A couple of days after picking up my MINI, I got tired of the seat belt tongue getting stuck between the seat and the door. So, I headed to the dealer to buy the MINI/BMW seat belt holder, which turned out to be worthless and was returned the next day.

While messing around with the seat belt, I discovered there's a built-in "holder" on the B pillar. (See below.) When you retract the seatbelt, the tongue fits nicely in the slot in the trim for the belt. The tension from the retractor holds the tongue in place (almost as if it were held by a magnet), and it's very handy to grab the belt when I need it. I leave the passenger-side belt stowed this way all the time, it doesn't rattle and it's never fallen out.



I know this works on my JCW hardtop, but I don't know what other models will work. YMMV.

 

A little trick to do is after getting out of your MINI makes sure the seat belt slack is rolled all the way back into the re-tractor. Find the little plastic slid clip. #4 in the diagram below. Pull up any slack and pull the clip with the clip in "tongue" to the top and now your belt clip in tongue will not hang near the door, but up towards the top. This works on the rear seat belts also if you are driving "any belts not in use" will not bank the side of the interior plastics.

GP 2 Belt for example.



#4 in diagram.



Seat belt Clamping


http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/72111862636/ES185616/


Thanks .

 

Thanks. I'm aware of the clip, but it's always such a pain to find it and use it. Plus, on my car at least, the tongue knocks against the pillar when using the clip on the passenger side.

 

You are welcome.

Another trick I added.

I added a little anti scuff felt to the back of the tongue ( where it touches the B pillar and pulled up the slack and works fine for me, when its tight enough. Also I added the anti scuff for added protection from noise. You can use the anti scuff materiel used for the Gen 1 Seat belt side, Cut it to fit the back of the seat belt tongue and then you are good to go. I have seen seat belts with slack end up in the door jam or worse knock up against the rear trim lower interior trim panel.

Also works great for convertible front seat belts as the wind in the cabin at speeds without the wind deflector tend to move the seat belts around allot.



#11


http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/72117121587/ES186128/



Thanks

 

I removed the slide clips from both front belts (they just pop open), because they were getting stuck between the seat and the door when I forgot to reposition them - or rattled against the B pillar trim when the windows were open. Stowing the passenger side tongue in the slot in the B pillar works great - no rattling and only a little flutter from the belt with the windows and sunroof open at 70 mph.

 

Nice - very glad I found this tip, it's all the fix I needed for that little aggravation. Works fine in my 2010 Cooper hardtop.

Thanks Spa2K!

 

I am unable to post using new thread. The option does not display hence this reply. Please tell me how to access new thread to post my question. Thanks

 

Go back to the main Forums page and click on MINIs in General (or do it at the top left of this page). Then choose a Sub-Forum. Once you do that, you'll see a button to post a New Thread, top left.