1990 Buick Reatta Owner Complaints

WE HAVE HAD THE CAR OVER 10 YEARS AND IT HAD A HARD PEDAL WHEN YOU FIRST START IT UP THEN AS WE USE THE BRAKES THEY WORK BETTER

NHTSA ID

11318794

Incident

Jan 10, 2010

Mileage

99,000 mi

COMPLETE FAILURE OF ANTI BRAKE SYSTEM ON MY 1990 BUICK REATTA ALSO-- AS SPECIFICALLY REPORTED FROM OTHER REATTA OWNERS. DEALER STATES THERE ARE PROBLEMS --- REATTA INTERNET SITES STATES THERE ARE MAJOR PROBLEMS --- NHTSA WEBSITE LIST SEVERAL COMPLAINTS / PERSONAL ACCOUNTS OF ABS FAILURE. HOW MANY INCIDENTS / DEATHS WILL IT TAKE FOR BUICK OR NHTSA TO CORRECT THIS FACTORY / PART DEFECT? WHAT A DISGRACE OF PUBLIC SAFETY SHOWN BY BUICK AND NHTSA. DEALER STATES OEM REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE AVAILABLE -- $1500.00-$2000.00. SAME PART MANUFACTURE, SAME CONTINUOUS DEFECT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10189137

Incident

Mar 2, 2007

THERE IS A SERIOUS DESIGN PROBLEM WITH THE 1990 BUICK REATTA. THE CAR HAS AN AUTOMATIC HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM. THIS SYSTEM WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO TURN ON THE DEFROSTER TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD FROM FOGGING UP WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IS ABOVE 39 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT IF THE CAR IS LOW ON FREON. I REALIZE THAT WINDSHIELDS CLEAR UP FASTER IF THE AIR IS DEHUMIDIFIED BY THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM. THE COMPUTER OF THIS SYSTEM WILL NOT ALLOW ANY AIR TO BE BLOWN ON THE WINDSHIELD IF THE FREON PRESSURE SWITCH DETECTS LOW FREON PRESSURE. THE SYSTEM SHOULD ALLOW AIR WARM AIR TO BE BLOWN ON THE WINDSHIELD TO DEFOG THE WINDSHIELD. IT IS AN UNSAFE DESIGN WHICH WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO DEFOG YOUR WINDSHIELD BECAUSE OF A BAD FREON SWITCH OR BECAUSE OF LOW FREON. IN LOUISIANA THERE ARE MANY DAYS IN WHICH THE WINDSHIELD NEEDS DEFOGGING DUE TO HIGH HUMIDITY OR RAIN. *JB

NHTSA ID

10184415

Incident

Feb 14, 2007

Mileage

92,000 mi

FAILURE OF HYDRALIC/ABS BRAKE SYSTEM ON MY 1990 BUICK REATTA CONVERTIBLE REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER AND ABS SYSTEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10081247

Incident

Jul 15, 2004

Mileage

137,000 mi

THE ABS SYSTEM ON THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD MANY PROBLEMS SINCE NEW. MANY TIMES THE BRAKING SYSTEM WOULD PULL TO ONE SIDE AND THIS IS DOCUMENTED IN REPAIR ORDERS AT THE DEALER. DEALER NEVER WAS ABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM AT THE TIME OF THE RO.IN 1996 DEALER REPLACED ABS RELAYS TO CORRECT CONCERNS OF ABS SYSTEM INOPPERABLE. THE ABS WARNING LIGHT HAS COME ON MANY TIMES. DEALER NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE ANY PROBLEM. THEN DURING JULY AND AUGUST OF 2000 MORE CONSISTANT PROBLEMS BEGAN TO OCCUR. VERY BAD PULL TO ONE SIDE UPON BRAKING ON ONE OCCASION AND A STIFF PEDAL WITH GREATLY REDUCED BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS. TOOK TO DEALER FOR THESE PROBLEMS , RO STATES RED BRAKE LIGHT AND YELLOW ABS WARRNING LIGHTS COME ON AND STAY ON. REPLACED ACCUMULATOR. LEFT DEALER AND WITH IN BLOCKS WARNING LIGHT COMES BACK ON. RETURN TO DEALER AND DISCUSS REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE BRAKING SYSTEM. BEGIN TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON WEB AND FIND REATTA OWNERS GROUP FORUM WITH MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS THAT ARE OF THE SAME NATURE INVOLVING THE BRAKING SYSTEM. BUICK, DEALER AND OWNER (ME) SPLIT THE 3291.91 BILL 3 WAYS AFTER SEVICE MANAGER AND FACTORY SERVICE REP. REVIEW INFORMATION GATHERED FROM THE REATTA OWNERS FORUM. MY FEELING IS THAT THE TEVES BRAKING SYSTEM USED BY BUICK/GENERAL MOTORS ON MANY VEHICLES DURING THE LATE 80. *AK

NHTSA ID

752260

BOTH TIMES WE EXPERIENCED TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS "HARD" (WOULD NOT MOVE). BOTH TIMES THERE WAS NO WARNING IE. NO ABS LIGHT ON DASH AND NO BRAKE LIGHT ON DASH. BOTH TIME THE FAILURE OCCURED WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED SO THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE CAR OR DIVER.

NHTSA ID

739844

Incident

Dec 18, 2000

BRAKES WOULD NOT STOP CAR WHILE BACKING DOWN DRIVEWAY. INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. ALSO HAVE HAD BRAKE FAILURES AT ROAD SPEED WHERE CAR SWERVES WHEN BRAKES APPLIED. HAVE TAKEN CAR TO DEALER MANY TIMES AND THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. HAVE CONTACT WITH MANY REATTA OWNERS WHO HAVE THIS SAME DANGEROUS CONDITION THAT CAN'T BE RESOLVED BY THE DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID

739424

Incident

Jan 9, 2001

INDIVIDUAL COMPONENT FAILURES RESULTING IN NEAR MISSES ON HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ID

733758

Incident

Oct 26, 1999

INTERMITANT FAILURES WHERE ABS WOULD EITHER ENGAGE OR WHEELS WOULD LOCK AND/OR THE CAR WOULD LUNGE LEFT OR RIGHT. IN 10 MONTHS NUMEROUS DEALERSHIPS WERE NEVER ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEMS, ALWAYS SAID THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH BRAKE SYSTEM ON CAR.

NHTSA ID

733756

Incident

Apr 10, 1997

BRAKE BOOST FAILED ONLY ONCE, AFTER 500 MILES OF DRIVING, THEN WORKED OKAY AGAIN FOR ANOTHER 50 MILES. NO PANEL INDICATORS SHOWED. WHEN BRAKED HARD I WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN ENOUGH TO MAKE THE CURVE AT ROADWAY EXIT. DURING THIS SLOW DECELERATION A WHINE OR SCREECH CAME OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. CHECKED WITH USERS GROUP ON WEB. THEY HAVE STARTED TO SEE THIS PROBLEM WITHIN THE PAST YEAR AND ARE NOT SURE WHAT CAUSED THIS INTERMITTANT PROBLEM. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH NO WARNING.

NHTSA ID

731902

Incident

Sep 14, 2000

IN BUMPER/BUMPER TRAFFIC, 97 DEGREES, STOP AND GO, ABS BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. NO LIGHTS ON DASH. AT TIME WAS JUST BARELY MOVING. CHECKED FLUID LEVELS, OKAY, NO LEAKS. ABS BRAKES JUST STOPPED WORKING WITH NO WARNING LIGHTS OR OTHER HINTS. GLAD I WAS BEHIND THE WHEEL AND NOT MY WIFE.*AK

NHTSA ID

725584

Incident

Jun 1, 2000

WHILE BRAKING NORMALLY, BRAKES FAILED TO GRAB, AND MAY HAVE RESULTED IN POTENTIAL DAMAGE TO OTHER CARS. THIS HAS HAPPENED 2X BEFORE. *AK

NHTSA ID

724147

Incident

Mar 3, 2000

ONE SIDE BRAKES HARDER THAN THE OTHER CAUSING CAR TO SWERVE. HAVE CHECKED THE BUICK REATTA CLUB HOME PAGE AND THIS IS A TOO COMMON PROBLEM. IT HAS HAPPENED ABOUT EVERY TWO WEEKS FOR YEARS. WE HAVE PROPERLY MAINTAINED THE CAR, BUT THE DEALERS ARE AT A LOSS OF WHAT TO DO. THERE ARE NO WARNING LIGHTS WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND NO CODES SET IN THE COMPUTER. I THINK THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, AND BUICK SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO AT LEAST RESEARCH THE PROBLEM AND COME UP WITH A FIX. I WOULD BE WILLING TO PAY AS I DON'T WANT TO DIE IN MY CAR.*AK

NHTSA ID

723591

Incident

May 15, 2000

ABS SYSTEM COMPLETLY FAILED WITH NO WARNING, HAD TO PUMP BRAKES AND FINALY CAME TO A STOP WITHOUT HITTING ANYTHING. BUICK OFFERED TO PAY ONE THIRD OF THE REPAIR COST THEN THEY BACKED OUT OF THAT AGREEMENT. I HAVE SINCE FOUND OUT THROUGH THE BUICK OWNERS OF AMERICA THAT THIS IS NOT A INSOLATED PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

723531

Incident

Apr 27, 2000

ABS WARNING LIGHT CAME ON THEN VEHICLE LOST ALL BRAKING ABILITY. *MJS

NHTSA ID

552388

Incident

May 3, 2000

COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. *AK

NHTSA ID

722782

Incident

May 4, 2000

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

717543

Incident

Jan 14, 2000

I'M WRITING A SECOND TIME ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE I READ THE COMPLAINTS SECTION OF YOUR WEBSITE AND FOUND TWO MORE INCIDENTS SUSPICIOUSLY SIMILAR TO MY OWN. I ALSO WROTE ABOUT IT ON THE BUICK REATTA DISCUSSION PAGE ON THE INTERNET AND ONE OTHER PERSON WROTE IN TO SAY HE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. SINCE THIS IS A CATASTROPIC FAILURE OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM WITH NO WARNING, I FIGURE YOU GUYS WOULD WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IT. I THINK THAT THIS IS NOT SPECIFIC TO REATTAS BUT WOULD AFFECT EVERY BUICK/GM VEHICLE WITH THE SAME ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED ABS SYSTEM. MY MECHANIC SAID THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A BAD SWITCH THAT CONTROLS THE ELECTRIC PUMP. THE PUMP BURNED OUT. THERE SHOULD'VE BEEN A DASHBOARD WARNING ABOUT THE PROBLEM WHEN ONLY THE SWITCH WAS BURNED OUT, BUT THE SENSOR READING THE SWITCH HAD ALSO FAILED!!! THAT LEFT ME WITH NO BRAKES AND NO WARNING. THERE WAS NO PHYSICAL CHANGE IN HOW THE BRAKES FELT UNTIL THE TOTAL FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM!!! SINCE THERE WERE ONLY ABOUT 4,000 REATTAS PRODUCED IN 1990, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE INCIDENCE OF THIS PROBLEM IS WAY TOO HIGH TO BE IGNORED. IF OTHER BUICKS AND GM VEHICLES HAVE THE SAME SYSTEM, YOU ARE LOOKING AT A POTENTIALLY HUGE PROBLEM OUT THERE. PLEASE DO SOMETHING. *AK

NHTSA ID

715091

Incident

Nov 5, 1999

I AM REPORTING THIS BECAUSE APPARENTLY THE BRAKE SYSTEM CAN FAIL IN THESE CARS WITH NO WARNING. THE MECHANIC THINKS THAT A SWITCH BURNED OUT, WHICH LET THE ELECTRIC PUMP RUN CONTINUOUSLY UNTIL IT BURNED OUT. THERE'S A SENSOR THAT'S SUPPOSED TO NOTIFY THE DRIVER OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT THE SENSOR IN MY VEHICLE IS APPARENTLY NON-OPERATIVE. THERE WAS NO CHANGE IN HOW THE BRAKES "FELT" WHEN APPLIED UNTIL THE MOMENT THEY SIMPLY FAILED. THE LACK OF A SENSOR HAS LED TO AN EXTREMELY COSTLY REPAIR (ESTIMATED AT $2000 PARTS & LABOR). MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT ALLOWED A SITUATION WHEREIN THE BRAKES COULD FAIL WITH NO DASHBOARD WARNING TO THE DRIVER. I TOOK A COMPLETE LOSS ON THIS CAR IN TRADING IT IN. I WAS PLANNING TO SELL IT ANYWAY, BUT I DIDN'T HAVE THE CASH TO FIX THIS HUGE PROBLEM, SO I JUST TRADED IT TO THE DEALER UNREPAIRED. BECAUSE OF THE NON-OPERATIVE BRAKES, I RECEIVED $800 FOR A CAR WITH A BLUE BOOK VALUE OF AROUND $6,000. I WANT BUICK MOTOR COMPANY TO BE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND MAKE SURE EVERY REATTA ON THE ROAD DOESN'T HAVE A SIMILARLY FAULTY SENSOR THAT COULD LET THESE OTHER SYSTEMS' FAILURES GO UNDETECTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

714752

Incident

Nov 9, 1999

WHILE TRAVELING AT 30 TO 40 MPH A VEHICLE JUMP LANES IN FRONT OF THE REATTA. REATTA, IN TURN, STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE REAR THAT CAUSED ABOUT $8000 IN DAMAGES. UPON IMPACT, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. ALSO, THERE WERE NO INJURIES. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

845792

Incident

Aug 20, 1999

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH MASTER CYLINDER WENT OUT, CAUSING CONSUMER TO HAVE LITTLE BRAKING POWER. VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN GRADUALLY AND CAME TO A STOP. *AK

NHTSA ID

837068

Incident

Apr 12, 1999

ABS BRAKE FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

781764

WHILE DRIVING AT 45-50 MPH THE DEFECTIVE BRAKING SYSTEM CAUSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO BE HARD, AND ONE WHEEL LOCKED UP, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *AK

NHTSA ID

819829

Incident

Nov 24, 1997

ABS BRAKES MALFUNCTION, PULLS OCCASIONALLY ON REAR LEFT SIDE. *AK

NHTSA ID

526224

Incident

Apr 1, 1997

THE VEHICLE'S FRAME HAS PREMATURELY RUSTED AND CORRODED, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. *AK

NHTSA ID

808670

Incident

Jan 14, 1997