How to Install a Ford Front Seat Belt Assembly with Retractor on your Mid 2002-2004 Couple Mustang

This is for the front passenger side- driver’s side will be the same steps. 

These instructions are based on a 2003 GT. 

There is a black and a red clip on the seat belt. DO NOT REMOVE THEM UNTIL TOLD TO!!! 

Although not listed in supplies, it’s nice to have a vacuum and some cleaning supplies. handy while you’ve got part of your car’s interior apart. 

Recommend working in a shaded or cool area with room to open both doors. 

A couple of these steps will be out of order how I did it in pictures, this is because I found a few things later that I should’ve done earlier. Read instructions carefully. 

In places I used a power driver but in some places I used a ratchet to break lose an extra tight bolt. 

Here’s what you begin with- a droopy seat belt that might not even retract anymore:

1. Open both doors, move seats as far forward as they go, and lean seats forward. 

2. With your thumb, depress the top of the clip of the heated back glass to release the clip and unplug (if equipped) 

3. Using the flat screwdriver, locate the push pins to release the lower back seat. This will be in the middle of each side of the seat. Gently push to release and pull the seat up, remove, and set aside. 

4. Fold down rear seat backs to expose the (3) 8mm bolts holding the top pad on. Remove pad and place aside. 

5. Using the panel removal tool, gently remove the three clips behind the trunk liner on the side of the seat back. 

6. Using the panel removal tool, gently remove small clips on door pillar 

7. Lift up on the door sill and pop off. Set aside. 

8. Using the T50 torx, remove the lower seat belt bolt. 

9. Lower the cover on the coat hanger to expose the phillips screw beneath. Remove using the phillips screwdriver. 

10. Pop cover off the top seat belt bolt, use a flat screwdriver if needed. 

11. Remove top seat belt bolt with T50 torx. 

12. Use the panel removing tool to remove top interior sail panel. Since the rear seat belt is still in place, I moved the panel out of the way and did not completely remove it from the car. 

13. Remove the lower interior quarter panel. There is a Christmas tree clip on top to remove, and then use the panel removal tool to remove. Start at the edge near the door latch. 

14. Feed seat belt through the slit in the lower interior quarter panel and remove panel from the car. 

15. Move the insulation out of the way to expose the seat belt retractor. Remove with T50 torx. The seat belt can be removed from the car and set aside/discarded. 

DO NOT REMOVE THE BLACK AND RED CLIPS FROM THE NEW SEAT BELT! 

16. Insert tab of new seat belt retractor assembly into the body just like the old one was removed. Install bolt with T50 torx. 

17. Start the top seat belt bolt but do not tighten. 

18. Make sure the red clip is on the correct side of the seat belt hanger. On mine, the red clip was on the correct side, but I moved it up much closer. See pictures. 

The red clip should be on the seat side (front side) of the hanger, NOT the car side (back side) 

19. NOW you can remove the black clip – this clip is the one closest to the retractor assembly. 

20. Reinstall the lower interior quarter panel. Feed seat belt through the slit, push in Christmas tree fastener, and push in small clips. 

21. Go ahead and install the 3 christmas tree clips on the seat back as well. 

22. Remove top seat belt bolt and let hang. 

23. Reinstall the top interior sail panel. Make sure all clips are in the panel and not in the car. 

o Start with the back corner. There is a plastic dowel molded in that gave me some trouble, it fits into a hole in the car body. Also, I had not unhooked the rear glass heat wire. 

24. Once the panel is in place, install the coat hanger hook with the phillips screwdriver. Snap cover back in place. 

25. This is when I removed this protective piece, although it could have been done earlier. 

26. Install top seat belt bolt with T50 torx and snap cover back on. 

27. Snap door sill back into place. Make sure the plastic clips that hold the carpet down are still clipped to the metal as well. 

28. Install the lower seat belt bolt with the T50 torx. Make sure there are not unneeded twists in the belt, do not tighten until you’ve double checked the belt is not twisted up. 

29. Remove the red clip. 

30. Reinstall the top back seat pad with the (3) 8mm bolts. Latch seat backs into normal upright position. 

31. Reinstall the lower rear seat. Make sure the start the seat belt latches into the cushion before installing the seat. 

32. You’re done! 

Installation Instructions written by AmericanMuscle customer David Brand 8.4.15