Removing seat belt retractor 97

[GregN]

I need to remove the seat belt retractor on a 1997. How do I get the inside panel off to get to the mechanism?

[98SteedaGT]

I guess you mean in the back. The back side pieces (on a coupe atleast) are held in place by a couple screws and some plastic clips. You need a Torx bit to remove the seat belt top, and a flat head to remove the cover to get to the torx screw. remove the coat hook with a phillips screw driver. Drop both your back seats down and you will see 3-4 plastic tips on there. These can be pulled out (carefully so you don't snap them). The door sill panels need to be pryed up so you can have access to the bottom section of the rear pieces. Remove the molding around your rear side window (the door seal molding, not painted outside molding) This will allow you to pry from withint the panels and pull them out, be careful not to damage your defroster terminals on your rear glass as the inputs sit in a small slot on the top panel. Remove the top panel, then you can remove the bottom panel. If you have access to a Chiltons or other manual, it will give you step-by-step instructions. I just got through taking my entire rear seat, belts, and paneling out. I didn't like the extra stuff back there since I don't allow anyone in the back anyways. It shouldn't take too long. The seat belts themselves are screwed in with Torx head, just like the sealt belt tops, they are easily removed from the side walls, the rear buckles are mounted underneath the rear seat. The seat can be removed by pressing in a small reatining clip/lock on each side of the seat. Looking at the back seat they are located in the front at the base, midway between each seat cushion. You can feel under the seat and there will be a small flat button, push this in and lift up on that side and you will feel that side remove from the lock, repeat on the other side and you can remove the rear seat bottom cushion. Once you have done this you can have access to the buckles. Also you will see two wire leads that look like the ones in your door. These are for the vert models rear side windows. Hope this will help you out and/or answer your question.