to start,or not to start. that is the question!

[p-paw]

My daughter has an early 97 (build date 10/96) Eddie Baur edition explorer 4.0, automatic, a/c, air ride, more bells and whistles than I'm used to.
The issue she is having is a no power condition. She goes out to the car and...nuthin'!! No lights,no anything, just as if the battery is disconnected. BUT, it's intermitent . Some time ago, somebody tried breaking into the car and buggered up the drivers door lock. Since then she has had trouble with the locks. also the entry code pads have never worked since we bought it 3 years ago.
I am suspecting something to do with the antitheft system shutting down the entire electrical system as she can "mess" with the passenger side locks and it will sometime get the lights to come back on and then it will start. I would pull and check the antitheft relay, but of course, the owners manual with the fuse block map is long gone.
The battery is only 1 year old and the terminals are tight and clean. The cables on the starter are also tight and in good condition.
Has anyone else had this problem? How did you fix it?(short of explosives or monster truck crushing)

 

[toypaseo]

Check for corrosion buildup on the wire inside the terminals. I had buildup, and had a turn key, click, and instantly dead. I could shake the positive cable by the terminal, see the under hood light come on, and hear the interior warnings start to chime.

 

[koda2000]

Sounds like an electrical issue. Bad connection somewhere.