Here's What That Little Button On A Car's Seat Belt Is For

When you hop into a car — whether as a driver or as a passenger — there's a wide variety of bells and whistles that your eyes or hands may land on frequently. Some of them are probably already familiar to you because of how often you utilize it, such as the door lock, the steering wheel, the handbrake, and the glove compartment, just to name a few obvious ones. There are also plenty of car interior parts you probably see just as often, but may not be as familiar with. 

For instance, depending on your car make and model, the recline lever on the side of your car seat may have additional buttons on it that control more than just the angle of your seat. If your car has power seats, you may be able to make your seat cushion higher or lower, and you may be able to move the seat base forward or backward to accommodate your required legroom or pedal reach. Another great example is the center console of your dashboard, which contains various controls for air conditioning, including less familiar features like the recirculation button.

Even something as simple as a car seat belt has components that you may be unfamiliar with. There's the tongue and latch of the seat belt buckle that you fasten onto the latch receptacle on the side of your seat base, all of which you should be handling every single time you get into a car (unless you live in the one U.S. state that has no existing seatbelt law to date). However, in most modern cars, there's an additional tiny button on the belt itself that may seem inconsequential at first, but is actually pretty convenient.

The flat dot on your car seat belt is officially known as the seat belt buckle button stop in most car parts and accessories marketplaces. However, it may also be referred to as a belt stop, stop button, retainer button, buckle stop, or seat belt stopper. The small feature does exactly what the car part name implies. The flat plastic dot acts as a block of sorts for the seat belt buckle's tongue and latch to sit on, so it's within easy reach. Without it, the attachment will slide down and may fall to the floor, making it hard for you to quickly put on your seat belt while already seated.

It is a replaceable part that can easily be bought online in case the original breaks off, either through your car manufacturer's website or through a third-party marketplace that sells car parts such as Amazon. If you opt for the latter, to ensure that you pick a product that's compatible with your vehicle, use Amazon's Garage feature.

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While most modern cars may have this mechanism to keep the seat belt latch at a convenient spot when not yet in use, some models may not have it in the form of a stop button. Instead, the seat belt may be stitched in a way that it uses itself as the stopper, removing the need for a plastic button. In other cases, rather than a button, there may be a plastic attachment that goes around the belt width, much like a loop that holds a watch strap in place.