Mobiusone stang

Hey guys, something just happened today that I really need yalls help with because I'm kinda freakin out. I go out to my car this morning, turn the car on, two clicks and everything dies. Well crap, battery is dead. I go to take the battery out, undo the negative terminal. As I'm turning, the terminal sparks then everything comes on! Even the HID headlights, which I hadn't turned on in the car at all. After that, after loosening both terminals, everything works fine! I have no idea what is going on. When I went to take the battery out, both terminals were pretty tight. I got the battery checked, both battery and alternator are fine. Can Yall offer any explanation? Bad terminal connection? Bad ground? I'm mildy freakin out here haha

edwin108

It could've been a bad connection. Try cleaning the battery posts and terminals with a wire brush cleaner.

Nuke

I concur, sounds like dirty terminals. Or a bad cable-to-terminal connection.

Art161

I follow what you guys are saying about the terminals, except would that cause the headlights to come on?

Mobiusone stang

Yea that was the really weird thing Art. The door was open, so the driving lights should be on, but when the battery became connected, I heard and saw the HIDs and their distinctive noise turn on. The switch was in the off position the whole time. Kinda a mystery to me lol. The car works great now after 3 days so... Possessed car and all haha

edwin108

Did the headlights stay on? When I disconnect/reconnect the battery on my '10, the HIDs turn on briefly (less than a second or two).

Mobiusone stang

Nah they turned off right away once it stayed connected, about two seconds like you said. I wonder if thats like a safety feature to say like hey your battery is connected ya numty lol

Art161

Okay, now I have a clue on the HIDs.

Back in the day, the headlight switch mechanically completed an electrical circuit to illuminate the headlights. Today, just about everything goes through a computer. The headlight switch probably signals the computer to turn the lights on, and connecting the battery probably signals the computer to turn the lights on for just a couple of seconds, even if the headlight switch is off.