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Nick, My 1990 Reatta is sitting in the driveway awaiting the results of your replacing the ECM. Like I said earlier, I've tried numerous "fixes", took it to two mechanics, but nothing has worked yet. I've decided to leave the car parked until I hear your good news. So please keep posting your updates.

Nick, I have been following your problem with great interest because my 90 Reatta exhibits the same symptoms. I have tried several fixes but nothing has worked. It sounds like you may have the solution. Please keep us advised of how well your solution works. We in the Maryland-DC. area went thru a very wet winter. I think a lot of owners will be very grateful if you hit on the fix. <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> </div></div>

My 90 coup has gone beyond stalling in traffic and now will not run at all unless I keep the engine at high RPM. It dies immeidately after I lift off the throttle. The service engine light stays on while the engine is running (roughly) and the tach does not work except intermitantly. Immediately after starting there is a heavy gasoline smell. I have changed the idle air control valve, the fuel pressure regulator, the gas and air filters and put in fuel injection cleaner. The throttle position sensor switch seems okay and I have not changed that although I have a spare. I am wondering what my problem could be. There was a lot of carbon buildup and when the engine starts there is the smell of a lot of gasoline. Could I have a clogged catalytic converter, or a bad fuel pump? If I do not figure this out, my next step will be tow to the Buick dealer to see if he can help. Any ideas out there, I am ready to try them.

Thanks for the advice concerning the fuel pressure regulator. Just where on top of the engine is it and what does it look like. Is it expensive? I got to tell you this Reatta is not improving my relationship with my wife, what with all its recurring and new problems. It only has 57,000 miles but it has far more problems than my "Italian" 1986 Alfa Spider.

My 90 Reatta stalls and dies in traffic and it is getting harder to restart. Today it stalled in the middle of a major intersection in Washington, D.C. even after the car was thorougly warmed up. It then started dying when I took my foot off the accelerator. The engine service light is mostly on. A service station mechanic changed the idle air control valve and the fuel and air filters and cleaned up a lot of carbon residue. He put in fuel injector cleaner and changed the relays. He said codes do not show anything wrong. Could this be caused by a clogged catalytic converter? Does it need a fuel pump? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

No air is coming through the swivel air vents on each side of the instrument panel and on each side of the glove box. Air is coming only through the dash vent by the windshield and through the footwell vents. Any ideas on how to fix the problem would be appreciated.

Forget my 6/30 post that cleaning the throttle body caused by surging and stalling problem. It recurred and I have since changed (on 7-14) the idle air control valve, which so far seems to have been the problem. However, I want to give it a couple weeks to see if there are any more surprises.

I had much the same problem on my 90 coupe, except the engine would die when the car came to a stop. Cleaned up the throttle body and the service engine light is gone and the car (so far) is running fine.

My 90 coupe with 56,000 miles will start fine and idle fine for a while then die. I restart and drive and it starts cutting out while under load. It sometimes dies at a signal light and restarts immediately. This just started occuring, and my Service Engine Light has come on. It appears to be starving for fuel so I am wondering whether it is the fuel filter or air filter or something more serious. Would appreciate any ideas.

If you are 55, you can get auto insurance much cheaper through AARP. I dropped AllState after 230 years because of the magnitude of the cost savings with AARP.

Is it safe to drive with the yellow antilock brake light on? I have heard two versions. One is that the yellow light only means no antilock brakes but the car can be driven because it still has the regular brakes. Another version is that the yellow light probably means the accumulator is not working and this puts a lot of stress on the pump and can lead to more expensive repairs. Just what is the safety and correct practice if the yellow light comes on and stays on at all times?

How do I contact Jim Finn. Have come across his name on many posts but never took down his contact information.

I am trying to find two grey horn buttons for my 90 coupe. Does anyone know the part number and where I can find them? I am getting ready to order an accumulator from GMPartsDirect and could order the horn buttons also if they have them in stock. But they will not take returns if you give them the wrong part number. Appreciate any help.

I am getting ready to order an accumulator and I see many Reatta owners recommend GMPartsDirect as the best way to go. They offer the accumulator, Part #25528382,for $101 plus $23 shipping. That is a good price according to my research. But I have seen some criticism of the company on other web sites and I wonder if any Reatta owners have had any bad experiences. Also, it seems GMParts Direct does not warranty the parts they sell. They say the part is warranted by the manufacturer. So if a part is faulty, how does one return it to the manufacturer? Many thanks.

A Midas Muffler rep told me that installing a Camaro-type dual exhaust on the Reatta would cost about $500 and would add about 10 horsepower. I was surprised at the high cost and equally surprised that the conversion would add any horspower at all since it is not a true dual exhaust. I think dual chrome exhaust pipes look really good on a Reatta but I wonder if there is a way to do the conversion a little cheaper. The added horsepower would be a bonus if true. My question is...is the dual exhaust worth the money???

To the Creightons...at your ages, you should look into AARP's auto insurance. They had no trobule accepting that I drive my Reatta only for pleasure and less than 5,000 miles per year.

It sounds like replacing the solenoid might do the trick. But just where is it located?

Every so often the trunk lid on my 90 Reatta will not respond to the remote or to the push button in the glovebox. Then when I drive the car a couple miles, the trunk lid responds properly...so far. I need to find a solution before the trunk lid does not respond at all. I suspect some contact somewhere is sticking. Any ideas?

Padgett I am still not clear on this. When you say driver's side wheel, do you mean the front or rear wheel. And did the sensor alone solve the problem? I do not want to tell you the reason I am asking. Sorry to be so dense.

Has anyone ever tried the drilled and slotted discs offered for the Reatta on Ebay by various aftermarket firms? It seems they would be an effective and simplier way to go IF they signficantly improved performance. I was considering this route but had not yet made up my mind. I do know the Reatta discs look small on my see-thru 16-inch chrome rims. This does not mean I would change unless the aftermarket discs improved stopping distance.

Sorry, I was thinking about lightly used tires such as Goodyear Eagle GTs, Michelin Pilots or Dunlop SPs for $225 complete for my Reatta. I am trying to get away from, what did you call them, "Comfortreads" for $375 mounted & balanced? That's why I'd buy used.

Look in the yellow pages. A lot of places sell top brand used tires for $35 to $50. Many of these tires are like new because they came off a new car when the owner upgraded to a 16-inch wheel from a 15-inch wheel, or from a 16-inch wheel to a 17 inch. These places also will mount and balance the tires for $10. They also come with a guarantee.

I have to get my hood repainted because a mechanic closed it on a tool he had left in the engine compartment. How many base coats and how many clear coats were used on the Reatta? (They are paying).

I had my flawless 90 Reatta in for some AC work and it looks like the mechanic who worked on the car tried to close the hood while something was setting on top of engine compartment. Whatever it was made a big split in the underhood padding a very noticable crease on the top of the hood. It also dimpled the edge of the hood. The hood also was sprung, sticking up about a half inch above the driver side fender. What to do? The garage accepted responsbility even though the mechanic denied any fault. But I do not want to paint the hood, it then would not be original. Can the creases and dimples be taken out and the hood straightened without paintwork? The garage shop foreman offered to take the car to a bodyshop he knows to find out what can be done, so I left the car with him. Any advice? This car car had some mechanical problems but the body was pristine, which was why I bought it.

The tire store is trying to talk me into buying 235-60 series tires for my new 16 X 7-inch rims for my 90 coup. I had wanted to use 235-55 series tires. But he said they would ride too rough and I would feel every bump in the road without that much improvement in contact with the road. Is this guy overloaded with 60 series tires or does he have a point? I am no boy racer and value the great cruising ability of the Reatta.