Hello!

I just bought a 2014 RX 350 with ~90K mi. in excellent condition.

My wife wanted the Saddle Tan interior, so I found the door panels and installed them without issue.

I located a set of Saddle Tan seats and installed them as well. Look great.

However, when I cranked up the 2014 with the new (2013? 2014? 2015?) interior pieces, none of the 2014 seat BELTS latched into the other 'receivers/latches.'

I can't find any debris in the ‘receiving' mechanism that would impede the locking.

So, is there a difference between the different 3rd gen years?

Any ideas?
Thanks in advance.

 

They probably used a different seat belt supplier for a different color or later or earlier production. Or your new interior is from a Canada built car and you have a Japan built car, or vice versa. Or the manufacturer changed the design over time.

You need to get the matching belts that will work with the new receivers from the vehicle you cannibalized.
I suggest you go back to the vehicle from which you got the seats with attached seat belt receivers and remove its seat belt retractors.
Or replace the receiver ends on the new seats with the ones from your old seats.

 

Just adding few more things to an excellent reply given by Clutches.

There is lot more that happens behind the scene with modern seat belts triggered by collision detection and rate of inflation of the airbags. In a nutshell, do not drive till the setup is correct. This is safety over esthetics.

Some technical terms .. tongue -> the flat portion of the metal that goes into the receiver. The tongue and receier must mate properly [legth, width and position of slots are all important. If you had the proper mating tongue you could do a side by side compare.

It will come down to what you want to keep and what you want to replace. Personally I would keep the old belt and buckle. You can source a new set [best is to buy them as a pair to avoid what you are experiencing].

Salim

 

Clutchless and Salimshah,
Thanks for the good info.
I've chosen to wap the wiring harnesses, since I still have the 'original'/black seats with which the car was built AS WELL AS the new, Saddle Tan seats.
I wanted to check with folks like you before I remove seats and parts of wiring harnesses.
More to follow!

 

What is "wap" the wiring harnesses?

 

I am guessing it is "wRap".

Salim