The 1990 Buick Reatta has 4 safety recalls and 29 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (24 complaints).
Recalls4safety recalls
Complaints29filed by owners
Crashes · fires3 · 0reported in complaints
Injuries · deaths0 · 0reported in complaints
Safety recalls
Service brakes, hydraulic › Brake fluid low warning › Lamp
Problem: 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.
Risk: VEHICLES WOULD NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 101AND 105.
Fix: REPLACE THE PROM IN THE BODY COMPUTER MODULE TO PREVENT THIS CONDITION FROM OCCURRING.
Air bags › Frontal
NHTSA recall 90E043004 · Oct 30, 1990 · 39 vehicles
Problem: 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.
Risk: INFLATOR COMPONENT SEPARATION ALLOWS HOT COMBUSTION GASESTO ESCAPE INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WHICH COULD RESULT IN INJURIES TO VEHICLE OCCUPANTS.
Fix: REPLACE AIR BAG MODULES CONTAINING POTENTIALLY DEFECTIVE INFLATORS.
Power train › Automatic transmission › Lever and linkage › Floor shift
Problem: TRANSAXLE SHIFT CONTROL CABLE MAY DISENGAGE FROM THE FROM THE FLOOR SHIFT CONTROL WITH LOSS OF GEAR INDICATOR REFERENCE AND SHIFT SELECTOR OPERATION.
Risk: 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.
Fix: INSTALL A TRANSAXLE SHIFT CONTROL CABLE RETAINING CLIP TO PREVENT CABLE DISENGAGEMENT.
Air bags › Frontal › Sensor/control module-inactive
NHTSA recall 90V031000 · Feb 12, 1990 · 857 vehicles
Problem: THE FORWARD SENSOR FOR THE AIR BAG MAY HAVE BEEN INCORRECTLY CONSTRUCTED WITH PART OF THE WIRING HARNESS TO THE SENSOR REVERSED.
Risk: 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.
Fix: REPLACE FORWARD DISCRIMINATING SENSOR AS NECESSARY.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Fuel economy
Reatta
19mpg combined
City / highway
16 / 25 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
3.8 L · 6 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $3,550/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
Problem area
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Typical mileage*
Service brakes, hydraulic Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip; Foundation components
24
2
0
0
—
Structure Frame and members
2
0
0
0
—
Electrical system Ignition
1
0
0
0
—
Air bags Frontal
1
1
0
0
—
Visibility Defroster/defogger/hvac system
1
0
0
0
—
Service brakes
1
0
0
0
—
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
Jan 10, 2010 · 99,000 milesService brakes 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
Mar 2, 2007Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip 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
Feb 14, 2007 · 92,000 milesVisibility › Defroster/defogger/hvac system 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…
Jul 15, 2004 · 137,000 milesService brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip FAILURE OF HYDRALIC/ABS BRAKE SYSTEM ON MY 1990 BUICK REATTA CONVERTIBLE REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER AND ABS SYSTEM. *AK
Sep 16, 2001Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip 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…
Dec 18, 2000Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip 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.
Jan 9, 2001Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip 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
Oct 26, 1999Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip INDIVIDUAL COMPONENT FAILURES RESULTING IN NEAR MISSES ON HIGHWAY.
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.