1990 Buick Reatta problems & reliability
29 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1990 Buick Reatta. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic → | 23 | 79% |
| Structure | 2 | 7% |
| Air Bags | 1 | 3% |
| Electrical System | 1 | 3% |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 3% |
| Visibility | 1 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“We have had the car over 10 years and it had a hard pedal when you first start it up then as we use the brakes they work better”
Service Brakes · filed Mar 20, 2020
“Complete failure of anti brake system on my 1990 buick reatta also-- as specifically reported from other reatta owners. Dealer states there are problems --- reatta internet sites states there are major problems --- nhtsa website list several complaints / personal accounts of abs failure. How many incidents / deaths…”
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · filed Apr 27, 2007
“There is a serious design problem with the 1990 buick reatta. The car has an automatic heating and air conditioning system. This system will not allow you to turn on the defroster to clear the windshield from fogging up when the outside temperature is above 39 degrees fahrenheit if the car is low on freon. I realize…”
Visibility · filed Mar 7, 2007
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
1 manufacturer communication (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1990 Buick Reatta.
Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
130089009 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 1, 2013
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1990 Buick Reatta in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1990 Buick Reatta?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.