About a week ago I noticed that my lights dim (worse than before) when i brake, listen to music, or even when I give my car a little gas. This past Friday, when I went out to my car, it would not even start. So I had my dad give me a jump, it started up fine and my dad drove it around for a little while then pulled it back into the garage. Later that day it started up fine. Today it did not start again this morning, so my day hooked up the battery charger and the car started. After sitting in the parking lot for an hour It did not start up again. Alex (beckstyle, my bro) gave me a jump and I drove home.

It seems as if the battery isn't holding a charge. Or possibly, the alternator isn't keeping the battery charged. How can I test my alt.? Could my sound system, be causing the issues? My brother is going to do the "Big 3" once the weather gets warmer, and I will most likely be buying a high amp alt. also. Any other ideas?

Disconnect your battery cables. Pull the rubber boots off. How much corrosion do you find hiding in there that you can't see from the outside?

We get a good dozen of these problems each month during the winter. Pull those boots off and clean all the corrosion, then reassemble with dielectric grease. Then do the same at the alternator and each cable ground location.