Teves,red light, brake failure,pedal to floor,hard pedal

Suggestions?

Having purchased a 90 Reatta recently, being concerned about how many Reattas are on the road with a dangerous brake condition and seeking the best way to reach their owners, prompts me to write this.

In Jan. I noticed a white , 90 conv. parked in a Publics lot. Chatted w/ owner, told of Reatta discussion forum, emphasized importance of keeping brakes properly serviced, mentioned tests at reatta.net................

Two days ago I purchased the car. Upon running the brake tests I found the Accumulator had completely failed. Re. Test #5 " Leave driver door open w/ hood raised. Turn key on, don't start engine. Listen and identify the brake system pump running. (under the hood, on the firewall, drivers side). Wait until the pump stops running. Depress the brake pedal one or more times until the pump starts to run. How many pumps_____? Try this several times, letting the Pump recharge the system, between tests."

This car's brake pump began running before one complete pump of the brake pedal! Absolutely no reserve pressure. Each time the brakes were applied the pump ran and amazingly the pump had not failed from over use.

The combination of a failed Accumulator and a failed Pump results in complete brake failure, hard pedal and extreme stopping distances.

If you have not given your car the Tests at reatta.net, please, at least, try the Test #5 above! Any thing less than 2 pedal pumps before the Pump starts to run suggests a very dangerous condition! The average results for this test are 2 1/2 to 3 pumps!

I hope, because of the title of this post, this info will be presented to new forum users searching for solutions to brake problems.

Suggestions for reaching all Reatta owners?

I notice some Forums have permanent posts, presented at the beginning, each time the site is visited?

I would like to add this. The accumulator replacement is a very easy repair. If you can follow directions and are capable of changing your oil, you can replace the accumulator.

Question, how often should one have the system flushed, or how many miles between flushes?

Got a horrifically high repair estimate for my EBCU and Accumulator. Anyone with experience and alternatives to this ?

WELCOME ABOARD Aldo ! You'll find this Forum to be the friendliest and most helpful on the Internet . If you'll do a "search" (see top of page) and enter "Brakes" under the description section , then search "all" entries you'll probably find some helpful info . If you have not registered your Reatta for the Database , please do so by going to the Reatta.net Website Home page and follow the instructions . Where are you located ? Again , WELCOME ABOARD !

Danny Walker

'90 Reatta Convertible

Red / Tan / Tan W/Black Mldg.

16-Way Seats & C D Player

105,000 Miles & Still Going Strong

The accumulator (part #25528382) is around 100.00 - 150.00. This is a common point of failure. The ECBU is not. Why do you think the ECBU is bad? Where in WI are you? I'm in Stoughton.

Received today from! abs@atlantabuick.com (Atlanta Buick Specialties) Replied asking phone #.

Have not compared w/ others!

Accumulator--List $172.86

BCA Reatta Club members $99.00

Oil sensors--List $49.97

BCA Reatta club members $31.25 each

Parts with shipping $167.50

Thanks,

David

Aldo,

Don't forget O ring for accumulator! I had a spare.

GM PART # 25528382

CATEGORY: All

PACK QTY: 1 CORE CHARGE: $0.00

GM LIST: $172.86

OUR PRICE: $86.44

DESCRIPTION: ACCUMULAT

http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/results.cfm

Thanks, Danny - will do. Mine is a '90 M.C. Red W/ gray leather, sunroof and 16 way seat, 111,300 miles. I am in Tomahawk, WI area

Got it in Delaware on eBay auction and drove it home last week. It is hard, but not too difficult to stop.

I see that another, earlier Forum reply said that when you have "hard" pedal this is maybe just a bad relay or blockage of pressure, and that you are trying to brake without the power brake boost. Whereas the real "bad" kind of yellow light problem will make it virtually impossible to stop in any reasonable distance. I agree that it does feel that way - very stiff, but there is definite stopping power if your leg muscles holds out. There is no pedal fade at all, and several times the brakes seemed normal, but after a few stops would become hard again. Both the yellow and red warning lights are on all the time. I notice when it is normal, there is a bit more pedal travel, and you have the normal "touch" control of stopping gently. When it is "hard", there doesn't seem to be much travel before the pedal meets very firm resistance.

My 2 day drive home was w/o any other problem except the headlights were a little bouncy and so I had to rig up a bottom edge support for each unit made out of a piece of old rubber weather strip. (I was careful to remove it before shutting the lights off!)

The car appears to have been well cared for and the whole engine compartment is very clean. I used no oil. On one leg on the I-80, I drove 497 miles before refilling. I love this car !

Aldo

Thanks

I'm near Tomahawk.

My pedal is very hard, but there is difinite stopping power if your leg muscles hold out. The estimate from the dealer in Wausau said the EBCM tested bad.

There is no pull, pedal fade or constantly running pump, but both brake lights are on all the time. Once in a while, they go off and for a short time the brakes are normal.

Giving the car all the tests is recommended however

Test 5: Leave driver door open w/ hood raised. Turn key on, don't start engine. Listen and identify the brake system pump running. (under the hood, on the firewall, drivers side). Wait until the pump stops running. Depress the brake pedal one or more times until the pump starts to run. How many pumps_____? Try this several times, letting the Pump recharge the system, between tests.

Do the above test when no lights are on.

1/2 to 2 pumps is definately a problem! Means pump runs excessively and may soon burn up!

Problem most likely bad accumulator but could be Pump Relay, etc.

Continueing to drive the car is unwise. I have a newly aquired 90 w/ bad accumulator. Is parked until new accumulator arrives/is installed!