1990 BUICK REATTA — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
30
Owner Complaints
4
Recalls
0
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 1990 BUICK REATTA
The 1990 BUICK REATTA has received a total of 30 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There have been 4 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:BRAKE FLUID LOW WARNING: LAMP, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT. The most commonly reported problems involve the Service Brakes Hydraulicantilocktraction Controlelectronic Limited Slip (20 complaints), Service Brakes Hydraulicfoundation Components (2 complaints), and Structureframe And Members (2 complaints).
Recalls for the 1990 BUICK REATTA
NHTSA has recorded 4 recalls for the 1990 BUICK REATTA, potentially affecting up to 83,764 vehicles.
Recall 91V158000 — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:BRAKE FLUID LOW WARNING: LAMP
| 18,904 vehicles affected
Defect: BRAKE INDICATOR LIGHT MAY NOT LIGHT WHEN IGNITION IS IN THE "ON" POSITION, THE PARKING BRAKE IS APPLIED, AND THE SHIFT SELECTOR IS IN THE PARK OR NEUTRAL GEAR RANGE.
Consequence: VEHICLES WOULD NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 101AND 105.
Remedy: REPLACE THE PROM IN THE BODY COMPUTER MODULE TO PREVENT THIS CONDITION FROM OCCURRING.
View full details →Recall 90E043004 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
| 39 vehicles affected
Defect: THREADED INFLATOR COMPONENTS MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY WHICH MAY ALLOW COMPONENTS TO SEPARATE WHEN INFLATOR RECEIVES A SIGNAL TO DEPLOY THE AIR BAG.
Consequence: INFLATOR COMPONENT SEPARATION ALLOWS HOT COMBUSTION GASESTO ESCAPE INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WHICH COULD RESULT IN INJURIES TO VEHICLE OCCUPANTS.
Remedy: REPLACE AIR BAG MODULES CONTAINING POTENTIALLY DEFECTIVE INFLATORS.
View full details →Recall 90V164000 — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT
| 63,964 vehicles affected
Defect: TRANSAXLE SHIFT CONTROL CABLE MAY DISENGAGE FROM THE FROM THE FLOOR SHIFT CONTROL WITH LOSS OF GEAR INDICATOR REFERENCE AND SHIFT SELECTOR OPERATION.
Consequence: DRIVER WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DETERMINE ACTUAL GEARPOSITION THE TRANSAXLE IS IN, WHICH COULD RESULT IN UNEXPECTED VEHICLE MOVEMENTAND AN ACCIDENT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: INSTALL A TRANSAXLE SHIFT CONTROL CABLE RETAINING CLIP TO PREVENT CABLE DISENGAGEMENT.
View full details →Recall 90V031000 — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE
| 857 vehicles affected
Defect: THE FORWARD SENSOR FOR THE AIR BAG MAY HAVE BEEN INCORRECTLY CONSTRUCTED WITH PART OF THE WIRING HARNESS TO THE SENSOR REVERSED.
Consequence: THE REVERSAL OF THE WIRES COULD CAUSE DELAY IN THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG AND INCREASE THE SEVERITY OF THE OF INJURY TO AN UNBELTED DRIVER IN AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: REPLACE FORWARD DISCRIMINATING SENSOR AS NECESSARY.
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 1990 BUICK REATTA
30 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 1990 BUICK REATTA. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes Hydraulicantilocktraction Controlelectronic Limited Slip | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes Hydraulicfoundation Components | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structureframe And Members | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Air Bagsfrontal | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical Systemignition | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes Hydraulicfoundation Componentsmaster Cylinder | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes Hydraulicpower Assist | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibilitydefrosterdefoggerhvac System | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Most Recent 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
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
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
FAILURE OF HYDRALIC/ABS BRAKE SYSTEM ON MY 1990 BUICK REATTA CONVERTIBLE REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER AND ABS SYSTEM. *AK
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
View all Service Brakes Hydraulicantilocktraction Controlelectronic Limited Slip complaints →
Safety Rating for the 1990 BUICK REATTA
NHTSA has not yet tested the 1990 BUICK REATTA in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 1990 BUICK REATTA
No technical service bulletins have been reported for this vehicle.
NHTSA Investigations for the 1990 BUICK REATTA
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the BUICK REATTA
- 1988 BUICK REATTA — 12 complaints
- 1989 BUICK REATTA — 11 complaints
- 1990 BUICK REATTA (current)
- 1991 BUICK REATTA — 2 complaints
- 1993 BUICK REATTA — 1 complaint
Other BUICK Models
- BUICK LESABRE — 4,864 total complaints
- BUICK REGAL — 4,444 total complaints
- BUICK ENCLAVE — 3,194 total complaints
- BUICK LACROSSE — 2,882 total complaints
- BUICK CENTURY — 2,393 total complaints
- BUICK PARK AVENUE — 1,880 total complaints
- BUICK RENDEZVOUS — 1,795 total complaints
- BUICK LUCERNE — 1,322 total complaints