How to fix the infamous "It's What Makes A Subaru A Subaru" seatbelt squeak.
This takes about 7 mins from start to finish, so I didn't even have to get my failpod and turn on the latest Aqua album.
Tools needed:
Fingers
Blade (box cutter, utility knife, something sharp that could kill you if it slips and nicks your aorta)
Flathead screwdriver or body clip tool (if your fingers aren't as nimble and girly as mine)
You will need to open BOTH front and rear door for this task. Don't strain yourself.
Start on the back side of the B pillar.
Remove the plug from the pillar. It doesn't snap or spring or whistle at you if you look good today.
First the black center, then the white holder.
Here's what they look like so you know how they'll come out.
Tada!
Task 1: Complete! Add +1 clip removing skills. You are awarded 1 gummy candy.
Now move to the front.
Move the seatbelt out of the way.
Starting at the top of the trim piece, pull away from the pillar and tug. It kind of wraps around. There is a tiny little tooth on the trim piece that holds it to the pillar.
Keep pulling until you get to the bottom. You'll see the pillar trim piece goes under the keep-the-grimy-snow-and-sand-from-getting-in-the-pinch-welds protector. (official subaru technical term for this piece)
From the inside, slide your fingers underneath and give this piece a tug up. It will unclip from the body.
Now pull the bottom part of the pillar piece off of the pinch weld.
The front part should be done and "unwrapped".
Now move to the back again.
Once again, starting at the top, pull away from the pillar and tug.
Similar to the front, when you get to the bottom, tug on the foot guard thingydoohickeyjazamaplate...
...and pull the trim piece off the pinch weld.
Now pull the whole trim piece out from the rear.
It's easier to do it this way because of the clip for the plug.
Here's the magical piece formed from old dinosaurs.
The part we are interested in is the top most "lip" of plastic.
The seatbelt rubs against this when you pull it.
Due to the harmonics of polyester fabrics which talk fluently with the space/time hoozits of world molecules and dizzamatrangles, the belt is actually rockin' its beat along this plastic lip. This causes the "squeak" sound.
Evidence is the gross amount of fabric bits stuck to the plastic, which I assume is because Subaru didn't spend the 7 cents for a quality Bounce
tm sheet to reduce static cling.
Using a blade, a dremel, or a jedi mind trick, cut this lip away.
I don't know how much actually needs to get taken off, so I just man'd up and took it all off.
Done.
Reinstall trim piece in reverse order.
Push in from rear, that's what she said, wrap around the pillar, hide under foot guards, clip everything back in place, Bob's your uncle.
Or maybe it's Tracy. Some families are weird.
No more squeaks!
