Guest Posted May 9, 2000 Share Posted May 9, 2000 my biggest fear. ugh. glad you're okay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 9, 2000 Share Posted May 9, 2000 When I contacted Buick Customer Service, they told me that they wished I had called them when my car was in the shop for this very same problem. The customer service rep made it sound like they might have tried to work with me on making the repairs less costly.<P>I suggest you take your car in to a Buick dealer, then call the Buick customer service line and explain the problem you experienced and tell them that they recently received a letter telling them about MULTIPLE reports of this problem in Reattas for years 1988-1990. Tell them that the letter was from Robert A. Scopatz if they need a reference and that there are also several reports on this website and on the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) customer complaint bulletin board.<P>I don't know what they'll do for you about a 12 year old car, but if you keep stressing the fact that you've never had a car do this before and you wonder why it is that so many Reattas seem to experience this problem, who knows...<P> <BR> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 10, 2000 Share Posted May 10, 2000 I have just experienced total brake failure on my 88. The brake and anti lock lights <BR>came on with a "low pressure" message on the CRT. The brakes still were working and within 2 to 3 minutes I attempted to pull off the road and found I had no brakes at all. I was very lucky to be pulling into <BR>a parking lot when the failure occurred. <BR> Be aware that this is a very serious trouble message. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 10, 2000 Share Posted May 10, 2000 Could someone (robert?) please post the exact number one should call for Buick Customer Service....I would assume there are alot of phone "paths" one might end up taking...let's make sure we are using the right one. Thanks!<BR> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 12, 2000 Share Posted May 12, 2000 Here's what I got from <A HREF="http://www.Buick.com." TARGET=_blank>www.Buick.com.</A> <P>Buick Customer Relations Center (for Buick owners): <BR> 1-800-521-7300* <BR>To order service bulletins about your Buick: <BR> 1-800-551-4123 <P><BR>I called the Customer Relations Center and was given an address to write to (no reply as yet). But, the rep did say that if I were a current owner, they would have tried to work with me on this problem. DON'T GIVE UP like I did.<P>Also, I would like to pass along the NHTSA complaint line.<BR>1-888-DASH-2-DOT<P>And their web page for all sorts of past information on ANY vehicle: <A HREF="http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/" TARGET=_blank>http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/</A> <P>VERY USEFUL. These are also the folks who ultimately decide on GOVERNMENT mandated recalls.<P> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 12, 2000 Share Posted May 12, 2000 I would just like to say THANKS to bscopatz for taking the time to post all that information!! a big hug to you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 13, 2000 Share Posted May 13, 2000 I cannot believe this thread- I have a 90 Reatta Convertible, and on May 3, my brakes totally failed as well. It was raining as I was going home, I went through a bit of high water, the abs and brake warning lights came on and 3 minutes later, no brakes! I have taken it to 2 independents as well as a dealer- the independents can't fix it because they say they are getting 'inconclusive codes', and the dealer wants to replace the entire system for about $4K(!) <BR>Thanks to this thread, I have called Buick Customer Service, and hope to get some help with the repair. Thank you so much!<BR>I will post with final disposition... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 17, 2000 Share Posted May 17, 2000 more info on my brake failure...<BR>1. Buick Customer Service (Ryan Slaughter) says he found 'nothing' in the files from Robert Scopatz re other Reatta brake failures. He couldn't find my VIN in his computer. He also said there is nothing on the NHTSA BB about them. When he called the service manager at the Buick dealer that refused to do anything other than replace the entire system, he was told that the brakes are 'just worn out.' After all, the car is over 10 years old (a '90) and has 115K miles, so is way past any sort of warranty. And could he do anything else for me today? <BR>2. Hubby called another Buick dealer and was given the name of the independent where they send all their work for older Buicks. These guys fixed two (2!) similar brake system failures on Buick/Rivs last week and told us that the repair would be one of 2 different parts- one would cost us about $400, the other $1800. On inspection, they determined that the accumulator was bad and have ordered the part. I think that's the cheap one. <P>So, don't look for any help from Buick Customer Service (sorry Robert), and don't let a dealer tell you that you need a whole new system. <BR> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nelsjsen Posted May 17, 2000 Share Posted May 17, 2000 I had a problem on my 88 with the brakes & system lights. It was the "power booster" on the master cyclinder. It's only good for about 150,000 pumps. Common problem on anti- lock systems & repairable for about $300. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 17, 2000 Share Posted May 17, 2000 Those jerks!!! Okay, guys, the gloves are off. I'm going to pursue this as a recall item with NHTSA. I will not stop until I get an official reply from the folks at NHTSA. Keep tuned. Buick has it coming now!<BR> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 17, 2000 Share Posted May 17, 2000 Here's the text of the letter I'm sending NHTSA. Their address is there at the top. Add you urging to mine. At the very least, I'd like to see NHTSA do a recall investigation. If they decide not to recall, at least we've given it a shot.<P>-Bob<P>U.S. Department of Transportation <BR>National Highway Traffic Safety Administration<BR>Office of Defects Investigation, NSA-10.01<BR>400 7th Street, SW<BR>Washington, DC 20590<P>To whom it may concern,<P>I am writing to urge you to open a recall investigation on 1988 - 1990 Buick Reattas as a result of the numerous brake system failures and brake lock-ups that have been noted on your site and by owners on the official Buick Reatta web page (http://www.aaca.org/cgi-bin/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&forum=BCA+-+Reatta+Discussion&number=3)<P>I am one of the owners who lodged a complaint on the NHTSA Customer Complaint website. I have also written a letter to Buick Corporation alerting them to this very dangerous situation. In some instances, the car will suddenly (without warning) have NO BRAKING power whatsoever. In other instances, the brakes on one side of the vehicle lock up sending the car out of control. These may, of course, be two different problems. However, in discussions with the mechanics and service technicians on the Reatta website (and in various dealerships around the country), the problems all seem to be related to the TEVES ABS system installed on these (and many other) Buick vehicles for the 1988 - 1990 model years.<P>I have attached copies of the brake-related complaints I found via a search of the NHTSA Customer Complaint website database. These are only a fraction of the complaints I?ve seen written about on the Reatta website (although you may have to go back into the archives to find ALL the complaints, there is almost always at least one active thread about brake system problems).<P>The reason I am now pressing for a recall investigation is because of the problems of one owner who recently experienced the total failure of her brake system. At my urging she called Buick?s customer service department. These are the same folks who told me to send them a letter telling them exactly what I had experienced. Now, they claim not to have any knowledge of any brake failures on these cars. The attachment shows that I?m not the only one to have experienced these very dangerous conditions. I think, given the limited production of these vehicles (roughly 20,000 in 4 model years), the number of total brake system failures reported to NHTSA is startling, to say the least. The fact that there are many more incidents for which you have NO RECORD means that this problem is even more alarming.<P>I am also writing to you because of my work with NHTSA. I have been employed by NHTSA as a statistics and database management consultant numerous times over the past several years. In my recent meeting with Secretary Rodney Slater, I spoke with him about the need for better quality traffic records data as part of his development of a long-range plan for the USDOT. I would not bring this issue to you if I felt like it was a case of just the routine aging of a vehicle (Reattas are all roughly 10 years old, give or take). It is the failure mode which concerns me most. The failure of the brake systems on these cars occurs without any warning (such as gradually degrading performance, or appropriate dash warning lights) and has created serious safety hazards in every instance. The fact that no-one has been killed yet is simply dumb luck. When you read the incident reports from various correspondents on that Reatta website, you will see that this problem is pervasive, unpredictable, catastrophic, and extremely dangerous.<P>I hope you will act on this. I also ask, on behalf of other Reatta owners I am in contact with, that you please get back to me with your decision of whether or not to investigate the TEVES brake system, and Buick Reatta brakes in particular.<BR> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 16, 2000 Share Posted August 16, 2000 Brought forward for Buick Folks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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