1988 buick reatta problems

. Write down any codes that are displayed. Did the engine get noisy, like lifters ticking? I'd switch to a Delco ignition, quality 8mm plug wires, and Delco Rapidfire (platinum) or Iridium plugs. Excerpted from the forthcoming (eventually) book,Doomed. But its technological zenith was in its dash and display. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. It has 176k on it. I've checked the fuses inside the car. Options for replacing rear struts needed. If no codes it could be anything weak in secondary ignition (ICM, coils, plug wires, plugs. He admits that he would have preferred conventional gauges and controls as standard equipment, but the cost of retooling the dash and the cowl and reworking the wiring would have sunk the project. " Arthur St. Antoine, VEHICLE TYPEfront-engine, front-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door coupe, ENGINE TYPEpushrod 12-valve V-6, iron block and heads, port fuel injectionDisplacement: 231 in3, 3791 cm3 Power: 165 hp @ 4800 rpmTorque: 210 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm, CHASSISSuspension (F/R): struts/strutsBrakes (F/R): 10.4-in vented disc/10.2-in discTires: Goodyear Eagle GT+4 M+S, P215/65R-15, DIMENSIONSWheelbase: 98.5 in Length: 182.8 in Width: 73.0 in Height: 51.2 in Passenger volume: 52 ft3 Trunk volume: 10 ft3 Curb weight: 3380 lb, C/D TEST RESULTS30 mph: 2.8 sec60 mph: 9.1 sec100 mph: 33.3 secTop gear, 3050 mph: 4.6 secTop gear, 5070 mph: 6.6 sec1/4 mile: 16.7 sec @ 81 mphTop speed: 122 mphBraking, 700 mph: 201 ftRoadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.79 g, EPA FUEL ECONOMYCombined/city/highway: 22/19/29 mpg. Was the Reatta ahead of its time, or just perceived as a budget Cadillac Allant?Show 719 | Originally Recorded 02-04-1989Want to help keep our weekly Retro . Tenemos la seleccin ms grande y las mejores ofertas en Cinturones de accesorios para . And, yes, the Reatta is easy to get in and out of. The car sold moderately during its four-year run. About a week ago the headlights stopped popping up (so I've been cranking them manually) and the screen was giving messages that I knew were not correct - like it would say that the engine was overheating when I started it, etc. He admits that he had to put his personal carguy preferences on hold to head the project. The car also had had an Interlock device installed which I believe damaged the electrical I'm having that removed this Friday. Click here and follow the instructions that will tell you how to enter the Reatta's onboard diagnostics. We especially like the architecture you see in the rear three-quarter view. Today the 2020s coupes are pretty uncommon. But where is the greatness? One other thing; if there is a substantial exhaust leak at the crossover, which is unusual, it can introduce ambient air into the exhaust upstream of the O2 sensor at the rear and interfere with a correct reading and fuel correction. By "But when we went to get corporate approval, the management said, Cadillac really needs a car to go against the Mercedes SL," Qualman said. Which brings us back to the who of the Reatta, and it isn't us. Thank you :). acceleration to re-enter highway, my car lurched forward. Even with the key off there is power being used by the computers. / Buick Reatta eBay. Is the car leaking any coolant? Underhood, it's one-size-fits-all: the only engine offered is GM's new 3.8-liter V-6, called the 3800, which is smoothed by a balance shaft and produces a respectable 165 hp at 4800 rpm. Finally replaced the BCM and everything worked as it should. ", Gomberg lost interest in the Buick Reatta and eventually ended up with a Corvette ZR-1. The car is only running on 4 cylinders and is not happy. It seemed to clear things up within a day of using it. The last two-seater Buick left the Reatta Craft Centre renamed the Lansing Craft Center after the funeral on May 10, 1990. Good luck. But as we said that went to Cadillac with equally dismal results. Hawtal also engineered virtually all the bits and pieces of the Reatta that were not already in the Buick parts binsfrom major body stampings to interior trim. does it worse in OD with the TC locked but will do it in park or neutral as well. Thanks to an all-new floorpan stamping, the Reatta's wheelbase is 9.5 inches shorter than the Riviera's, and its overall size, not surprisingly, is similar to the Mercedes-Benz 560SL's. I apologize for dropping things, work kicked up and then the holiday happened. 2 Ronnie Administrators 3.5k Location: East TN My Reattas: 1988 Posted August 1, 2021 Welcome to the forum Ryan. Can you measure the battery voltage? So me and a friend purchased a 1988 Buick Reatta with about 169k miles on it (IIRC) and we've been trying to run down a strange misfire. Seth Rose. I sympathize completely as my 88 is currently operating in limp home mode which happens when the ECM is not getting a good signal from the ICM. . The next issue to be resolved was body style: McIntosh's early sketches portrayed both convertibles and coupes. August 1, 2021 in Reatta Owners Journal Forum. "We went to the market to ask people what kind of product they envisioned a two-seat Buick to be. 1990 Buick Reatta Coupe FWD-Maintenance & Repair. Inside, it's a different story. Golden! An external oil leak of that magnitude would seem obvious, which would be the only reason for stop leak? The Reatta is Buick's all-new two-seater, and it's aimed squarely atwell, that's what we're here to find out. car looks like it had a lot of highway miles and very basic maintenance done. Be prepared to write down the codes. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for FRAM Air Filter for 1988-1991 Buick Reatta - Intake Inlet Manifold Fuel ps at the best online prices at eBay! Please refer to CarGurus Terms of Use. A worthy candidate for any Worst list, we present the 1988-91 Buick Reatta. Copyright 2023, Antique Automobile Club of America. They told us that what they wanted was an affordable Mercedes 560SL. The on board computer shows a warning of low refrigerant and shuts the system down. But the production car only made it about halfway there in 1990, the first year without the touchscreen and the first year for a convertible, the introduction of which was delayed by additional teething troubles, this time having to do with keeping the convertible from leaking. Posted by daniel simms on May 27, 2014 Open Questions: I assumed when y'all say it will show codes on the CRT that it just shows diagnostics or warning info when something is wrong. As a halo vehicle, the Buick Reatta was also meant to incorporate the latest in advanced technology. Sign up for a new account in our community. removed the coil pack from the ICM and it was pretty gooey under there and leaking pretty bad which i read is a way to tell its bad (and it was a mess) The plug wires are new as well as the plugs, though they aren't of "OEM" AC Delco quality i figure they shouldn't cause any issues, given they made it idle a lot better after we did them. Industry: Employment Services , Services to Buildings and Dwellings , Other Support Services , Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing , Other Specialty Trade Contractors See All Industries, General Freight Trucking , Lessors of Real Estate , Business Support Services , Employment agencies, Help supply services, Building and office cleaning services, Packaging and labeling . After four underwhelming years, Buick compassionately pulled the plug on the Reatta in 1991. I'm changing out the MAF , but what is the cure for the Cam Sensor Circuit? An ASC-designed Convertible version of the Reattawith a vinyl or cloth soft top and glass rear windowwas offered starting in 1990, and the design was improved somewhat for 1991. At the very least, remove the hose between to the engine and the air filter housing. or maybe a failing crank sensor (though from what i know those will cause a crank no start but i could be wrong) any help would be appreciated. Free shipping for many products! Over its four-year run, it sold barely 20,000 examples both coupe and convertible. And maybe a bit more mass through the midsection. Complete instructions for testing pressure and pump performance are in teh How-to guides here on ROJ. Not saying it's the BCM, just that was my case and I checked everything out before hand. It's easy! Worse under load is almost certainly ignition. I'll keep the advice/instructions in mind for a weekend afternoon. Employees were really into those cars and worked hard to make sure that each one had good finish and quality," he said. The Reatta was one of those oddballs that got through the pipeline only to find no one there. Goodyear Eagle GT +4 all-weather performance radials, size 215/65R-15, hug the pavement. 5/21/2014 3:01:17 AM 1989 Buick. From what I do remember of all the components from old to new, the old damper quite literally fell apart once it had tension off the chain, and the timing set itself had heat scoring on the chain, so perhaps it had some heat issues in the past. After the fasteners are removed, lift the front connection up first and then pull the pipe out of the rear. And a CRT touchscreen? If you can't maesure the voltage, Advance Auto offers free charging analyis. " To this group, a smooth ride is as important as agility; quietness carries as much weight as performance. located in the duct work, on the firewall, passanger side. The Reatta would probably have done better if it had been sold under a different label one with a history of personally sized personal luxury cars BMW, for instance. After intensive consumer research, Buick settled on a two-place convertible with a removable hard top. Mileage now at 145k(mostly highway at this point) did a tuneup after timing set replacement, haven't done a compression test yet, and I've been staying within 5 of speed limits. The 88 is different from other years and has jumpers for the data line in the cover. No puddle underneath and no dripping down the side of the engine that I could see. Buick targeted younger buyers on their way up that had the wherewithal to buy a $25,000-30,000 car but also older retired buyers who could be purchasing it as sort of a reward. Buick forgot one of the main tenets of GM marketing: You can sell an old man a young mans car, but you cant sell a young man an old mans car. What was Buick thinking? The only issues he has with his cars are electrical gremlins that seem to occur if he lets them sit for more than a month: stalling and hesitation with the computer fuel injection, and the need to replace mass airflow and O2 sensors. Brand mismtach was the real problem. "You can sell an old man a young man's car, but you can't sell a young man an old man's car" There are 3 fuses that could affect the displays which you hopefully already checked, 5, 8, 15. yea i checkd all the fuses and i emaild Jim Finn about both a CPS and a BCM and well see what he says back. A design engineer was assigned to the studio to help with the final stages of development, but throughout its evolution the Reatta's styling remained in the hands of the advanced-design team. Ahead of its time and too far off-brand. The person that sold it to me did not seem too concerned and showed me to just switch it off. The ECC was very buggy which should have been expected given the state of touchscreen tech back in 88, when kids were playing dot-dash football on the school bus. But it was a poorly timed and probably too-small (for Buick) car. It got GMs new 3.8-liter V6 with port fuel injection and counter-rotating shafts to counter the V6s inherent vibration. What plugs get pulled to check valve covers? 'Instructions can be found on Ronnie's site at: Negative Junction Box Location-ReattaOwner.com. Go to Reatta.net and sign up for the Field Service Manual that is online there. In the end, it all fit and the project got green-lighted by upper management. Copyright 2023, Antique Automobile Club of America. Or rather, too many othersalreadythere. There is no gasket used at the forward end of the crossover. Get the latest business insights from Dun & Bradstreet. Free shipping for many products! Will help you a lot and it is FREE! We'll start with the styling: we think it's nice. There is a Ground Junction Block above and behind the battery. eBay Buick Reatta. It wasnt that it was cramped for the driver or the front seat passenger, but it did look small because it was. The engineers also wanted to avoid the quality headaches associated with introducing fresh hardware on a new limited-production car. Everything about the Reatta is, well, nice-very nice, really. An underwhelming total of 21,000 Reattas were sold over four model years before itwas discontinued after 1991, in part because the underlying E/K platform on which it was built was scrapped. Probably the rarest iteration of the Reatta was the 1990 Select Sixty convertible; these cars featured all-white exteriors with unique red-trimmed interiors (with white leather bucket seats), 16-inch wheels, and special Select Sixty emblems. I believe Padgett handled that. The rigidity of its body is noteworthy. GM management said to develop something that could compete with the Mercedes SL. Both of which have done just that, and successfully. But it wasnt an easy fit as the downsized E-Body chassis was angular in keeping with the boxy shapes then popular while the Reatta penned by the GM Design Studio was gently curvaceous. a group of Buick Reatta owners and enthusiasts who enjoy discussing the Buick Reatta automobile and sharing information about it. Browse answered 1988 Buick Reatta questions, problems & issues. 1988 Buick Reatta 99,999 mi 6 $ 1,500 Classic Cars of SC Inc (844) 389-8080 Gary Court, SC 29645 (256 miles away) 71 1990 Buick Reatta Convertible 57,252 mi 3.8 Liter V6 $ 17,500 or $288/mo Classic Auto Mall Inc (877) 516-3869 Morgantown, PA 19543 (277 miles away) 73 1990 Buick Reatta Convertible 42,860 mi 3.8 Liter V6 $ 21,500 or $354/mo I don't really have the cash or time at the moment to break down the engine, as it's currently my daily, so I opted to go for a crankcase stop leak and it worked, spectacularly even. immediately stomped the brake. Powered by Invision Community, im not seeing the list of reatta suppliers at the top of the page. The Reatta's drivetrain is as smooth and relaxed as any big Buick's. It just makes alignment of the parts more difficult and supports nothing. My memory is only so-so on what it looks like since mine is now very different. Where is the sharp steering response that teases you, the taut suspension that goads you to take on a twisty two-lane, the power that opens your eyes wide and sends a thrill down your spine? In fact, the cheapest of them was part of a three-figure deal he made attempting to buy a leather-bound owner's binder for one of the cars he already owned. I having a problem with digital dash and electric climate control unit. My Reattas: 1988 Posted February 6, 2020 The battery drain is pretty normal for a Reatta. 1989 Buick Reatta Coupe FWD-Maintenance & Repair. Powered by Invision Community, Reatta Diagnostics Instructions - 1990 & 91. All should have been clean with limited areas of discoloration. My 88 reatta touch screen wont light up but all functions work just cant c them do you know how to fix? Reatta Owners Journal isa group of Buick Reatta owners and enthusiasts who enjoy discussing the Buick Reatta automobile and sharing information about it. Reatta Parts Vendors Paint & Service Codes The Select Sixty Story Design of the Buick Reatta 1988 and 1989 Buick Reatta 1990 Buick Reatta And the Porsche 911 from which the Reatta team cribbed some design cues, including the wide-panel single tail light and some pleats to straighten the curves a bit. Perhaps this was because the car was never meant to be topless. [CDATA[*/Insticator.ad.loadAd("div-insticator-ad-1");Insticator.ad.loadAd("div-insticator-ad-2");Insticator.load("em",{id : "6cf39429-6912-4a91-b1e2-3e9365a5e9c6"});/*]]>*/. Models like the Riviera and Regal were mid-sized or even full-sized cars, while the Reatta was a compact, a type of car that didnt jibe with the Buick ethos. For the Buick Reatta, the road to production has been an unusual one. The rear connection is secured by two long bolts under the heat shield for the throttle cables. Buick buyers want their cars dialed in for them; they don't want to turn knobs." It's easy! The BCM is the Body Control Module (computer). "At my office, they always say, how many of these things do you have?". He was in music school when he realized what he really wanted to do in life and, somehow, it's worked out. But although the program wasn't a major sales success, it managed to accomplish some of its goals. No more oil loss and performance restored. The Buick Reatta was first conjured in the early 1980s in response to a perceived gap in the marque's lineup. What did these cars have that the Reatta lacked? The issue was in the factory power supply to the digital dash. The goo is a good sign it is bad. And NCReatta it says you can find complete cars id be interested in haveing another one if the price is right maybe one for parts or one that needs some parts that i can use parts off of mine to fix if you have anything like that id be very interested id like to have another 88 but really anything would be fine with me thank you much, yea it thinks its in park thats why only the radio screen works but also none of the inside lights come on or the speedo and the defroster doesnt work and the headlights only work on low beams but thanks Daves 89 ill look into that, Here you go: http://forums.aaca.org/f116/reatta-resources-287447.html. The Reatta was just 183.7 inches long and rode on a 98.5 inch wheelbase. The Reatta is nearly viceless, all right, but also nearly soulless. The manual is a must and contains all the basic information that will help understand the terms and key abbreviations etc.. ok all the connections are clean and tight and the fuse is fine ill take the one out of my park ave and see if there the same and if not ill have to get one off ebay i guess but i checked the connections idk what to do now. As far as I'm aware, the bottom end is entirely original. Says GM chief of design Chuck Jordan, "We had a lot of work to do to take the fat out [of the original design], but you can see that the evolution of the car is very clear: it never deviated from the smell of the original.". In the late seventies he was so close he could taste it. On a side note, I believe I've developed an exhaust leak on the crossover pipe, how much of a paint is that to deal with? For reference, the same-era Regal Grand National coupe was 200.6 inches long and rode on a 108-inch wheelbase. Members; 92 Share; Posted January 30, 2011. Gotcha, so maybe this may have been some weird incident. 1988 buick reatta electrical problems. After all, he says," 'Buick' does not mean 'stuffy.' It felt great to have power and mileage back, but I didn't have that for long. The customers said, 'Give us comfort. You have already got some good advice. The mechanic has replaced the compressor. checked lots of wiring to parts of the engine/sensors and the engine harness all appears to be just fine. I use carb cleaner and an old tooth brush. Sitting across his broad conference table from us, he wants to talk cars. Keep in mind that the touchscreen is a seperate device from the CRT. Update: the ICM and Coil pack did fix the issue, however it still has a light throttle misfire/hiccup but otherwise it has good power and responds to more load and throttle/rpm etc now and does so smoothly and cleanly. He works as a real estate agent in Houston and Beverly Hills, and between the two cities, he now owns a total of six Reattas: an '88, two '89s, a '90, and two '91sone convertible and five coupes. Seth Rose The comment about going through two qts. The historical record indicates Buick thought it needed a halo car but not as good as a Corvette nor as bad as the Pontiac Fiero. The touchscreen was working fine and one day it just stopped lighting up all functions still work but the screen is black do you know where to start looking for the problem? But there were guys 15 years older than me in the car's brochures, and I thought, obviously these guys don't care about driving fast. Any help would be much appreciated. Engine rebuild 2 Answers. I recently replaced the cam magnet proper, as well as the timing set shortly after since I was now confident in how to quickly and properly replace everything in that area. Based on extensive consumer research what Buick came up with was the Allante. I assume the coil pack should also be replaced at the same time, definitely couldn't hurt since it too looks quite old etc. .css-dhtls0{display:block;font-family:GlikoS,Georgia,Times,Serif;font-weight:400;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-dhtls0:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-dhtls0{font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-dhtls0{font-size:1.25rem;line-height:1.2;}}@media(min-width: 61.25rem){.css-dhtls0{font-size:1.375rem;line-height:1.2;}}Watch Out Casey Jones: We Drive a Locomotive, Our Porsche 718 Cayman Schools Us in Repair Costs, 1974 Datsun 260Z Tested: Improving on a Winner, Our 2023 Subaru BRZ Survived Its First Winter, 2024 BMW i5 M60 Looks to Be Another Promising EV, Our Tundra Embarks on 40K Miles of Truck Stuff, 2023 Lexus RZ450e Tested: Good Lexus, Just-Okay EV, Winnebago's eRV2: Cozy Cabin, Constrained Range, 1975 AMC Pacer Tested: A Fresh-Faced Novelty. Jim Finn has CPSs I believe. Tested: 1988 Buick Reatta Has Two Seats, But Isn't a Sports Car, Best (and Forgotten) Coupes and 1970s G.O.A.T. If the touchscreen is working, that will help narrow the issue. the car was last tagged in 2017 i believe. "I've since put another 25,000 miles on that one," Gomberg said. "And, pretty important for the Buick demo, we were also seeking the older retired buyers who would be purchasing it as sort of a reward.". The division is supposedly retrenching to traditional family-car ground. There is no gasket used at the forward end of the crossover. The problem was 1) the technology wasnt quite up to the task and 2) the typical Buick buyer got scared away from blinking digital information blasting from the instrument panel. Qualman looks away when asked if there was much in-house controversy about having the CRT in the Reatta. And aft of the seats, under the sloping rear window, is the kind of storage space you find in king-cab pickups. 1988 Buick Reatta won't start 2 Answers. ok i just tried that scrubbed the crap out of the terminals and put new bolts on it and tightened them down ok nothing on the instrument panel is working besides the lights the rear and front defrost isnt working and nuthing lights up inside not the panel lights or the touch screen. Such recent developments as driver-adjustable shock absorbers, says Qualman, "are more for Chevy or Pontiac buyers. Had the same issue with my 88. Red 1988 Buick Reatta Coupe with two doors and a sunroof. Total production was 1,519 cars, 305 of them convertibles. This May the car went to a mechanic to have a ignition key switch installedterrible mechanic didn't even compress the lock plate in the steering column and he disabled my horn. Encontrars artculos nuevos o usados en Cinturones de accesorios para automviles y camiones y piezas para Buick Reatta en eBay. The crossover pipe is relatively easy to access. How much would an average be cost to rebuild a Buick 3.8l v6 engine. Check this to ensure that the connections are also clean and tight. I bought a computer code reader but since the battery had been disconnected it had no data to give me. At some point in the past two weeks, I developed some sort of my nternal oil leak, as I'd gone through two quarts in that time period, and my mileage and power tanked once again. Did you know that Buick once made a sporty little two-seater? Under the hood, a transversely mounted version of Buicks 3.8-liter overhead valve V6, styled the 3800. This was essentially the same engine that Buick was using to power the rear wheels in itsotherhoped-for demographic-changer, the Regal Grand National. I then checked both radiator fluid and oil to see if one had leaked to the other in case of a gasket leak, and both were solid colors, not milky or anything. "Buick never could figure out what this car was for. "But if you want the technology image, you have to take those risks. GM wanted the Reatta to rise to a new level of craftsmanship and for the car to arrive at dealers without orange peel or other paint defects that were still common at this time. I Reatta driven a couple hours using cruise control. The problem is that it won't go any wher. Common problem is the fan will not shut off when the ignition is turned off.

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