I designed a circuit a few years ago that uses an NE555D for a debouncer and I've had some intermittent failures of the timer. Replacement of the timer gets the circuit working temporarily, but the 555 always eventually fails to work, and exibits the following:
Pin 6&7 remain at close to VCC
Pin 2 remains low, and seems to be shorted to ground providing at low resistance (1k) path from pin 2 to VCC does not pull up voltage at Pin 2, enough to reset.
Pin 3 remains high (Near VCC)
Disconnecting power temporarily does not correct the problem, and the above listed conditions are exibited with open connections to pin 2 & 3, through a 1 meg scope or a 10 meg meter.
I'd like to know what causes this so I can provide protection for the 555
Thanks, Richard