It began about a few months ago, and happened again this morning. I put the key in the ignition and got no dash lights and no crank. Tried to remove key and found it wouldn't return to release position. Thought that maybe the neutral switch was out of position on the shifter. Shifter was locked and couldn't move thru gear positions. Not know what else to do, I jumped it from another vehicle and all was fine. This morning, a couple months later, it did it again. I put it on the charger, and after a few minutes, it fired right up. Electronics cycled and dash gauge showed a charge rate of 14v, but how accurate is that. I don't know the age of the battery, but in my past experience, when they are bad, they stay bad. An intermittent discharge like this is nothing I've experienced before. Is this a greater issue than just a battery? Thanks.

I doubt this is the original battery......how many years on the present one?

Well, the first thing I would do, is take the battery cables apart and check for leakage or corrosion......if side terminals, replace the bolts and clean cable contacts, apply dielectric grease, and put it back together.....this should be done with key out of ignition, nothing on, remove neg cable first......when installing, install pos cable first.....

After cleaning connections/changing bolts, check voltage of battery with voltmeter.....fully charged, 12.6 volts.....turn key to on, 12.0-12.6......to crank position, above 10 volts......if voltage is much lower, depending on how old the battery is, could be time for a new one......the other possibility is a parasitic drain, or a bad alternator...

The alternator charging should be checked on a hot engine......turn your lights on, rear defogger on, put blower on high......read voltage....should be above 12.....if lower, rev the engine to 2000.....if voltage goes up to around 13 volts, alternator is doing it'* job......could have a battery on it'* way out.....if voltage does not go up at 2000 rpm, and battery was fully charged on start up, then you have an alternator problem.....