Retrofitting Shoulder Belts | List of Shoulder Belt Retrofit Kits by Manufacturer

Buckling Up Saves Lives

Safety belts and child safety seats can mean the difference between life and death. Their use is essential to protect you and your loved ones from injury or death in a car crash. When shoulder and lap belts are used together, they provide much better protection than lap belts used alone. The shoulder belt restrains the upper body, reducing the chance of injuring the head or spinal cord.

Young children should use regular child safety seats until they weigh about 40 pounds. Children who have outgrown child safety seats should use booster seats until they are tall enough (approximately 4'9”) to fit properly in vehicle belts. However, booster seats can only be used if there are shoulder belts as well as lap belts.

It is safer for passengers, especially children, to ride in the back seat than in front. In some states, children are required to ride in back. If the back seat of your car has only lap belts, you can improve the protection there by adding shoulder belts.

Installing Shoulder Belts in the Back Seat

Until the 1990 model year, most cars had only lap belts in the back seat. Shoulder belts have been required in the outboard (side) positions in the back seats of new sedans, station wagons, and hatchbacks made starting in December 1989. The same requirement applies to vans, SUVs, and pickup trucks starting with 1992 models.

Many manufacturers voluntarily offer “retrofit” kits for installing shoulder belts in older sedans, station wagons, and hatchbacks. This is possible because most cars made since 1972 have places (anchor points) to install shoulder belts. These anchor points are reinforced so they are strong enough to withstand the force on the shoulder belt in a crash. Kits are also made for some pickup trucks, vans, SUVs, and convertibles.

Kits are available only for outboard seating positions. Shoulder belts cannot be added in the center of the back seat of older vehicles. Some current vehicles have center-rear shoulder belts, but such safety belts are not required at this time.

The list on the following pages includes the makes, models, and years for which kits should be available through dealerships. The manufacturers expect dealerships to order them and be able to install them for you. However, not all dealerships are aware of these parts or have experience installing them. Therefore, the kit you need may not be easy to obtain. In that case, you may want to call the national customer service number for the manufacturer (provided with the list).

Installing a Retrofit Kit

It is important to use the safety belt kit made for your vehicle. Shoulder belts should only be installed if the vehicle has specific anchor points for shoulder belts.

You may be able to install the belts yourself if you have the necessary tools and skills. Otherwise, you will need to find a dealership or mechanic who is willing and able to do the job. The belts must be installed correctly to provide maximum protection.

Using a Generic Shoulder Belt Kit

While it is best to use a safety belt made specifically for your vehicle, it may be easier to get and install a generic lap-shoulder belt. Some auto parts stores and catalogs have lap-shoulder belt kits that meet federal safety standards and might fit your vehicle. However, unless the vehicle was designed with strong anchor points for shoulder belts, this should never be done. Shoulder belts should not be added to a vehicle not found on the list below unless the manufacturer confirms the location of strong anchor points. Manufacturer customer service numbers are included, in case you wish to inquire further.

Sources for generic kits meeting federal standards:

• J.C. Whitney: lap-shoulder belt with retractor, $129.99: www.jcwhitney.com .

• E-Z-On Products lap-shoulder belt with retractor, model 48-R: www.ezonpro.com or 800-323-6598 (call for distributor location)

For more information about passenger safety:

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Auto Safety Hotline
888-DASH-2-DOT or 800-424-9153 (tty)
www.nhtsa.gov

Retrofitting Shoulder Belts | List of Shoulder Belt Retrofit Kits by Manufacturer