Maintaining a car isn’t easy as many car parts need to be maintained; from the tiny bulbs in your car headlight to the engine, your whole car needs maintenance in Malawi. But does the car seat belt need maintenance like the rest of the car parts?
Yes, seat belts need maintenance too. Here’s what you can do to maintain your car seat belt.
1 - Clean the seat belt
You have to be aware to clean the webbing of your seat belt, which can be done with warm water, mild soap, and a cloth. By cleaning a seat belt, you also protect its material from getting weaker with time, as seat belt material can get weaker by dirt, moisture, and sunlight. Detergents and chemicals are not recommended because they will tear up the seat belt faster than expected.
Reminder: A weak seat belt can’t save you in an accident.
2 - Inspect the webbing
The webbing needs to be checked and clean step by step. Cleaning the webbing is a great start to cleaning the seatbelt. This will show if the material of the seatbelt is damaged or not. You have to make sure the webbing is flat after inspecting it. For example, a car seat belt needs to be tightened around your made to save you, so the webbing is flat.
3 - Clearing the buckle area
No matter which type of car you have and which seat belt your car has, you always buckle it. The buckle area catches most of the dirt and rubbish. This will lead to the buckle not catching properly, which is dangerous, as, in the case of a car accident, the seat belt might come off due to this.
4 - Don’t forget the buckle and the tongue
Inspect the buckle and tongue together after cleaning the buckle. This is the most important section of a seat belt as this is where belt and buckle meet. The tongue should attach to the buckle easily. By pulling the seat belt as hard as you can, the tongue will still stay in the buckle. You can easily unbuckle the belt whenever you need to by pressing the eject button.
5 - Inspect the Anchorage
Seat belts always must be secured according to the car structure as they will always protect you during an accident. In addition, maintaining a seat belt is cheap and easy. Make sure there are no deformities, rust, or corrosion; always do this process.
6 - Change immediately
If you find damage in the belt, buckle, and anchorage, then you replace it immediately. Cars have features like a critical seat belt, so you have to get it fixed immediately. Don’t risk your life by neglecting your seat belt.
