Guest imported_Falconman Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 I have an 89 and over the past couple of weeks when starting up, I have gotten a message on the CRT "anti-lock brakes/low pressure/service check required". I have read the related posts, did the 7 step brake test and assume its the accumulator??? I can pass along the test results if helpful. The car has 138k miles (35k in past 11 yrs and approximately 5k the past 5-6 yrs. I have owned it since 97 and have all(?) service records from previous owner and feel positive the accumulator has never been replaced. Is that where I start (accumulator) or are there other things to consider. Thanks for any /all input and help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 It does not sound like a accumulator problem to me. See section 8D2-65 of the FSM for troubleshooting information. Might just be a loose connection to the pressure switch or ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 The Anti-Lock light is not as scary as the Red BRAKE light but it should not be lit. Most likely it is one of the wheel sensors. Could be damaged, a bad or dirty connector. You can disconnect the sensors one at a time and check the continuity through the coil to verify that they are not bad. Spray each connector with contact cleaner. It could also be the anti-lock solenoid unit...nothing can be fixed there, it must be replaced....however thay seldom go bad. Try unpluging the unit, spray with contact cleaner and replug.Let us know what you find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 "Low pressure" is the result of *either* the low pressure or the fluid level switch being open (EBCM pins 9 and 10 should make a loop). Diagnosis requires a DVM or jumpers to find out which is open and then you can determine why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_Falconman Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Thanks Ronnie and Barney. Barney, both the red and yellow lights on the instrument panel go off in about 30-40 seconds after letting the system go thru the start up "system checks". This seemed about right but its the CRT msg that I've gotten. Doing the brake test I was not sure what the term "till pedal gets hard". Test 1 seemed not bad, took 7 pumps for both lights to go off. Test 3, both lights out after 12 seconds. Test 4 about 20 seconds till pump stopped running. Test 5 only 1 pump of pedal till pump started running, test 6 fluid was 3/4 inch at least below full line. On test 7, I can hear the audible sound but don't notice push back. This is long but wanted to give as much info as possible. Not sure how to describe, but for a while the pedal has just not seemed normal - sort of like when it gets to bottom of travel its like a hard touch. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 If it takes longer than 50 seconds for the yellow light to go off you will get the error message you describe. Do you ever get the error message when the car has only been sitting a short period of time? Does the car stop the way it should without the red or yellow light coming on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_Falconman Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Ronnie, just checked, car has been setting for 2-3 hours. Turned key to run position and both red and yellow went out in about 15 seconds, pump stopped after another 10 seconds--no msg on CRT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 If in brake test 5 it only takes 1 pump to turn on the red and yellow light you probably do have a bad accumulator and that may be causing your problem with the error message. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_Falconman Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Is GM Parts Direct the best place to get accumulator? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CL_Reatta Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Certainly seems to be the best place to get it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 I got mine from GMPartsDirect.com. Best price, high shipping cost.The GM part number for the TEVES brake accumulator is: 25528382. $ 112.00 plus shipping at GMPartsDirect.com, as of 5/28/08. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tomt Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Of course if your lazy which I was, it's still available and can be installed at a dealer.Tom T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CL_Reatta Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 How much is it from a dealer though? and do they know what they are doing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tomt Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 As I remember, it was $189.00. I dealt with two free standing Buick Dealers, one whose owner had two Reattae, and another who was familiar with the car. Look for grey hair amongst the mechanics and you're probably OK.Tom T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tomt Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Actually, go for white hair, or none.Tom T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tomt Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 To correct myself: It's an easy installation, and if they or you have the service manual anyone can do it. I just didn't have the time.Tom T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 It is like replacing an oil filter just from the other side and needing to remove the oil first.BTW GMPartdirect has gone from expensive shipping to absurd. Just checked and price is now $117 but they add <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">$40</span></span> shipping & handling. Each (two is $80 shipping). This is sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Accumulator Replacement Instructions (with photos) can be found here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest CL_Reatta Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: padgett</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It is like replacing an oil filter just from the other side and needing to remove the oil first.BTW GMPartdirect has gone from expensive shipping to absurd. Just checked and price is now $117 but they add <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">$40</span></span> shipping & handling. Each (two is $80 shipping). This is sad. </div></div>ARE YOU FOR REAL? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Just convinced me to order a spare - turned out through Amazon from one of their member companies is $121 +$3 S&H or $124 total. Picture even shows the white label. Will see what arrives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAVES89 Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Based on what I am reading about prices, I am glad my car, before I bought it, already had both the accumulater and low pressure switch replaced... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jamhudson Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: padgett</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It is like replacing an oil filter just from the other side and needing to remove the oil first.BTW GMPartdirect has gone from expensive shipping to absurd. Just checked and price is now $117 but they add <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">$40</span></span> shipping & handling. Each (two is $80 shipping). This is sad. </div></div> I'm 80 miles from them, wonder what they would get at the parts counter? I got mine last Aug. for $153 from my dealer who I have been a wholesale customer for 48 years. From what I have learned over the years dealer cost is about $75. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Well there are spares that are probably fine used (like an ECM) and spares that wear out (like the accumulator).Personally I like the idea of ABS and while it was available on a lot of GM cars in the 87-90 era, it was standard equipment on only two and an e$pen$ive option on the rest.Born when diesels were coming (along with the non-ABS PowerMaster which uses a similar but much lower pressure accumulator), the Olds 350 killed that.Replacement with a later ABS is possible but might as well replace the entire powertrain while at it. Much easier and more common is just to add another rear brake line and go to the conventional system used in the Riviera.Keep in mind that when the Reatta does become a "collectible", originality <span style="font-style: italic"><span style="font-weight: bold">even and sometimes particularly when the original did not work well</span></span> will become paramount.Somehow I doubt that a NOS accumulator will ever drop in value and suspect that a few here may even have more than one spare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tomt Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Just a suggestion:It's sounding like just visiting a Buick dealer and getting a price might be a good idea.Tom T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted March 2, 2009 Share Posted March 2, 2009 One I ordered through Amazon (from "AC-Direct") last week just arrived - everything looks right, white sticker & all. $124.09 delivered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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