89 Dash lights won't dim with headlights, chime warning & purchase a service manual

[sosuzguy]

I'm wanting to buy a service manual for mine. How many books are there for this year? I know for the 85 Riv's it's one large manual and a small body shop manual. My dash lights do not dim nor does the buttons that light up at night come on at night, but during the dash light up they come on. Also I have an intermittent chime that has only worked once since I've got the car. Bad ground? I need to know where to start trouble shooting the dash lights not dimming and the chime not working. Thanks

[Ronnie]

A new Field Service Manual for your '89 model is available in The Reatta Store. Look in the Books & Accessories category.

Help with troubleshooting your lights can be found here:

Interior Lights Repair Information - Reatta Owners Journal

and here:

Instrument Panel Repair Information - Reatta Owners Journal

[Guest Mc_Reatta]

Jayson, Sorry to hear about your recent contraction of Reatta fever. As you will soon learn, there is no cure.

A good place to acquire a final addition of a Field Service Manual is on ebay. Need to bide your time to find on in good condition at a reasonable price but they are out there.

Until you can find the right deal, go here and register to get access to an on-line copy as well as many other valuable assets. Reatta Data Page

Your light issue is most likely due to a bad photocell in the dash that isn't telling the BCM that it's dark outside. Go to Ronnie's site and read the FSM to learn how use the built in diagnostic system. How To Access ECM, BCM & CRT Codes - Reatta Owners Journal

Once you know how, go into BCM Data mode and read the value for BD44. If it isn't 76 or higher in the dark or with an opaque object laying on top of the photocell in the dash, then you will need to replace it.

As for the chime, if your lucky either the PO disabled it or there is a bad connection. Otherwise, you may need another one.

[Machiner 55]

Here's a cut and paste from a long ago post regarding the chime module.

Re: Strange Dinging Noise

I had a chime module go bad in my 89. The one that reminds you that you've left your lights on or your keys in the ignition. It may just my imagination but the chime started sounding like the "Bee-dong... Bee-dong" background tone that was ever present on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise. Anyway...

Got a replacement module from Jim Finn. Works great. After replacing the module I decided to take a little look-see inside the faulty one. What I found was that the metal bridge (there's that bridge again) that holds the plastic disk, that contains the diaphragm, had broken solder joints at the point where the ends of the bridge make contact with the Printed Circuit Board. Re-melting the solder joints with a touch of rosin core solder made it sound like new again. Now I have a spare.

These broken solder joints are not visible to the naked eye. I used an industrial grade binocular microscope at work to see the joints. ( I believe the scope was set to 250X magnification.) To the naked eye, the joints look perfectly fine.

How did I know to look those specific joints? I didn't...

I just looked at every joint on the PCB before finding the bad joints. Contact Jim Finn for a replacement or check out your local salvage yard or... last but not least... Ebay... (I hate Ebay).

I've been amazed with stuff pulled out of a Reatta, that I can find wrong when viewed under a microscope. For example... those dash pod switches on either side of the instrument cluster for your lights and what-not. The window toggle switches. The remote mirror switches etc... They're amazing pieces of engineering! And most of the time fixable.

Sometimes the contacts just need cleaned. Especially the switches located in the console. Once you get the coffee, pop (soda), beer and other gunk out of them they work just fine.

Edited December 3, 2012 by Machiner 55 (see edit history)

[sosuzguy]

Thanks everyone, I've got some reading and work to do. Be back later, probably with more ???

[sosuzguy]

Once you know how, go into BCM Data mode and read the value for BD44. If it isn't 76 or higher in the dark or with an opaque object laying on top of the photocell in the dash, then you will need to replace it.

As for the chime, if your lucky either the PO disabled it or there is a bad connection. Otherwise, you may need another one.

The BD44 value was 6. I even uncovered it and it was still a 6. What directions do you Reatta guys go for replacement parts? Also the chime is ding ding-ing again. Maybe a loose connection? Where is the chime box located? Thanks

Jayson

[Guest Corvanti]

for parts, i go here first: The Reatta Store - Reatta Owners Journal

if not available, "GM Parts Direct" website. if the part is needed in a hurry, some "flaps" carry or can overnight parts to their store. the local Buick dealer is my last resort - (usually due to price).

Edited December 2, 2012 by Corvanti
hit enter too soon... (see edit history)

[Guest Mc_Reatta]

You can probably get a used photocell assembly from one of the vendors on the forum that will plug right in and have the blue plastic cover included. If not, there is a photocell that will work at Home Depot and Radio Shack, but some assembly will be required to make ready to install.

Ronnie's site has the particulars. It's a delicate job to replace without damaging the plastic grill pieces that need to be removed, and plan on some scratched hands and fingers working under there.

Give some thought to dislodging the upper EL AC inverter while your under there and drop it down so that if you need to replace it later you can reach it from underneath, and not have to remove the dash cover again.

Chime module is under the dash on the driver's side. Start it pinging and crawl under there to find it when your ready. Connector is at lower left in attached photo:

Edited December 3, 2012 by Rawja (see edit history)

[sosuzguy]

Can someone please send me info to conact Jim Finn? I'm needing to get a new light sensor since mine has a value of 6. I'm assuming there is no other diagnostics involved in checking this. I'll try to work on getting the top part of the dash taken off now, but I thinks someone has already partially opened the dash and broke some of the clips. I see there is a slim metal tool I saw somewhere to pry it up without breaking it. Can anyone take a pic of what the clips look like that I'd be prying up? Thanks Jayson

[Ronnie]

Jim Finn can be reached at: jfinn@cpinternet.com

A lot of the info you need is on my website.

Dash Pad Removal Instructions - Reatta Owners Journal

Twilight Sensor Photocell Replacement - Reatta Owners Journal

[Guest RattyOne]

did you get a manual yet? i have one if you PM me i will respond RattyOne