Find out why a seat belt stop button is necessary for both convenience and safety.
Find out its location, what to do if it breaks, and how to quickly replace it.
Although it may not seem like much, the small button on a car seat belt is crucial to maintaining convenience and safety.
The small plastic component on the seat belt strap that prevents the metal latch plate—the part you click into the buckle—from sliding too far down when not in use is called a stop button or retainer button.
What if that button didn’t exist? When you’re ready to fasten your seat belt, it would be difficult to grasp the latch plate since it would just slide all the way down to the base.
This straightforward button saves you time and frustration by keeping the latch plate in a convenient location.
Where is the Stop Button Located?
In fact, most seat belts have two of these buttons.
One is located close to the latch plate to prevent the metal piece from sliding too far up toward the shoulder strap, while the other is closer to the top to prevent it from sliding down toward the floor.
They work together to ensure that the seat belt remains in the proper position when you need it.
What Happens if Your Stop Button Breaks?
Although these buttons are simple to replace, they may eventually wear out or even snap off.
Replacement buttons are available online or at car dealerships, and installing them with simple tools is not too difficult.
It’s one of those insignificant things that you hardly notice until it’s gone. But you’ll appreciate that button’s little but powerful role once you see how much effort it saves you and how it keeps the seat belt functioning properly.