Made this write up with pictures to help anyone who has a cracked or broken seat belt guide with the easiest way of replacing it. Sure it's not a highly difficult job, but it will help out those with little or no mechanical know how.

First I'll start off with a rundown of the part numbers of the different seat belt guides* for the different interior colors:

seat shoulder belt guide (98-02), neutral, RH = 16789714
seat shoulder belt guide (98-02), neutral, LH = 16789715
seat shoulder belt guide (98-02), gray, RH = 16799272
seat shoulder belt guide (98-02), gray, LH = 16799273
seat shoulder belt guide (98-02), pewter, RH = 16799274
seat shoulder belt guide (98-02), pewter, LH = 16799275
seat shoulder belt guide (98-02), ebony, RH = 16817200
seat shoulder belt guide (98-02), ebony, LH = 16817201

*Thanks to ACW of LS1tech for the list.

As far as tools that you will need:
-Philips head screwdriver
-Flat head screwdriver (small)
-3/8 inch drive socket wrench
-T50 Torx (Star) socket bit

If you don't have the Star sockets, a small set can be purchased at Autozone for $10. Here is the one I bought and worked perfectly


So, what do you do when your seatbelt guide breaks off? Well, only one thing to do really and that is replace it with a new one. Repairing the old one might work for a small frame of time, but its not recommended
Here is my broken seat belt guide hanging free from its rightful place on the headrest.


First step is putting on the new seat belt guide to the headrest. Doing this first will aid in not getting confused as to which way the guide goes onto the belt.
Just undo the screws with the philips head screwdriver. Make sure the head of the driver fits snug in the screws to avoid stripping.
Place the guide over the indented area in the leather of the headrest and find the hole with the top screw first. Screw that one it halfway and then put the bottom screw in. Tighten down both until the guide is snug and there is no play(back and forth motion). If it is not tightened down all the way, it will most likely break sooner than you like.


Next we move to removing the seat belt itself from its anchor position on the floor of the car.

Grab your small flat head screwdriver and GENTLY pry up the round plastic cover from the seat belt anchor. The plastic is very pliable as long as you remove it slowly.


Set aside the cover for replacement at the end of the changeover. Here you can see the underside of the cover and notice the notch in it that allows you to slip one side back under the anchors plastic cover and screw it back into its home position.


Now grab your socket wrench and put on the T50 bit. Make sure the bit is all the way into the bolt and snug. Do Not Try to Wrench it quickly. Start with a little pressure and slowly add more to the turn while keeping the bit pressed into the bolt to avoid stripping. Mine wasn't Super tight, but some might be tighter than others. Just take you time and it will come loose.


After loosening and removing the anchor bolt, just slide the broken seat belt guide off of the seat belt.


Take the end of the seat belt and run it through the guide that is attached to the headrest.


Next, slip the seat belt buckle through the guide at an angle.


Now, check and make sure that there are no twists in the belt and that it lays flat by buckling the belt in and test fitting it.


with the belt still buckled in, replace the anchor end and put the bolt back in and tighten as much as you can but do not overtighten. You'll feel the bolt stop at a point.


Now just replace the round cover to the anchors plastic cover by setting one side of the groove into the opening and turning it to set in place. That is it, you're done. Enjoy your non-neck chaffing seat belt.

 

Nice Paul...My 99 has the split seat belt holders, surprised yours doesnt have those too?

 

That's because yours is a convertible.

If someone wanted to save time/didn't have a torx bit, they could just order the seatbelt holder for a vert and slip it on without having to remove the seatbelt.

 

Mine have never broke (*knock on wood), but I've helped a few buddies with epoxy repair on them. I even lucked out on the epoxy was same color.

Peace,
Craig.

P.S. - Nice write up!

 

Great write up. You leave nothing to the imagination and it is totally clear how the job is done. Thanks for recommending that the new guide be bolted to the seat prior to running the belt through it. I know I would have slid the bracket onto the belt and then realized it was upside down or backwards or both. Also, thanks for specifically showing the bottom end of the belt slipping from back to front of the bracket. I'm pretty sure I would have done that backwards too. Anyway, my order for a new piece is going out as soon as I get off this thread. BTW, any remedy for the chaffed neck?

 

The plastic trim piece on my buckle has cracked and split....the process would be the same, but does anyone know the part number for that?

 

Torx 50 was too large for my 99 TA.
I am orderting at Torx 45 and 47. One of those two should fit.
Thanks for posting

 

Mined doesn't have the split holder......so I just took a hack saw to the new holder and cut a thin split in it at the bottom mount.....slid the seat belt through and done in 2 minutes. You can't even see the split, it closes right back up on itself.

.

 

Nice thanks for pics and writeup mine just broke and I got a new one here ready to install tomorrow!

 

Just replaced mine. Followed the instructions here and everything went perfectly. Thanks!

 

Does anyone know where I can get the anchor bolt cover? P/N?

 

Go to U-Pull-It junk yard off 441 just south of 595. Should find one there....

.

 

Thanks dude.