Dead Battery? Mitsubishi i Starting & Light Issues

Hey! I had the exact same issue with my 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer (gasoline). The symptoms you're describing match what I experienced, weak starts, dimming lights, and that annoying flickering. When I took it to the garage last month, they did a full electrical system check. Turned out it wasn't just the battery, my alternator was failing too, which meant it wasn't properly charging the battery while driving. They had to replace both the battery and alternator to fix it properly. It was definitely a serious issue that needed immediate attention because a failing electrical system can leave you stranded anywhere. In my case, the alternator had been slowly dying for months, which explains why the new batteries I'd tried before never lasted long. I'd suggest getting it checked soon, these symptoms usually don't improve on their own and can lead to bigger problems.

Thanks this is really helpful! Yeah, those symptoms are exactly what I'm experiencing. I'm actually thinking it might be the alternator in my case too, since the battery is fairly new. Did you remember roughly how much you ended up paying for the whole job? And has everything been running smoothly since the repair? Just wondering if any other issues popped up afterward.

Hey again! Thanks for asking about the follow-up. I'm happy to report that everything's been running perfectly since I got it fixed! The alternator actually turned out to be fine, it was just the auxiliary battery that was causing all the trouble. After replacing it (cost me 290€), all those annoying symptoms completely disappeared. No more dim lights, no more flickering, and the car starts like a charm every morning, even in cold weather. It's been about six weeks now since the repair, and my 2011 Lancer hasn't shown any signs of electrical problems. Honestly, it feels like driving a different car! I probably could've saved myself some worry if I'd gotten it checked sooner, but you know how it is, you always hope these things will sort themselves out. The mechanic was spot on with the diagnosis, and the price was fair for what needed to be done. If you're still having troubles, I'd definitely recommend getting it checked out sooner rather than later. Those electrical gremlins can be really frustrating!

Thanks so much for sharing your experience! I actually went ahead and took your advice about getting it checked out right away. Took it to a mechanic yesterday, turns out it was just the battery in my case too! Can't believe I was stressing so much about it. The whole thing cost me about 250€, which wasn't as bad as I was expecting. The mechanic I found was really great, super honest and explained everything clearly. They even showed me how to spot the signs of a failing battery for future reference. Car's running like a dream now! Started up this morning with no issues, and all the lights are bright and steady. Such a relief! Thanks again for pushing me to get it sorted, you probably saved me from getting stranded somewhere with a dead battery. Sometimes you just need that little push to deal with car problems, right? Guess I'll stop putting off these kinds of repairs in the future!