1
general::
Phrase(s): go haywire
Rur. to go wrong; to malfunction; to break down. • I was talking to Mary when suddenly the telephone went haywire. I haven’t heard from her since. • There we were, driving along, when the engine went haywire. It was two hours before the tow truck came.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs
2
general::
Become wildly confused, out of control, or crazy. For example, The plans for the party have gone haywire, or His enemies accused the mayor of going haywire. This term alludes to the wire used for bundling hay, which is hard to handle and readily tangled. [First half of 1900s]
American Heritage Idioms