Weird Computer Reset

[Jelder]

Hi All,

I've had a 2013 200 for about 2-1/2 years. It has started without trouble every single time...until the other day when I popped into the gas station for a couple minutes. Locked it on my way in. Came back out, jumped in, put my foot on the brake to start, and nothing. No orange light or green light on the starter button. I thought maybe my fob was being blocked by my phone, so took it out and tried again. Nothing. But over the next 5 minutes, it cycled through all the reset stuff that happens when you remove battery cables and put them back on. The gear shifter wasn't even locked. So I sit there watching everything reset, try to start it a couple times when the start button light finally turned green, and still nothing. A few minutes later, I put my foot on the brake, button lights up green, and it fires right up. Over the last few days I've started it ~10 times with no trouble at all- like it never happened. WTF? Plus now I have to reprogram all my satellite and radio channels, which is about as big of a first-world problem as anyone could hope to have.

Has anyone had a similar experience?

Jay

 

[tbisaacs]

Rule out the obvious: Check your battery, and check your battery terminals for corrosion.

 

[eatSleepWoof]

Dead fob battery?

If this happens again, hold the fob right against the starter button and see if anything changes.

 

[Jelder]

Rule out the obvious: Check your battery, and check your battery terminals for corrosion.

Yep- opened the hood and took a look at the time. Everything was good. In fact, I keep the terminals coated in fluid film to prevent corrosion. The battery is relatively new as well.

Appreciate the feedback!

 

[Sandroad]

I agree with @tbisaacs that It seems really likely the battery terminals and ground connection need cleaning. I’d suggest removing both + and - and doing a good cleaning and tightening, then cleaning the - ground at the fender. The symptoms are of a disconnected battery and the terminals can look good but have a poor connection.

 

[bloc]

A little-known "feature" of battery terminals is that they are tapered. If the battery cable clamp isn't opened all the way and forced on to the post as far as possible before tightening, the bolt can bottom out before it really grips the post.

If you take them off for cleaning, when you go to reinstall, use a flat-head screwdriver in the parallel area the bolt goes through to open it as much as possible while sliding the clamp onto the post. It should go most of the way down. Then tighten.. they don't need to be very tight at all to do their job. If everything is solid you should not be able to turn the terminal on the post.

Long shot, but hope this might help.

I believe starting at battery connection issues is appropriate given your symptoms.

 

[TeCKis300]

I was going to say starter, as it's a common issue around 100-150k miles. But the symptom of the whole car electronics resetting suggests it's upstream at the battery.

You wouldn't happen ot have Slee early gen battery terminals? Those have been known to cause these types of issues due to corrosion from dissimilar metals.

If not that, is anything at your battery modified?

Def check the terminals and the ground.

If nothing else is obvious, this can surely be an internal battery issue as well. Batteries have been known to internally short. Sometime due to internal wear and sulfation as material comes off the lead plates, collects at the bottom, and creates a short. That short could have been temporary and changed after the event.

What kind of battery is it and have you needed to use the film because you were seeing corrosion issues? Corrosion generally only appear as a battery is having problems.