As per the above image...
Can anyone tell me what the legality would be of using a new model car seat belt buckle with a pretensioner assembly attached in a mini? The one above is from a falcon.

Only asking because I need a buckle that fits my seatbelts (as falcon ones do) that also has a micro switch for a seatbelt "on/off" light (as falcon ones do also). Previous owner installed a seatbelt light in the car.

I would like to remove the pretensioner mechanism from the stalk and buckle and just use the buckle and stalk themselves (the pretensioner mechanism is a bit aesthetic displeasing), but it appears that all of the strength for the buckle is supported by braided wire being secured into the pretensioner mechanism... removing it would render the whole buckle useless.

Any expert advice or recommendations would be awesome and appreciated as always.

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Well, generally speaking seat belt assemblies cannot be modified legally unless it is done by the (or a) manufacturer and recertified. From your description these ones would be a problem as you need to remove what is effectively the anchor point and make a new anchor... which I don't think anyone would sign-off on.

I would say you could legally use them unmodified without the pretensioner assembly being active but, as you say, they aint gonna be pretty.

You might need to continue the search to find a suitable buckle without the pretensioner.

Also, as far as I am aware, it is illegal for anyone to sell second-hand seat belts so you need new ones (or free second hand ones) but I am not sure if this applies to the other hardware like buckles, etc.

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Don't listen to what I am saying... just understand what I mean.

I would say it would need to be installed and approved by an authorised fitting station or engineer...fingers have been lost with pretensioners just from people scratching around under seats...

The mounting points are likely to need beefing up as a minimum...

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"Show me the Mini!"

Would earlier falcon (EF-EL?) buckles that don't have pretentioners but have the switches fit? But either way I've never been a fan of fitting 2nd hand seatbelts to anything unless there is a known history on them.

Brad

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During the day I work on English designed cars & on my own time I work on English designed cars....