WTH just happened ...
05-23-2012, 05:14 PM
#1
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WTH just happened ...
So I go to the ER yesterday and leave my 03 roadster parked in the lot. Made sure the lights were turned off and all that jazz. Come outside 3 hours later and my key fob won't work. No biggie, I figure the battery is dying. Manually get into the car, push the clutch in, and try to turn the engine over. Everything lights up like normal for about a second then just turns off ... 
Ok, maybe I left the lights on. double check everything and nothing was on. Take the keys out, and try it again. Nothing. Take the keys out of the ignition, again, and see if i can lock the car from the fob. Nothing. I figure my battery died somehow, so I get out of the car, and start to walk away, when I think why not, turn around and try the fob one more time. Lights flash and locks. Unlock it, with the fob, try to turn it on and, voila, starts right up like nothing happened. Everything looks normal until the HU turns all the way on and notice that it's back to factory default. the trip meter under the odometer reset. AVG MPH and MPG reset. Tested the battery when I got home, and everything is fine. Terminals aren't loose and the connections were fine. No problem like it since. Aliens.
Anyone heard of this or had something like this happen? I haven't touched the electrical system other than replacing the HU so I'm not sure if it could be a short, or something that can come back and really bite me where it hurts.
Ok, maybe I left the lights on. double check everything and nothing was on. Take the keys out, and try it again. Nothing. Take the keys out of the ignition, again, and see if i can lock the car from the fob. Nothing. I figure my battery died somehow, so I get out of the car, and start to walk away, when I think why not, turn around and try the fob one more time. Lights flash and locks. Unlock it, with the fob, try to turn it on and, voila, starts right up like nothing happened. Everything looks normal until the HU turns all the way on and notice that it's back to factory default. the trip meter under the odometer reset. AVG MPH and MPG reset. Tested the battery when I got home, and everything is fine. Terminals aren't loose and the connections were fine. No problem like it since. Aliens.Anyone heard of this or had something like this happen? I haven't touched the electrical system other than replacing the HU so I'm not sure if it could be a short, or something that can come back and really bite me where it hurts.
05-23-2012, 06:07 PM
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yea it's an '04 roadster. mistype.
and the best response goes to .... *drum roll*
2004black350Z!!!!
read his response and that fixed everything. thanks man!
security system huh? sounds like theres not much I can do unless it comes back again and if it does, I'll make sure to just pm 04black instead of creating a brand new thread.
and the best response goes to .... *drum roll*
2004black350Z!!!!
read his response and that fixed everything. thanks man!
security system huh? sounds like theres not much I can do unless it comes back again and if it does, I'll make sure to just pm 04black instead of creating a brand new thread.
05-23-2012, 09:16 PM
#7
Sounds like an intermittent open connection somewhere, electrical gremlins can be the worst to track down, but I would start with the main + and - terminals and work back, making sure they aren't crimped, cut or loose. Also check the main connectors to the ECU and fuse blocks to make sure they aren't coming loose.
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05-23-2012, 10:33 PM
#8
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So I go to the ER yesterday and leave my 03 roadster parked in the lot. Made sure the lights were turned off and all that jazz. Come outside 3 hours later and my key fob won't work. No biggie, I figure the battery is dying. Manually get into the car, push the clutch in, and try to turn the engine over. Everything lights up like normal for about a second then just turns off ... Ok, maybe I left the lights on. double check everything and nothing was on. Take the keys out, and try it again. Nothing. Take the keys out of the ignition, again, and see if i can lock the car from the fob. Nothing. I figure my battery died somehow, so I get out of the car, and start to walk away, when I think why not, turn around and try the fob one more time. Lights flash and locks. Unlock it, with the fob, try to turn it on and, voila, starts right up like nothing happened. Everything looks normal until the HU turns all the way on and notice that it's back to factory default. the trip meter under the odometer reset. AVG MPH and MPG reset. Tested the battery when I got home, and everything is fine. Terminals aren't loose and the connections were fine. No problem like it since. Aliens.
Anyone heard of this or had something like this happen? I haven't touched the electrical system other than replacing the HU so I'm not sure if it could be a short, or something that can come back and really bite me where it hurts.
Ok, maybe I left the lights on. double check everything and nothing was on. Take the keys out, and try it again. Nothing. Take the keys out of the ignition, again, and see if i can lock the car from the fob. Nothing. I figure my battery died somehow, so I get out of the car, and start to walk away, when I think why not, turn around and try the fob one more time. Lights flash and locks. Unlock it, with the fob, try to turn it on and, voila, starts right up like nothing happened. Everything looks normal until the HU turns all the way on and notice that it's back to factory default. the trip meter under the odometer reset. AVG MPH and MPG reset. Tested the battery when I got home, and everything is fine. Terminals aren't loose and the connections were fine. No problem like it since. Aliens.Anyone heard of this or had something like this happen? I haven't touched the electrical system other than replacing the HU so I'm not sure if it could be a short, or something that can come back and really bite me where it hurts.
Also check how old your battery is. Is it the original battery from the factory? My 350Z Roadster was a 2004 and the battery has a 5 year warranty and it died like 3 months ago after 8 years, well past its warranty life.
I know this is a long answer but there is a logical explanation to what happened to you instead of electrical gnomes. My battery cables were very secure so I didn't think it was a contact issue between the cable and terminal but as soon as I touched the cable it was apperant to me that there wasn't enough contact.
Hope this helps.
05-24-2012, 05:19 PM
#14
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you have a loose connection at the terminal, this has happened to me with my old tacoma even with it tightened down all the way. your car reset because it was off for a long time, and you getting in and out of the car was probably enough of a jolt to re establish a connection. this will most likely be a reoccurring problem, just pop the hood jiggle the connection and your good to go 
05-24-2012, 06:15 PM
#15
So I go to the ER yesterday and leave my 03 roadster parked in the lot. Made sure the lights were turned off and all that jazz. Come outside 3 hours later and my key fob won't work. No biggie, I figure the battery is dying. Manually get into the car, push the clutch in, and try to turn the engine over. Everything lights up like normal for about a second then just turns off ... Ok, maybe I left the lights on. double check everything and nothing was on. Take the keys out, and try it again. Nothing. Take the keys out of the ignition, again, and see if i can lock the car from the fob. Nothing. I figure my battery died somehow, so I get out of the car, and start to walk away, when I think why not, turn around and try the fob one more time. Lights flash and locks. Unlock it, with the fob, try to turn it on and, voila, starts right up like nothing happened. Everything looks normal until the HU turns all the way on and notice that it's back to factory default. the trip meter under the odometer reset. AVG MPH and MPG reset. Tested the battery when I got home, and everything is fine. Terminals aren't loose and the connections were fine. No problem like it since. Aliens.
Anyone heard of this or had something like this happen? I haven't touched the electrical system other than replacing the HU so I'm not sure if it could be a short, or something that can come back and really bite me where it hurts.
Ok, maybe I left the lights on. double check everything and nothing was on. Take the keys out, and try it again. Nothing. Take the keys out of the ignition, again, and see if i can lock the car from the fob. Nothing. I figure my battery died somehow, so I get out of the car, and start to walk away, when I think why not, turn around and try the fob one more time. Lights flash and locks. Unlock it, with the fob, try to turn it on and, voila, starts right up like nothing happened. Everything looks normal until the HU turns all the way on and notice that it's back to factory default. the trip meter under the odometer reset. AVG MPH and MPG reset. Tested the battery when I got home, and everything is fine. Terminals aren't loose and the connections were fine. No problem like it since. Aliens.Anyone heard of this or had something like this happen? I haven't touched the electrical system other than replacing the HU so I'm not sure if it could be a short, or something that can come back and really bite me where it hurts.
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