Weird?? Won't crank

Thanks in advance!! Any help would be appreciated. I have a 99 Escort and last week when I went to leave work, my car did something real strange. I turned the key to start the car and the fuel gage went past full and bottomed out to the right. Then a clicking noise started to come from the area under the air cleaner canister. I opened the trunk to get a wrench and the clicking stopped. Closed the trunk and it started. I disconnected the battery and whatever it was reset itself. I went home and nothing happened for 2 days. On the 3rd day I went to Wal-Mart and after shopping, it would not crank. It’s showing the same symptoms, but this time it won’t reset. I tried to pull codes but I keep getting errors. Can someone tell me what is located under the air intake canister? And if it can be replaced or am I looking in the wrong direction?

Thank you,

Should have known!!!! Bad Ground. It cost me $120 which included towing. Not bad, but I should have cought it. I'll leave the post up for a little while. and maybe someone will save some money.

Yeah gotta watch those grounds, on the Escort, the newer ones like to build up alot of corosion.