My '10 Lancer GTS just died and came back on a couple times when I first started the car. Engine stayed running enough to keep it going, but the electrics didn't. It half-died (everything electrical went dead) about four times before deciding to stay on. Everything flickered on and off every time it would go off and it gave me a "Brake System Warning" on the center of the dash. I also heard clicking right after I turned on the car.



I was only a couple blocks from home, so I decided to slowly go back there as carefully as possible. Sure enough, it did the same thing a couple times on the way back, especially if I applied the brakes or turned. I jiggled my key in the ignition a couple times when I got home and that made it go nuts, too.



Something's definitely wrong with my ignition or something electrical. I wonder if the key's loose in the ignition somehow and not staying locked into everywhere it needs to be?



I'd been having ignition problems for a while, but we assumed the battery was going. Sure enough, weak battery. So, we replaced it a couple weeks ago and the battery's brand new. No problems since then except I've been having to stand closer and closer to get the remote for the locks to pick up.



I drove it all the way back from my parents' house (four hours away), drove it all around Austin and drove to San Marcos and back (about an hour round trip) yesterday.

Has anyone had this happen to them before? If so, what was the problem? Something loose from the battery swap or something more serious? I looked at the battery tonight and couldn't see anything too out of place. Everything looked pretty solid.

 

Harness connector by your fuse panel or Relay maybe.

 

Bring on the mocking; the negative battery terminal was loose.

D'oh!

 

Nannhhh. We are just glad it was an easy/cheap fix.

Start a thread on 'stupid stuff we have all done' and you find out quickly you are not alone...

EVERY mechanic has stories [rolls eyes]