Sorry to start another car doesn't star thread lol. I have a 2008 IS350.

I was out to get some lunch today and the car drives fine. After getting out of the restaurant, when I tried to start the car, all the normal lights come on then immediately all electronics shuts off. When I push the start button a few times without stepping on the brake, nothing happens, after 10 seconds or so, suddenly all the electronics come on and seems to have reset the radio. I turn the car off, then step on the brake, push the start button, all the electronics come on with the needle and gauge lighting up, then everything shuts off in less than half a second. There doesn't seem to be any crank attempted (don't hear any click sounds).

I read a thread similar to this and some suggest it might be the alternator, but OP didn't post back about the issue. Anyone experience something like this? Alternator?

 

Just an FYI, I had the car towed to a dealership, and it turned out the battery shorted itself. Good thing it's not the alternator.

 

So with a new battery in there, is everything back to normal?

What you just mentioned I would have first pointed to the battery and possibly badly corroded terminals as the culprit. Had this happen to me as a teen with my first car, before I knew really anything about working on cars. Car shut off while driving. Popped hood to see a nice mound of acid build-up on the + terminal. Knocked what I could off with a random screwdriver handle and twisted the cable tighter around the terminal. Car fired right back up without issue.

 

yep, after changing the battery, everything goes back to normal. The battery was relatively new (about 1 year old) -- seems like the battery is defective. There wasn't any corrosion on the terminals.