Intermitent Complete electrical Failure

[Craig]

This is a problem that I couldn't find in any threads. It is not a dead or low battery. Here is the sequence of events:
1. Drive car 500 miles over weekend. :biggrin
2. Car sits overnight
3. open door, interior lights come on :thumbsup
4. insert key , ding, ding, ding, ding :thumbsup
5. turn on ignition, gauges cme on, idiot lights come on :thumbsup
6. depress clutch
7. press start button, load click, complete failure. :thumbsdow Gauges off, interior light off, no ding, ding, ding. no head lights. no nothing.
8. Turn ignition off and on, nothing :thumbsdow
9. Remove key and start over, nothing. :thumbsdow
10. 5 minutes, try again and everything works normally. :confused

I don't know how but the car acted as though the battery was disconnected. The fuel map was gone, the preset radio stations were gone.

Oh, this is the second time in two weeks. Any ideas? :confused Is there a reseting breaker or relay main disconnect somewhere that might be bad? Or a shorted starter that trips it?

Craig

 

[barondw]

Craig

Did you shut-off the air bag sometime between starts? Had an identical problem on my Vette caused by the air bag switch.

Dave

 

[thegtguy]

Check the ground wire from the engine block to the chassis on the drivers side engine mount.

 

[nota4re]

Also check, clean and tighten the battery connections. Sometimes dealers disconnect batteries on cars in showrooms, and the cable may have not been tightened when it was reconnected.

I'd bet money that Centerpunch is spot-on with his diagnosis. You have the very classic symptoms of a poor battery connection.

What happens is that the connection is good enough for small current draws. This explains why your interior lights and "ding ding" chime is working on entry. Key-on, dash on all OK and all still low current draw. When you touch the start button, the starter tries to pull a big load through this poor connection. gzzzzt, the connection is not good enough and the small arcing causes a temporary complete disconnect for even small draws.

No worries. Just get to your battery and tighten it up. I don't know how mechanically inclined you are but be careful when tightening the positive cable. Don't let your wrench touch anything metal.

I'd be very surprised if this WASN'T the cause.

Good call, Centerpunch. (Oh, and if that's not the problem, it was centerpunch's dumb suggestion.)

 

[Craig]

Finally got back to the computer and need to report the
Centerpunch wins the prize. Both battery terminal clamps were held on by gravity only. Tighten them up and no problems since. :banana The battery itself was also loose and not clamped down.

Thanks for the help,

Craig

 

[Neilda]

How's your sausage coming along by the way Craig?

 

[Craig]

With the help of my dealer, Pearson Ford in San Diego, FoMoCo is repairing the damage in the interest of good will. I am happy with the service and concern they have shown. It seems that Ford management understands that these cars aren't Mustangs, and require a little extra service. I guess this means I'll have to go and buy a Weber for the BBQ. :thumbsup

Craig