1st Brakes problem.

[Guest Jeffn]

My TC has always warped the cheapo front discs that my mech. swears by so I had him installed drilled, slotted, zinc, hi-zoot rotors. Now, he says the abs light comes on and I said they always do for a 5-20 seconds. He nows says that the light is on full time and it feels like there's no power boost to the brakes. Accumulator perhaps?

[Guest Joe F. O'Neill]

If the light wasn't staying on before he changed the rotors, I'd question the work he performed before you start swapping out more parts. Odds are the accumulator didn't just fail while sitting in the shop.

[Guest Jeffn]

Makes sense but he's done rotors twice before on this one.

I also seemed to sense a hardening of the pedal in the past couple weeks although it could have been my imagination. Do these go suddenly, slowly or both?

[Guest Joe F. O'Neill]

This is not a new topic. Recent threads include those titled:

Hydaulic Brake Pump Assembly

Anti Lock Brake Problem

Brakes

ABS BRAKE PROBLEM - HARD PEDAL (one of Hemi's many guides)

A helpful web site is http://www.reatta.net/index.html Buick used Teves brakes on the Reatta. The site give some good basic info and diagnostics. System is just about the same with some parts (like the "brain") just being located in different places.

Of course, the TC Club newsletter also has had several good articles over the years.

Not a dearth of info; it's out there, just need someone who can digest/apply it.

[Guest Jeffn]

I haven't tried them myself yet, and, oh my, I never thought it could happen to me...! <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

[Guest LouZ]

I seem to remember reading that if the red brake light was on, and the amber anti lock lights were on it was hydrolic..

If it was just the amber anti lock it was electrical = 3 relays on the right front fender ~ or ~ low level fluid warning light. that test is simple, pull the plug and jump the leads.

The Reatta website has a complete test procedure. I used it and found the green relay was bad..

Good Luck, Lou

[Guest Jeffn]

Could one of the abs sensor rings affect it? Too coincendental that the rotors were just changed and this was the result?

Now my tech says it just not enough boost happening so prob not the rings.

[Hemi Dude]

First of all, does the pump work? A hard pedal is usually caused by the pump not working. ALSO, if the accumulator is the original one or you don't know it's age, REPLACE it. It can cause failure of the pump and electrical circuit to the pump.

If the pump does not run, check the fuse/relay box on the right front side of the engine compartment. It may be that the fuse for the ABS pump is bad or the terminals below it are burnt up. CHECK IT CLOSELY. The 3 different colored relays are NOT interchangable, don't move them around.

[Guest StudeDude 01]

I had the identical experience after having new front struts installed on my '90 V6. After trying the specified bleeding procedure for the front and rear wheels, nothing changed. I decided to disconnect the battery for about 15-20 minutes and reconnect to find out if that would make a difference. After starting the car, both the ABS and Brake lights went out after the usual time lapse and full function of the brakes had returned. That was 8 months ago and they still work fine. Give it a shot.

[Guest Jeffn]

OK, battery coming off 1st, then a new accumulator(assuming it's orig).

How can I tell if the pumps pumping?

[Guest LouZ]

Jeff, You can hear it. it is connected to the bottomof the shaft that the accumulator is mounted to..

Go to www,reatta.com go to troubleshooting.. print out the 3 pages.. read them and then go sit in your car and follow the 7 or 8 tests.. you will know pretty good how everything is, and what is and what isn't..

You have to do this in a quiet area so you can hear the pump run.. Good Luck, Lou

[Guest Jeffn]

OK, pump seems to out-will look into it closer tomorrow. Battery trick didn't work.

Reatta.com leads me to Go daddy. I looked on the reatta page in here also but no troubleshooting that I could find...

[Guest LouZ]

Hey Jeff,

I'm sorry it's www,reatta.net i guess I got so used to ".com" I lost my head.. ".net" home page has a list to click on on the left side..

Again, Sorry, Lou

[fludder]

I had hard brakes and the first thing Larry Carlson suggested was the fuses. We changed them and then had to clean the contacts as the top was gone from the little box they are in.

[Guest Jeffn]

Are all year TCs the same as far a relay box locations go?

[Guest LouZ]

I'm pretty sure they are.. By the way; Mine didn't have a cover when I got it and I just found the 30 amp fuse is broken and locked tight in the connector. it's still making good electrical contact so I probably will not mess with it until later this week.. Lou

[Guest Jeffn]

OK, mech goes to Aruba for a week, returns and it's suddenly repaired like it never happened. Haven't asked how yet but it sure sounds like electrical somewhere...

[Guest Jeffn]

OK, mech goes to Aruba for a week, returns and it's suddenly repaired like it never happened. Haven't asked how yet but it sure sounds like electrical somewhere...

And he had the audacity to charge for 3 hours labor(sure he spent more than that)when this is a problem that only ever happened after him working on the rotors. Fair and balanced?

[Guest LouZ]

Do this in a quiet area.. OPen the hood. sit in the car, turn on the key, there will be a mild humming noise under the hood just under the brake fluid resivour it should humm for 15 sec. to 1 min. and you should hear the humm change as the pressure builds and the pump has to work harder..

[Guest LouZ]

I would certainly question him, anyone that tries to sell me those cheap mexican or hongkong or even canadian rotors don't last long working for me. I think you should find a new tech..You see there are certain things that you have to use good quality parts when you work on them.. Good Luck

[Guest Jeffn]

He gave me the choice originally-about 50. less and they use them on their cars but don't drive like me I guess. Cheap Chinese crap-you old enough to remember 'cheap Japanese crap' also?