I have a battery that (knock on wood) has now lasted over 10 years and shows no sign of going bad, but that is exceptional in my experience. A battery can fail for several reasons, such as diluted fluid from too much outgassing and refilling, from filling with bad water (not distilled) and accumulation of crud in the bottom of cells etc. But usually a failure to fully charge the battery will cause it to put out low power. That can be caused by a faulty alternator or voltage regulator (usually now a days, built into the alternator). You need to have the charging system checked with the engine running to find out if the alternator is going bad. Otherwise you are looking at a new battery for what, 50 bucks or so? by the way, check the terminals and lugs for oxidation or corrosion.
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