1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

2009 Rear seat belts backwards?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by kh6kine, Dec 3, 2009.

  1. kh6kine

    kh6kine New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2009
    21
    5
    0
    Location:
    North America
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I searched the forums and found only posts related to dis-abling the beeper. My question is different:

    On my 2009 Prius (bought new in April 09) - my seat belts look like they are installed backwards - the manufacturer tags are facing the top, and are visible - and the main reason for my confusion: The center seat belt crosses over another belt when buckled.

    I asked my dealer about this, and he said "they are all like that"

    Is this true? Why would the belts have to cross over to buckle the center passenger???

    I looked at the way they are mounted, and thought - Hmmmm - would have to remove all the belts and re-mount them - but maybe I am wrong.

    A sanity check is needed on this, please.
     
    #1 kh6kine, Dec 3, 2009
    PriusPaddler likes this.
  2. Boo

    Boo Boola Boola Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2007
    5,051
    483
    97
    Location:
    Flushing, NY
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I think you can un-crisscross the two buckles without removing the rear seat bottom.
     
    #2 Boo, Dec 3, 2009
    PriusPaddler likes this.
  3. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2006
    5,963
    1,981
    0
    Location:
    Edmonton Alberta
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    I'm pretty sure mine are the same, and previous vehicles were also that way. I wouldn't mess with them. They were set up that way to minimize forces on the passengers in the event of an accident. If you change them then you -may- change the forces if there is an accident. Someone could die.

    You can check to see if they are messed up -under- the rear seat by pulling sharply upward on the front of the rear seat. It has posts that pop into fittings on the floor. Pull up on the front and then pivot it up and the whole seat bottom will come out. You have to be careful when putting it back in, to ensure all the belts are not trapped under the seat, and are not folded or twisted. I fasten them before replacing the seat bottom and hang the centre one over the back of the seat.
     
    #3 David Beale, Dec 3, 2009
    PriusPaddler likes this.
  4. kh6kine

    kh6kine New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2009
    21
    5
    0
    Location:
    North America
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Dave -
    Thanks. The belts appear to be OK, but this still bothers me. I will leave them as-is due to the fear of death to passengers.....

    Meanwhile, since I am in the driver's seat, I shall relax and know things are the way they should be . . . .

    And I did find more posts on this topic, after searching some more. Maybe this needs to be a "sticky" for us new folks. As in - yeah, the rear seatbelts look and buckle lame - but that's the way they are.:eek:
     
    #4 kh6kine, Dec 9, 2009
    PriusPaddler likes this.
  5. Boo

    Boo Boola Boola Member

    Joined:
    Feb 13, 2007
    5,051
    483
    97
    Location:
    Flushing, NY
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    If you fold down the small split seat a tad -- enough to see the crack between the seatback and seat bottom -- you will see that the receptacle/female buckles are indeed anchored so that they cross (i.e., the rear center seat anchor is on the right, while the rear driver side seat anchor is on the left):

    [IMGLINK]http://priuschat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=20393&d=1260386170[/IMGLINK]

    But I don't like that, and it's hard for me to even imagine that the crossing of these anchored buckles is safer.

    I speculate that they're crossed because it might be better or easier to install child or booster seats that way. But I'm not planning on having a child or booster seat back there anytime soon

    So, personally, I cross the buckles inside the crack so that on the seat surface the rear center seat buckle is on the left and the rear driver side seat buckle is on the right:

    [IMGLINK]http://priuschat.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=20394&d=1260386170[/IMGLINK]
     

    Attached Files:

    • 002.JPG
      002.JPG
      File size:
      146 KB
      Views:
      1,129
    • 004.JPG
      004.JPG
      File size:
      149.1 KB
      Views:
      1,403
    #5 Boo, Dec 9, 2009
    PriusPaddler likes this.
  6. Rest

    Rest Active Member

    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2005
    1,210
    53
    2
    Location:
    CA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    I thought I was alone, when I noticed the same thing in our 2006 and 2007 Prius, then I found this old thread.

    I don't get how it would make connecting a child seat easier this way.
     
    #6 Rest, Feb 22, 2011
    PriusPaddler likes this.
  7. David Beale

    David Beale Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2006
    5,963
    1,981
    0
    Location:
    Edmonton Alberta
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    I -suspect- it widens the effective base of the belt loop, putting less stress on the hips in an accident. I wouldn't recommend messing with it. It also provides the rear passengers a puzzle to solve when they belt up. ;)
     
    #7 David Beale, Feb 23, 2011
    PriusPaddler likes this.
  8. Rest

    Rest Active Member

    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2005
    1,210
    53
    2
    Location:
    CA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    This makes no sense to me. I say this because the other rear seat belt connection distance is the same and it doesn't have this belt twist up.
     
    #8 Rest, Feb 23, 2011
    PriusPaddler likes this.
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)