A vehicle seatbelt apparatus includes a seatbelt web wrapped in a reel around a motor-rotated shaft. A latch is selectively engageable with the reel to lock a seatbelt retractor from movement in one direction while allowing movement of the retractor under motor rotation of the shaft in response to pre-crash vehicle braking deceleration, a vehicle downhill angle or a vehicle lateral “g” force exceeding a threshold. When a retractor locked position is detected, the motor is activated to retract the seatbelt web for a predetermined time period to urge the passenger toward a center upright position in a vehicle seat.