In this work sheet we looked at a car's interior safety systems. Well mostly the seat belt assembly and then performed another safety inspection check on the vehicle just like we did on that 1984 Toyota Corolla GT.
The car we were using for this worksheet was a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer station wagon. This car was fairly new and it had a few safety equipment equipped to it. We made a list of nine safety equipment found on this car.
1. SRS Airbag (Driver)
2. SRS Air bag (Passenger)
3. Seat belts
4. Hand brake
5. Head rests
6. SRS Airbag (Front and Rear pillars)
7. ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System)
8. Airbag warning light
9. Child safety locks on the rear doors.
Now before we got started on the seat belt checks we needed to learn a few seat belt systems names and what their purpose was.
Tongue and Buckle Assembly
This is the locking mechanism that we use for the seat belt. The tongue is on the seat belt itself. It is the metal part that you insert into a unit next to your seat. This unit next to your seat is called a buckle. It is important to make sure that this locking mechanism is secure and operating correctly.
Retractor
The retractor is a mechanism that is often hidden out of site and inside the side panel from which your seat belt comes. The purpose of the retractor is to automatically retract the seat belt once it is disengaged from the buckle. It is very important that the entire seat belt gets fully retracted in a continues and smooth motion. The retractor also prevents its occupants from moving forwards violently in a crash situation. It is what locks up the seat belt when you pull on it suddenly. The retractor is ma mechanical device and just like all mechanical devices it does wear out over time. That is why it is important to check the retractor in a vehicle from time to time.
Webbing
The seat belt webbing is a special polyester weave which is manufactured and tested to a specific International Standard for use in motor vehicles. Any damage to this webbing can dramatically reduces the effectiveness of the seat belt. Small cuts, frayed edges and holes in the webbing can cause it to tear when sudden force is applied to it, like in a car crash. Also badly faded webbing caused by sunburn and UV exposure can have it's strength reduced by up to 50%. Therefore it is important to check the seat belt webbing for any damage or wear as it can result in serious injury.
Anchorages
Anchorages is the name given to the seat belt mounting points. The seat belt must be securely fixed to the car. Any loose fitting, damage or rust can cause these fittings to fail under load. That is why it is important to check these fittings for wear and damage.
After we were familiar with the seat belt system names and their purposes we went on to perform safety checks on them. We first checked the tongue and buckle assembly. The tongue and buckle engagement was smooth and secure. There was very little play once the tongue and the buckle were latched together. When the release button was pressed on the buckle the ejected straight away. This was good as it showed us that the tongue and buckle were operating correctly. We then checked them for damage. There were no visible cracks on the buckle and the buckle cover was intact. The tongue had no metal deformations or any visible cracks. There was no damage to the tongue and buckle assembly and therefore they passed the inspection.
Next we inspected the retractor. We pulled the seat belt as far out as it would go and then we released it. This checks the retractors ability to retract the seat belt fully and smoothly in one continues motion. It did and the seat belt returned all the way up to its resting position without sticking, gripping or stalling. We also checked the retractors locking mechanism for sudden heavy pulls on the seat belt. We did this by suddenly pulling on the seat belt and seeing if the retractor locks. It did lock up when pulled on it. These tests ensured us that the retractor is in good working condition with no damage and wear. As a result it passed the inspection.
We then inspected the webbing of the seat belt. The webbing was securely attached to its end fittings and showed no signs of stretching or pulled stitching. The webbing was flat throughout its entire length and showed us no sign of fading. We also looked for damage to the webbing and found none. There were no burn marks, frayed stitching or any signs of rippling. Therefore the webbing had passed its inspection.
Lastly we inspected the anchorages. All the anchorages were free from any signs of corrosion and they were all securely attached to the vehicle's structure. None of the mounting points showed and signs of damage or deformations. As a result of this it passed the inspection.
These four tests were then performed on all the remaining seat belts within the car and they all passed with flying colors. This wasn't very surprising as this car was fairly new and was in good condition. After like i mentioned above we did the same safety inspection like we did on the Toyota Corolla GT. This car being new passed on everything. It had all of its lights working. There was no structural damage or rust on the car. All of the interior of the car was still in place with no damage. The engine bay was clean and standard hence no cert required. All of the wheels and the tires were in good condition with plenty of tread (4mm). There were no cracks or chips on the windscreen. Overall this was a good and a safe car to drive.
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