Help Releasing Seat Belt
 

I just purchased a set of used seat belts for my '00 Boxster. They arrived and the belts are completely retracted. I can't release any belt because each time I pull on it it locks. Can anyone tell me what the trick is to release the belt from the mechanism? Thanks for the help.

Try a little WD40 first. that worked for me.

chances are your inertia locks are locked. inside a seatbelt retractor mechanism, there is a weighted pendulum which hangs straight down when installed in the car. when this pendulum is not hanging straight down the reels lock.

when your car is in motion, on a smooth surface, the reel is unlocked. when you hit the brake, accelerate hard or corner hard, the reel locks. this is caused by the disruption of this pendulum hanging straight down.

in order to unlock the inertia lock, you need to find the sweet spot then the reels will unlock. it would be advisable to get some big binder clips (those big ass paper clip things), and when you unspool the belts to clip them in their extended position.

I agree, retractors must be in the mounted position to extend.