1990 Buick Reatta Brakes Problems
- Complaints
- 24about this part
- Share
- 83%of 29 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 118,000miles
- Trend
- FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 24 complaints about the brakes of the 1990 Buick Reatta, 83% of the 29 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 118,000 miles. 2 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers. 1 recall campaign on record is filed under a similar system.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“In bumper/bumper traffic, 97 degrees, stop and go, ABS brakes failed without warning. No lights on dash. At time was just barely moving. Checked fluid levels, okay, no leaks. Abs brakes just stopped working with no warning lights or other hints. Glad I was behind the wheel and not my wife.”
NHTSA complaint #725584, filed 2000-07“One side brakes harder than the other causing car to swerve. Have checked the Buick Reatta club home page and this is a too common problem. It has happened about every two weeks for years. We have properly maintained the car, but the dealers are at a loss of what to do. There are no warning lights when this happens and no codes set in the computer. I think this is a very dangerous situation, and Buick should be required to at least research the problem and come up with a fix. I would be willing to pay as I don't want to die in my car.”
NHTSA complaint #723591, filed 2000-06“I am reporting this because apparently the brake system can fail in these cars with no warning. The mechanic thinks that a switch burned out, which let the electric pump run continuously until it burned out. There's a sensor that's supposed to notify the driver of this problem, but the sensor in my vehicle is apparently non-operative. There was no change in how the brakes felt when applied until the moment they simply failed. The lack of a sensor has LED to an extremely costly repair (estimated at $2000 parts & labor). …”
NHTSA complaint #714752, filed 1999-11“I'm writing a second time about this problem because I read the complaints section of your website and found two more incidents suspiciously similar to my own. I also wrote about it on the Buick Reatta discussion page on the internet and one other person wrote in to say he experienced this problem. Since this is a catastropic failure of the brake system with no warning, I figure you guys would want to know about it. I think that this is not specific to reattas but would affect every Buick/GM vehicle with the same electronically controlled ABS system. …”
NHTSA complaint #715091, filed 1999-11“Brakes would not stop car while backing down driveway. Intermittent problem. Also have had brake failures at road speed where car swerves when brakes applied. Have taken car to dealer many times and they can't find anything wrong. Have contact with many Reatta owners who have this same dangerous condition that can't be resolved by the dealer.”
NHTSA complaint #739424, filed 2001-01Related recalls
- 91V158000Sep 13, 1991Brake indicator light may not light when ignition is in the "on" position, the parking brake is applied, and the shift selector is in the park or neutral gear…Covers: Buick Reatta 1990, Riviera 1990
Brakes: other model years
Other parts of the 1990 Buick Reatta
2 complaintsAir bags
1 complaintsElectrical system
1 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
1 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1990 Buick Reatta
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology