3rd row seat belt receptacles

My husband and I just purchased our first SUV, a 1997 Suburban.  I was never before willing to have an SUV because of the gas cost, but I have 1 girl and 4 (growing) boys and we were just flat out of room in our minivan.  Now after 6 days of driving this (3 snow days!), I AM SOLD!  My only question is where the 3rd row seat outer belts attach.  The previous owner always had the rear seat out, needless to say we need them all in.  The belts hang from the roof (so to speak) and there is a buckle for them in the seat middle, but nowhere for the end of the seat belt to attach.  Nothing on the floor, nothing that I can see on the side of the rear seat either.  I have tried online searches and it looks like there should be another buckle type recptacle at the outside of the seat.  What am I missing?


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I would prbably go to your GM parts counter to get assitance.  I am not sure what part is missing.  Congrats  on your new ride and welocme to the forum.

On the belt that drops from the ceiling at each end of the third row seat, there's a buckle tab that should hang directly over and snap into a buckle receiver attached to the end of the seat itself.  Then the sliding buckle tab that's on the belt can snap into the buckle receiver near the center of the seat.  The belt pulls out of the ceiling retractor forming the lap and the chest belts.  If you don't have buckle receivers on each end of the seat, then that's the problem.  Maybe they are just turned down where they are hard to see?

Kari, we did just the same thing and have the same problem. Our '99 did not have the 3rd row when we looked at it, but the dealer found us a seat...minus the side belt latches. I have been scouring the 'net and wrecking yards to no avail. My next stop is the local GM parts department.

Funny thing is our 'Burb gives us nearly the SAME milage our Town & Country did! This one is a far cry from my old '77 'Burb I had years ago...with it's whopping 5mpg.

Rob

I went to the Chevy dealer down the street and ordered the seatbelt receivers that should be attached to the seat itself.  It cost me $150 for the two of them and I have to wait for them to be delivered (over the week of Christmas no less) but I should have them (and hopefully because they are a safety item they will install them for me) right after Christmas.  It's not complicated and both my husband and I fully capable of doing it, I just don't have an air wrench,and I want those on there so they never come off again.  Thanks so much for all the help!
Kari