On cold mornings and/or nights really, the car has been doing something really weird. When I go to crank it, i turn the key all the way forward, and the lights dim, but the engine doesnt even attempt to turn over. Its like a dead battery. I can then turn the key back to off, and then all the way back to "crank", and it starts. The battery seems low when it starts the second time, but it never fails. What should I check that would cause it to crank on the second try. Remember this is only when its cold, and all the interior and exterior lights stay working.

How old is the battery? Is it a closed cell or not? If not I would check the water level and add some if its low....distilled water only....If it'* a new, or just look for a loose battery connections, or starter connection...

thats just what i would do, unless you have a scan tool then I would start there...but I don't have one yet..

Cold kills batteries, especially weak batteries in a low state of charge. If you add water to bring electrolyte level up, be prepared to do a battery charge after. Or add water with engine running, then go for a long drive.

I believe its an open cell battery from Walmart. I have a scan tool, and i'm not sure how that would help me with this problem. I am going to check if the waters low, and see what happens.

Clean all the battery connections then go get the battery tested. Some of the autoparts stores do this for free. How old is the battery?

maybe a year and a half at most.

Check the battery connections 1st & let us know what you find.

I doubt it gets cold enough in Florida for this to apply, but when I first got to MN I saw something interesting on a news show. They had one of them "Car Experts" on, and he explained how car batteries don't like the cold (we knew that). The neat part was he also explained how they can be self heating, which I was reminded of by your situation.

While this expert did not advise using the starter as you have been, he explained that putting a light load, such as the lights, on the battery for a few seconds would "get its juices flowing" causing it to warm a bit and begin producing better voltage.

I'd almost be willing to bet this is what'* happening with your vehicle/ The first attempt "wakes up" the battery, and by the time you're ready to try again it has regained enough strength to do it'* job.

I mean, heck, who desn't hit the snooze button when it'* chilly out, right????

MOS, that theory makes sense...to me anyway'*

When I first read the post, I was thinking though that it was the starter relay :?

Time to get a new battery

Mos is on the money, I've used that many times.

Pat also has bad issues with Wally World batteries. In this case you are describing a dying battery nearly perfectly. I'd use the Wally return policy.