[Sergei]

Originally Posted by Erik_in_Hoyt

I got some 4 gauge jumper cables (just in case the ones I had weren't up to snuff), hooked it up to the Dakota, and it fired right up.
Ran it for about 45 minutes taking care of some chores, parked it where I could get a charger to it with no problems, turned it off and tried to fire it back up -- dead.
Obviously it's not charging, which suggests an alternator issue, so I hooked it up to a charger and will check it tomorrow to see if it will start.
If it starts, I will trailer it into town and see if I can get Autozone or O'Reilley's to hook it up to their diagnostic machne to tell me which part of the starting or electrical system is acting up before I haul it the 150 miles to the dealership I bought it from.

I'm not sure by the posting if you've removed the battery and had it tested because that would be the easiest thing to do, a shorted cell may not show itself until a load is put to it. I had a battery which was three years old that failed this way. Took a charge but then failed the minute the key was turned and jumping from another vehicle made no different.