constant touch screen err...detected an electronic problem

[SonHasNewReatta]

My son just purchased a 1989 Reatta. It seems to be running fine but when you first start driving it you get constant errors on the touch screen. First a dash light comes on and says "engine control problem detected, see diagnostic center" then the touch screen changes and reads "detected an electronic problem". I was scanning the other forums and wondered if it could be the same as another problem I saw posted, his problem was a bit different, his touch screen was saying service engine soon and someone had him check to see if the dash bulb was burned out for "service engine", I think ours is burned out, don't know if it's related to the problem I'm having? Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Howard]

Lets try to cover a number of topics. First and foremost, welcome! You have found to best place there is for the Reatta automobile, sort of a "Reatta University" if you will. With so many fans on one forum, mostly likely someone is going to have the answer to most Reatta problems. You are correct about the bulb. If it is burnt out, a warning will be sent to the screen. It's easy to test all the warning lights. With key on, but engine not running, press the "test" button under the clock. Note the lights that come on. From left to right. Security, Brake(red), the amber anti lock warning light will not turn on during the test, oil, temp, battery, and check engine. You may have to try more than once to see all the lights. They stay on only a moment, then they flash one by one and then stay on for only a moment, then turn off. The anti lock brake (amber) will come on each time you start the car and remain on for several seconds, usually with the red brake light. The red brake warning lamp is just about the most important light on the entire dash. NEVER, drive your car if the red brake light stays on for more than 45 seconds. If your parking brake is off, it means the braking system has no pressure! It might be a good idea to search the forum for "brake test." As a new owner, it would be a good idea to take the brake test. The brakes on the Reatta are very complex to say the least, and are somewhat unforgiving of poor maintainence. Back to the lights. If you do find one or more are burnt out, they are pretty simple to replace. My advise is to replace them all while you have the dash apart. First grab the grey trim panel that surrounds the speedometer at the bottom near the steering column. A word of caution, be sure you are grabbing the plastic backing, not the gray material itself. You will pull the gray metal cover off and damage the panel beyond repair. Once the bottom is pulled away, pull the top in the same matter. Now you will see some small silver hex screws that hold the clear black plastic cover in place. Once the screws are removed, grasp the clear black plasic and pull out toward you. Be careful, there is a black rubber gasket affixed to the rear of the cover that keeps the light from "bleeding" from it's assigned warning. The lamps are now exposed. Just grasp them and pull them out. Push in new ones. Once all the lamps are replaced, I would use the "test" button to make sure everything was working correctly before putting everything back together. Now lets talk about the cool screen. Actually, it is just more than a gadget. It is a diagnostic tool as well! It captures failure codes and display them! To see the codes with key on, press the "Climate" button. Then on the screen, press and hold the "off" button and the "warm" button at the same time. In moments the "check engine" light will flash and the screen changes. It will say ECM, BCM, ISP. Then it will say ECM? You will note that codes numbers with the letter E, B prefixes may appear with the word "current" or "history" The codes with the E in front of them are engine control module codes, B body control codes. History mean a problem is the past, but OK now. Current means something is amiss now. At this point I'm going to state one of the best investments you can make is a shop manual. It tells you what the codes mean. The books appear from time to time on eBay. You can go the www.reatta.net and download one for free. I still like the hard book better, but hey the download is free. You can't beat the price. Once you have the codes, report back to us the numbers and we can tell you what they mean, if you don't get a manual before then. To clear all the code, and I would suggest you do that so you start with a clean slate, when the screen asks ECM?, press the yes key. Then answer no to each question it asks till you see clear codes?. Answer yes. then the words ECM? will appear again. Press No. Then BCM? appears, answer yes and do the same with it to clear all the BCM codes ect. When all finished, press end or turn the key off. Anyway, I'm sorry this was so long, but I hoped I helped in some way.

[SonHasNewReatta]

Thank you so very very much for your reply. I got busy with work and Easter and hadn't checked back. Tonight my son and I both reviewed your answer and will attempt to follow your suggestions. It all looks very thorough and helpful. The check engine light definitely isn't working. He and his father will try to change the bulbs. I checked the codes a couple of weeks ago and wrote them down but will have to go back and see if they are history or current. Thanks for the tip on the brakes. Can you tell me what link on the reatta.net site the shop manual is under? I tried to find codes under the "diagnostics" link and they didn't seem to match up to the codes that I had on the screen. The only one that references 1989 is the assembly line diagnostic. I copied the information from the "diagnostics" link below.

<span style="font-style: italic">Perhaps it's the documentation link, I applied for a LICENSED WORKS login.</span>

Vehicle Diagnostics:

bullet.gif 1988 (size = 9Mb!)

bullet.gif 1989 (Not yet implemented)

bullet.gif 1990 (Not yet implemented)

bullet.gif 1991 (Not yet implemented)

Diagnostic Entry and Readout:

bullet.gif 1990/1991 Entering and Reading Diagnostic Codes

Assembly Line Diagnostic Link (ALDL):

bullet.gif Reading and Clearing ALDL Codes

bullet.gif 1988 ALDL Codes

bullet.gif 1989 ALDL Codes

bullet.gif 1990 ALDL Codes

bullet.gif 1991 ALDL Codes

Step by Step ECM/BCM Diagnostics:

bullet.gif 1990/1991 ECM and BCM Diagnostics

1991 Brake Diagnostics

bullet.gif 1991 Brake Diagnostics

[Howard]

Since I have an actual manual, I've never tried to get information off reatta.net site. I do think it is under the documention section however, and you do have to sign up to use that section of the site. Perhap someone else who has used the site to get the manual information, might chime in. As an aside, I would keep my eyes peeled on eBay for a manual. It so much more portable that an e-manual. I bought mine from the orginal supplier, Helm, in 1998. I think I paid $85.00 for it. I'm not sure if Helm has any further supply.

[Guest Robi]

I bought my '89 Manual about tha same time and asked the "operator" how many they had left in stock. She replied something like 1500. I don't know if that's for all four years on just the '89s but it indicates they had a pretty good supply then. Of course the Rivera folks will be drawing from that same supply.