Weird Electrical Stuff Tonight

[FriboRage]

Earlier in the day I tried to start my car and I turned the key... nothing happened for about maybe 2 seconds... no click or turning over or anything, as if someone completely removed the battery from the car. Then, after that 2 seconds of silence I still had the key held in cause I was confused, didnt do anything except continue holding the key in the start position, then it turned over and fired right up, no stumbles or anything.. I had my radio and all electrical, but no chimes...

Then I went to my gf's house, shut the car off took the keys and got out, totally forgot about the incident. We ate dinner and watched tv and stuff, all in all I was in the house for 8 hours, never went back to my car. Finally I was going home, walked up to my car and saw my head unit STILL ON, I was like wtf is this... so thank god it started, no delay in turning over this time, went to get gas.

Got to the gas station and shut the car off, removed the keys, and when I opened the door (should cut off Retained Accessory Power) the radio remained on.. I closed and opened the door a few more times and it would not shut off. Got gas and drove home.

Got home, still doin it, disconnected negative battery terminal for a few seconds and put it back on, everything seemed normal til I started it, radio came on normal, DIC showed normal, had chimes back, engine revved SUPER high, like 4k, and slowly came back down and stayed around 1500.. all my gauges were functioning except the temp gauge.. it was showing as it does when the car is off or completely cold, even though I just got home from a long drive and it was definitely at 195* or more.

Shut it off and started it again, did the same thing, except now my engine fans were on full blast, which in 3 years I've never seen them on to begin with.

Then I disconnected both negative and positive terminals, and cleaned up a little around them, reseated them and started it again... it started a little harder than usual but all was back to normal, radio and chimes, temp was now reading correctly, no engine fans, and normal idle. RAP cut off as the door opened. All good.

So uhh, anybody have an idea what the hell happened to me tonight? lol

[FriboRage]

bump?

[FordMan77]

Sounds like you had a loose/corroded connection at the battery. Mine did this when the neg. cable was corroded. Cleaned and reinstalled. No issues since.

The hard start is probably due to you removing both cables and blanking out the ECU. Give it a bit and it should smooth out.

[pacothetaco]

that may explain the hard start, but the head unit staying on and the key not working? ignition contacts possible?

[GeeXPee]

I had a similar situation in my old S-10 the negative battery terminal was corroded beyond belief and loose. I had all kinds of weird electrical phenomena going on...truck would rev, stuff staying on, or off, when it shouldn't etc. Same situation with the key not working too, you are essentially using an intermittent ground path...

[FriboRage]

Yeah I know having the battery off can make it hard to start at first, I should've clarified more that my question was mainly about the RAP not working right, and the revving/temp gauge konking out, then suddenly working again.

But anyways, I did clean off both battery terminals really well, and Im gunna clean my ground connection to the body too. Hasnt happened again yet, so here's hopin that was the cause.

Thanks guys!