[cjd_1986]

What could possibly cause your entire electrical system to shut down when turning the ignition key to attempt to start the car, you hear one click from the starter and the electrical system completely dies until you pop the hood check all the fuses under the hood and on the passengers side, car is only 4 years old, battery is pretty new within a year, the cable was a bit corroded once cleaning off and replacing the car was able to power up and start after resetting the battery. So a corroded or bad battery cable could cause your electrical system to short when trying to start? I figured if it didn't get enough amps it just wouldn't start but not kill your entire electrical system until you unplugged and replugged the terminals.

 

[cjd_1986]

Hoping since cleaning the terminals and cables it has seemed to have solved the problem but this is a symptom of not starting and killing the electrical system until removing and reapplying the positive terminal connector cable? Before I cleaned it I tapped the positive and the lights came back on it was tightened good not too tight, trying to start it popped the lights again. Once I removed and did a thorough cleaning then the issue went away. I just never heard of the cable/terminal causing it not only to not start but to also kill the power and alarm forcing you to reset the battery all because inadequate power was going through the cable. Without starting the electrical system was fine, its like starting sends a surge and crashes the car from the inadequate supply of power. The shut down symptom was just weird to me but I guess cables could cause it.

 

[cjd_1986]

This sounds like my issue minus the key getting stuck in the ignition.

My Car Shuts Off all power and key gets stuck in ignition when attempting to start my car? - Yahoo! Answers

I'm gonna say from what I've read and researched that corrosion can cause this symptom of not only not starting the car and hearing one click from the starter under the hood but then following up by shutting down the electrical system until you jiggle the positive and it repeats until cleaning off the corrosion. I've just always been used to the car not starting and starter clicking noise as a result and not the entire power failure its a new thing to me but also can be caused from the corrosion it seems since most the articles online say so plus after the thorough cleaning my issue has been resolved. I guess it would be a good guide or sticky to put up on here for easy solutions to no start and electrical issues.

 

[redclement]

Maybe you should check your spark plug to see if it is wet...maybe your engine got flooded.

thanks. hope it helps.

 

[irishn8]

Hoping since cleaning the terminals and cables it has seemed to have solved the problem but this is a symptom of not starting and killing the electrical system until removing and reapplying the positive terminal connector cable? Before I cleaned it I tapped the positive and the lights came back on it was tightened good not too tight, trying to start it popped the lights again. Once I removed and did a thorough cleaning then the issue went away. I just never heard of the cable/terminal causing it not only to not start but to also kill the power and alarm forcing you to reset the battery all because inadequate power was going through the cable. Without starting the electrical system was fine, its like starting sends a surge and crashes the car from the inadequate supply of power. The shut down symptom was just weird to me but I guess cables could cause it.

Yup, its true. U need to keep those connections clean. One thing u can do to help is to apply some dielectric greese to the battery terminals. That will mitigate the corrosion.
Good job on your troubleshooting.

 

[roushcoyotepony]

My 2005 mustang gt has numerous electrical issues including the battery corrosion one, I've actually worn out my positive terminal's battery cable's clamp cleaning it so many times. Next time I work on the car I'm planning on checking the ground wires, I'll keep you all posted on how that works out.

 

[cjd_1986]

Been running fine post-cleaning thanks guys!