Front Seat Belts - Advice needed

[Oscarguitar]

Hi,

I have a 2005 X5 3.0D. The front seat belts are slow to retract (been replaced once but now out of warranty) and a thread on this forum suggested that I remove the B pillar panels and clean out the muck that accumulates on one of the guides that the belts run through.

Does anyone know how best to remove the panels on the inside of the B pillar? Do I just give them a good hard tug, or is there some catch or fastening that I need to undo?

Thanks

[itstony]

my front seat belt doesnt even retract at all..so i hope someone can chime in too..lol

[Oscarguitar]

Hi,

I found this on another thread which got me started on this,

...and took off the upper pillar portion, exposing the yoke/bale of the belt (where it is returned to the reel below)...removed the torx screw that secures it to the chassis so I could examine it...found numerous pieces of plastic and gunk on the underside surface of the bale...pulled out my handy single-edge blade and made the space between the belt and the bale larger and removed the gunk...reinstalled bale and pillar, all is perfect.....snaps back like it should, when released.....a matter of friction.....

I just need to know how to take off the upper pillar portion!

[manfrmbklyn23]

Check out the dice iPod kit forum. There is a thread on running the wire from the rear to the front of the car, and there are pics in the diy thread that show that panel and how to remove it. I followed it and if I remember correctly you just have to remove the plastic floor moldings that run along the doorway. Sorry I'm not good at descriptions.