I have a 2007 V-8 Quad-cab Dakota. I took my truck on a grocery run yesterday at about noon and then it sat outside on the driveway for several hours until I went to start it again. Temperature yesterday was about 23 degrees Fahrenheit/ minus 5 Celsius, which is a normal, if not balmy, winter day for where I live. When I tried to start it, it sounded weird and wouldn't start. It seemed to be cranking okay, but sounded anemic - like it was not firing on all cylinders or wasn't getting enough fuel, or something. I tried several times in the normal method - wouldn't start. Finally I tried again while giving it some throttle. That seemed to help and it finally caught and started and then seemed to run normally. As a test, I shut it off and tried again several times without giving it throttle and it started normally. Other than driving around to the alley to my garage, I haven't driven it since. I'm afraid to drive it today lest it fail on me away from home. Any ideas?

 

When mine did this, having to hold the throttle & weak start - my battery failed completely 3 days later.

 

I suppose that's possible. It seems to be a new truth in automotive repair: having weird, phantom problems with your vehicle?...change the battery. I had an XTERRA before this truck and I started having weird problems with my remote starter. The battery tested just fine and their were no problems starting the engine even in cold weather - which is usually the definitive test of car batteries in my area. My brother suggested I change the battery, so I did. All the problems disappeared.

 

Another thing that replacing a battery will do is DISCONNECT the battery for a while. This is also a fix for these things, disconnect the battery and discharge all the circuits. It allows it to forget all the bad stuff going on and learn again how to be a truck..