The alternator will take over when the vehicle is running, so if you're only having problems with it when trying to start it, it usually means that the battery is not capable of accepting a charge. The battery should hold around 12.5V when not running. First, look at your battery cable connections. Make sure they are clean and tight. If they are, you can take it to your local parts store ( I don't know what you have in Canada..) and they can probably load test it for you for free to verify your problem.
Recently, I have had some trouble starting up, especially after running the A/C or heater for any length of time, or even opening the door for extended periods of time, but never long enough to drain the battery. It almost seems like the battery has been drained by the use of these two functions, even though the car is running at the time. If the alternator was an issue the battery would run down. I checked the battery (while engine was off) and it showed a charge of around 11.5V. When I can't start it up again, I use one of those portable battery packs to boost, and it starts without a problem. Is it time for a new battery? Does anyone know what else could cause this type of issue?
