laptop batteries have a limited lifespan.

I normally suggest to folk who have their laptops plugged into AC power for almost 100% of the time to remove the battery and store it in a cool place at around 60% charge as this will prolong its life.

in your case it sounds like the battery is on it's last legs and needs replacing.

I understand the limited lifespan, but I've only had it for a year and a half. I've known plenty of people who have had Dell laptops for 4+yrs and the only problem they have is it doesn't hold a charge like they used to. Mine still holds a charge just as good as the day I bought it, which is what makes this so confusing to me.

I mean, what did I do wrong that made mine start to die so early? If my battery isn't safe to use, I'd think Dell would want to replace it ASAP even out of warranty... Who's to say they didn't miss something in model which could cost them a ton of money in the future? Then again, I suppose I just don't want to put down the $100-$150 to get a replacement for something I hardly ever use :)

I agree getting a new battery is a pain if you almost never use it...