Four days ago, I went to drive my Toyota 4Runner, and the battery had gone dead. I couldn’t find a reason for it to have died (doors weren’t open, lights weren’t left on, etc.) I jump started it, and it ran fine.
The next morning, when I tried to start it took a few seconds, sounding like the battery was very low again. It ended up just barely starting before the charge ran out. As I tried to drive away, it was as if my car had no acceleration. I pressed the gas, but the car barely sped up. A few seconds later it was fine.
Now, 4 days later, the car is sluggish to start every time I go to drive it, sounding as though the battery is consistently near- dead. Every once in a while I won’t have any acceleration for a few seconds when I first start to drive. And the dome light dims when I press the power door locks.
Does this sound like a bad battery, an alternator problem, or something else?
Thank you.
“Does this sound like a bad battery, an alternator problem, or something else?”
Yes. To all of the above. That “something else” you suggested could be dirty electrical connections or a parasitic drain. But there is really no need to guess nor to ask others to do your guessing. Have an automotive shop test your battery and alternator. Some auto parts store do it free.
It is difficult for us to test it from here, buy most auto parts stores will check it for free, so why not let them tell you.