My friend has an 05 X and recently had a minor/moderate accident where the air bag deployed and the seatbelts locked. It is still driveable but the seatbelts are locked and I was wondering if there was a way to unlock them without bringing it to a dealership?

If the '05 has belts like the earlier models, there is a one shot pre-tensioner that needs to be replaced which involves replacing the whole belt assembly, I believe.

I think Chris is right. I saw a short film clip one time on how they are made. If the air bag gets deployed, it will also fire the pre-tensioners which will literally pull you back against the seat. Once they have been fired, you have to replace them. And to replace them, since they are an integral part of the seatbelt mechanism, you have to replace the entire seatbelt.

I wouldn't try and find them in a junkyard either. They are explosive devices, just like the air bags. It doesn't take much to make them fire. Plus, if you replaced them, that is, not by a dealer, how do you think your insurance company would like that?

-G

Both answers are correct.

Also to add since I used to be a FF/EMT, the seatbelt tensioner (the explosive part) most likely will stretch the seat belt as it pulls you back into the seat. Somewhat like a rappelling emergency rope, it's only designed for one-time use and doesn't have the same strength after that. When I was with the company we actually had tags that we stapled onto the seat belt stating you had to get them replaced before you could legally drive it again.

They'll probably replace everything which is expensive since it involves breaking it down to the bare frame of the B post ( right by your head if you're driving).

It's just my 2 cents, but it's not something to be taken lightly since the next accident the seatbelt could tear or break-apart.

Cool technology, I did not know that... But sucks you have to buy all new shit.

I witnessed a VW Jetta rear end a car at an intersection once, air bags deployed on that. What surprised me is the amount of smoke (looked like dust / gun powder smoke) that appeared around the jetta after the impact.

What is the explosive and does that leave stains / marks or linger in the cab after the accident?

The dust/smoke you saw is mostly just like talc powder to keep the bags from sticking to itself. It cleans up easily with a vacumn and dust cloth.

The seatbelt "explosives" are called pretensioners are a small canister. They don't leave any marks anywhere, just take up any slack in the seatbelt.