Truck hard to start, acting like a low battery.

2011 PreRunner V6, the other day I went to start it and it acted like I had a low battery but started and ran just fine to my destination. 3 hours later it did the same thing when I went to start it but started and ran fine to my destination about 25 miles away. This morning I went to start the truck and it tried to crank once and then gave me the stutter sound like a dead battery. I jumped it with my wife's car and I was on my way for a 20 mile drive to work. No problems while running and driving. I decided it was probably time to replace the battery since I haven't done it since it was purchased in 2010. Lunch time I yanked the battery out and ran to Autozone and got a replacement. Dropped it in and tried to start it and it did the same thing, was hesitant to start but finally did.

I'm trying to rack my brain on what could be the problem. Has anyone encountered this? No check engine light or any other warning lights. Truck runs fine when it's running. I was thinking maybe alternator but being that I'm able to run a long distance without issue I don't see that being the problem.

The only thing I can think of is maybe the battery they gave me wasn't fully charged. I haven't replaced a lot of batteries so I'm not sure if that ever happens.

 

Hi same thing happened to me 70,000 miles on my 2010 dcsb I replaced the battery and that was it. It could be a number of things, bad ground or bad starter or loose connections at the starter. It is probably not your alternator. Get it checked out , but check the ground from the battery to the fender.....I hope its minor please let us know.

 

I wasn't thinking it was the alternator as I was able to drive anywhere I wanted once it was started. I will check the ground to the fender and drive it home to see maybe if the battery was just low on juice when I bought it and stop by autozone to have them check the battery.

 

Took it to Autozone to have them check it out. Battery tested bad. Threw a new one in and truck started right up like normal. Tested starter and alternator and both tested good.

 

The last battery I had to replace gave no warning of being about to quit. It worked fine one day and the next, absolutely nothing.

 

Yeah, I figured there was no doubt my old battery was going bad thus why I replaced it. The battery I replaced it with was doing the same thing which got me thinking what else could be wrong. It ended up being the brand new battery I got was bad as well. Replaced it again and the last two times I started the truck it started like normal.