Car loses electric for a second, turns back on... while driving?

[nickrule99]

My GS tonight started acting weird.
I was getting onto a highway, going maybe 30 at the time and the tranny either disengaged or downshifted, and it rev'd up. At the same time, my radio reset and it felt like my power steering went, but I dont know. It only did it that one time on my way to my girlfriends house, about 20 minutes away.

Well, when I left her house tonight, my radio kept resetting itself. Not comepletely, but it would turn off for a fraction of a second, then power back on and resume playing the CD.
It did that twice within 5 mintues, it also did it when I turned my fan blower on high the first time. Then, getting onto the highway, it did it again, the same way it did last time I got on the highway, and I definately lost power steering this time.

So now Im starting to think that maybe I has something to do with me accleeration and the tranny is downshifting weird. So.. knowing this, my car decided to prove me wrong and all but shut off on the highway. I lost powersteering, engine reved, radio shuf off, and my headlights clicked off. Everything came back on in probably 1/2 a second, but it scared the crap out of me.

Im basicially affraid to drive my car now. The batter light isnt on, but it threw a CEL the first time. Im going to take it to autozone and have them diagnose it, but I dont think it will pin-point the problem.

So, if you have ANY idea what might be causing this, please let me know.
Thanks guys.
-Nick

 

[Module Unknown]

Well, start off with something easy. Maybe it's just a bad ground somewhere. Your description of the radio cutting off and on and power cutting out sounds exactly like what my car was doing not too long ago. Turned out the connection to the negative battery terminal was loose and wiggling around on my car. D'oh.

 

[I-luv-em-all]

I am guessing that your car is auto, the first thing id check is the battery terminals, they could be loose and coming off or they could be arcing out on the hood check those first.

 

[I-luv-em-all]

Well, start off with something easy. Maybe it's just a bad ground somewhere. Sounds exactly like what my car was doing not too long ago. Turned out the connection to the negative battery terminal was lose and wiggling around on my car. D'oh.

damn, u beat me.

 

[Defiant]

Yeah.

Lose: to no longer have, to get rid of.

Loose: not firmly attached, not on a leash, or, to set loose, as in to release an animal.

I know, it's complicated stuff to remember which is which.

That said, look for arcing of your + battery post to the underside of the hood.

 

[nickrule99]

I know, it's complicated stuff to remember which is which.

Don't you mean which is witch?

Thanks guys, Ill check that stuff tomorrow. I never would have thought to make sure the + wasnt grounding out on the hood. I Appreciate it.

 

[Golden GSX]

Don't you mean which is witch?

Thanks guys, Ill check that stuff tomorrow. I never would have thought to make sure the + wasnt grounding out on the hood. I Appreciate it.

That happened to me once too. I noticed deep pops from under the hood while hitting bumps.

 

[dsmracer_1991]

mine did the same thing when i picked it up from the dealer. got a battery tie down and has been fine ever sice. freaked me out though. also for added safety you can put some electrical tape on the top of + battery post where it might touch the hood.