Toyota Repair: 1991 Camry seatbelt, auto salvage yard, track assembly

Question
Ted,

I've read through the other seatbelt issues posted here, and I understand that the automatic seatbelt system is fairly complicated, so I'll try to be specific here...

On the front passenger side door, the automatic seatbelt used to work just fine.  After a while, it got to the point that it would only move on the tracks if the door was partially open, and then eventually only if the door was just barely open, as if some sort of connection was "on its way out."  Then it finally stopped working, but would occasionally work if the door was opened and closed a few times (perhaps jostling something around), or if I took the wiring harness running between the door and the body (near the hinges) and wiggled it around a little.  Now that doesn't even seem to work.

Clearly, it does not seem like a motor issue, but rather like there's a bad connection somewhere.  I just don't know where said connection is (I think it might be in that wiring harness connecting the door to the body), where it originates and ends, or if/how I can fix it.  Do you suppose you could help?

many thanks,
Reinaldo

Answer
These old auto retract shoulder belt systems are somewhat complicated, the last one I tried to repair required replacing the entire track assembly with the motor that was picked up from an auto salvage yard because the factory parts are no longer available, this may be an option to consider in your case.