Advice Needed!
I have a 2000 - F150xlt - 4.2L - V6:
Today while leaving work for lunch I started the engine and suddenly the ABS light came on and the engine cut out before I put it in gear. Then as I was driving each time it cut out the ABS light came on. So I stopped at the convenience store across the street from work to get some gas thinking it was low although it had a 1/4 tank. But after filling up it would not start. Then relay #2 began clicking in the fuse panel and would not stop whether the key was on or off. Several minutes of this went on and then I pressed the brake peddle in once more and everything on the dash lighted up, the dials fluttered around, the clock came back on, etc... So I tried starting the engine again and suddenly everything started working and the engine started up. I drove it home and it ran fine with no issues, no cutting out or anything. After lunch I tried it again to head back to work and the truck would not start again. But this time there was no clicking from relay #2. Everything was dead until I pumped the brake peddle several times with the key off and then turned key in the ignition and then it started right up and drove like normal.

Does anyone have any ideal why it's doing this and what to check to fix it?
Thanks

 

Bad ground somewhere....

 

It sounds like my 2000 F-250 LD 4x4. I have random electrical issues. The wippers just wipe when they feel like it. The starter fails to work. Then bamn it starts. The anti-theft triggers even when I am using the right key. Check engine light comes on. Off the next start. I think theres a gremlin in the system!

 

I may have fixed the problem. At least the problem hasn't reoccurred.

After tearing apart and probing around under the dash at all the wiring and finding nothing visually wrong or loose. I checked under the hood and found that the battery cables were a little crusty with build up. But no worse than in past times. Never-the-less I went ahead and cleaned the battery posts and clamps with some baking soda and water. It cleaned right off. I need to get some of that battery anti-corrosion stuff that helps to prevent that. However, I do have to admit that I missed where to replace some of the screws that hold the dash together when putting it all back together. I have about 7 or 8 leftover screws that now have a place in the ashtray or spare change holder (since I don't smoke) until I have to tear it back apart for some other issue in the future.

At least with my low funding I was able to fix it for nearly free except for a little bit of my wife's missing baking soda. SHHHH!

I am going to wait for a while before I mark this solved though. I'm just not entirely convinced that the problem was just this simple to fix. Since I seem to encounter "Murphy's Law" far too often for my liking. Especially when my funds for repairing things like this are at $0.

 

You might try cleaning all your ground connections. Any black wire bolted to the body or engine. Take them loose and sand the connection areas and the wire terminals till shiny. No sand paper? Make one of your Wifes cardboard nail files disappear. Protect the connections with dielectric grease (tune up grease) or use Vaseline jelly. Just enough to protect surfaces from corrosion. Same for your battery. Clean the battery connection to the engine block too. If you don't have a repair manual for your truck the library does. You may have to order it from a main library. Can't check it out but your can read it and take notes.