Door jammed - closed door and seatbelt stuck between door/body

[jackb]

I was about to go for a nice drive this morning, got in the Delorean, engine on, closed the door, grabbed the seatbe... wait, where’s the seatbelt? Turn around to look where I’m grabbing and damnit, I closed the door on it. And the door won’t open. (My seatbelt doesn’t spring retract automatically; only when fed into the reel, so when I get in/out if the car it’s dangling loosely. This time it must have swung out into the door closure path).

I wiggled out the passenger side and removed the drivers side upper door card to see the guts. I can lift the handle and the pushrods move, but the door is stuck. The locks are unlocked.

The metal buckle is in a gap- not pinched. The fabric material is what is jamming up the door. I can move the fabric enough to hear the metal part move and clink.

From the outside, there is a gap on the aft seal of the door. I cannot move the aft part when I push down or pull up. There is a gap on the front side as well, and I can move it up/down if I press/pull the door, but only ~1/4”

Help! The doors are like black magic to me. One of the only things I don’t/havent messed with. They did function correctly prior to this, having been sorted out/adjusted by DMCH about two years ago.

[DMC5180]

The only recommendation I’ve heard of (from Dave S.) for a situation like this, is too push down on the door as much as possible, while lifting door handle. It might require 2 people. Pushing down at each end of the door.

[Ron]

+1

Sounds like the fabric may be inside the latch itself. I'd try pulling up on the rear part of the door only being careful not to let it twist. Might have to get mad at it... Pulling the belt down (?out of the latch's slot? and/or give the door some movement) might help...

:dunno:

[dn010]

The only recommendation I’ve heard of (from Dave S.) for a situation like this, is too push down on the door as much as possible, while lifting door handle. It might require 2 people. Pushing down at each end of the door.

+1. This technique has gotten me out of many ... jams ...

[David T]

The only recommendation I’ve heard of (from Dave S.) for a situation like this, is too push down on the door as much as possible, while lifting door handle. It might require 2 people. Pushing down at each end of the door.

Exactly the advice I would give. It might take 3 people, 2 outside pushing down (one on the front of the door and one on the rear of the door) and 1 inside trying to open the door. Be careful with the outside handle, if you beat on it too hard you can break it. Once you get the door open make sure the belt is not crossed over. Pull it all the way out and feed it back in. If that doesn't work get another belt retractor.

[jackb]

Success!
Thank you all for the tips.

I was able to open it solo, but it certainly would have been easier with helpers, and impossible without knowing what needed to be done.
I had the drivers tollbooth window open, and I repeatedly alternated between pressing down on the door while pulling the handles (int and ext) and pulling the seatbelt above and below the latch. First it got a bit looser, then a few more attempts and it fully unlatched.

63329

My seatbelt does retract, but not above the shoulder pivot. It seems like its just strong enough to pull the belt through that 150* pivot. If I feed the belt through the shoulder pivot and hold the reel, then let go, it will wind it all up no problem. Just not through the pivot. Poor design? Or is the retracting mechanism supposed to be strong enough to pull it all the way through the pivot?

[DMC5180]

Congrats.

You can fix that: Brand New not NOS

https://www.deloreango.com/us/seat-belt-kit-lh.html

[jackb]

Here’s a video to describe what I mean.

If I fully extend the seatbelt and hold it so it’s a straight shot back to the reel to retract, it zips right in, no problem.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=a3qYlAVPHB8

[jackb]

But, if I position it like normally worn, where it “drags” through that pivot point, it is slower, and doesn’t fully retract.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vsSmiXFhw0

Is that normal operation? Or a sign of a weak clock spring?

[DMC5180]

Weakened return spring. But that’s somewhat typical too.

[Rich]

I can't tell if the poor retraction is caused by a weak spring or something else.

I know of one owner who had success with blasting the retractor unit with a compressed air nozzle to blow out dust/debris. Retracting action was restored.

(Do not lube the retractor)