[My88Reatta]

I am still trying to get a handle on posting so sorry if I am being redundant.

My wife loves her 88 Reatta but I can not get brakes to work. It is intermittent. Did diagnostic check as one member suggested and it indicates nothing is wrong. Put in new relays. Worked for a few drives. Then light goes on and brakes go to the floor. Right now I have car parked in garage. Any one out there have any other ideas or is this a lost cause? Thanks in advance.

[keiser31]

Well, we just had the very same problem with my wife's Buick Skylark. We found that a wheel bearing was worn and it was messing with the ABS and not stopping the car. She almost went into the non drive-thru part of the bank. Whipped a new wheel bearing/hub assembly in there and we are good to go! Now, I am not saying that you have worn wheel bearings...only what our experience was. Good luck and let us know whatever you find out. Oh....I almost forgot. MAKE CERTAIN THAT WHEN YOU GO TO DO THE DIAGNOSIS ON THE ABS THAT YOU LEAVE THE CAR RUNNING AFTER THE PROBLEM OCCURS BECAUSE WE FOUND THAT IF YOU TURN THE CAR OFF, THE ABS RESETS ITSELF AND APPEARS TO BE FINE. Sorry to "yell", but I could not figure out why all looked fine until we did this.

[Rawja]

Take the Reatta Brake Test HERE

Post your results here.

[Jim]

Sounds like a bad ABS pressure switch. Remove the connector and look inside near the pins. If you see any moisture even the tiniest drop, actually it would be brake fluid then your pressure switch is bad. I have good ones available and can be reached at jfinn@cpinternet.com

[Mc_Reatta]

I would suggest you have your brake fluid flushed and replaced with new and have the system bled. Pedal going to floor means you aren't maintaining the fluid stream between the piston in the master cylinder and the calipers. First check for proper fluid level in the reservoir. Assuming you would have caught that already or seen evidence of a fluid leak, then there is either air in the system which needs to be bled out, or one or more seals in the system is allowing the fluid to seep by rather than pushing the pads against the rotors. Either way, replacing the fluid and bleeding the system should eliminate the problem, or point out whether its a seal leaking so it can be replaced. Bleeding the master cylinder and the front calipers can be difficult and you need to be sure there is not built up pressure in the system so heed the guidence in manual carefully.

[Ronnie]

Originally Posted by Mc_Reatta

Bleeding the master cylinder and the front calipers can be difficult and you need to be sure there is not built up pressure in the system so heed the guidence in manual carefully.

Would you please explain how to go about bleeding a hydraulic brake system without any pressure in the system (either applied by a pump or a foot pressing on the brake pedal)? I would like to find a better way of doing it... preferably one that can be done by one person .

[padgett]

With a vaccuum at the wheel.

[Mc_Reatta]

Here's a new idea to make bleeding brakes an easy one man job. Has anyone tried these out?

Speed Bleeder Bleeding Brakes Bleeding Motorcycle Brakes Automotive Bleeder Screw Brake Bleeder