Broke the latch on my X300 drivers seatbelt and cannot find another one.
Can I change to an X308 seatbelt? and What is that long metal tube attached to the X308 reel assy?

 

Depending on the year you're looking at, it's probably the pyrotechnic pre-tensioner.

Graham

 

Holy smoke! "pyrotechnic"? should I be messing with it at all? Will it fit in the X300?

 

I hoped that would get your attention before anything serious happened!

The later X308 has front seat belts with a pre-tensioning device. In the event of severe frontal impact, this removes any excess slack from the seat belt. Electronic sensors in the retractor unit fire, igniting the pre-tensioner gas generator. The gas generator initiates a chemical reaction, producing gases under pressure. Gas pressure drives the piston/cable up a tube, rotating the retractor spindle and removing excess slack from the seat belt. When the pre-tensioner unit has been activated, the seat belt locks and cannot be retracted or pulled from the reel.

Now you know what it is and what it does, make sure you don't short it out and trigger it.

Which part of the belt is broken?



Refer to the numbers on the above graphic from the Parts Manual.

Graham

 

Thank you for that! The part labeled 2 is broken on mine. It still latches but looks shabby Now for the confessional;
I had the seat out to weld the broken mount and dropped it on the buckle." Oh My!" I said, "that is going to cost me"
(or words to that effect)

 

Ouch!

If you had to break anything, it was at least the lowest cost component in the seat belt.

Check the chrome 'tongue' on the X308 seat belt is exactly the same shape as the tongue on your X300. Provided this is the case, all you need is the buckle (item 2) from the X308 and the main seat belt in your X300 doesn't need to be touched.

The Parts Manual lists numerous changes of number for the buckle from early X300 through to the end of the X308 as well as all the colour options to match vehicle trim. With Jaguar this often just indicates a change in supplier. The essential is to check the replacement buckle from the X308 locks and releases the chrome tongue of the original X300 seat belt.

The buckle has a sensor (Hall Effect Sensor) to detect when the tongue is locked in position. That's the reason for the electrical harness connection. It links to the seat belt warning light in the Instrument Cluster. One thing I've never had reason to compare is whether the electrical connectors are identical on X300 and X308. If they are different (unlikely but possible), some modification to this connector harness will be needed.

Graham