

Yes. but I don't have information on that until I get my books.

--
Milo