Thanks for all the input. I did indeed have to send my father in. He insisted on speaking to the mechanic not just the counter guy. The latest diagnosis (and this seems to be the correct one) is that the battery connection was loose and the battery was grounding on the main frame of the car (hope this makes sense.) Voltage was thereby being lost. So - the connection was tightened, the battery charged again and we will see how long the fix lasts. The dealer did not even think to look in that area until a man suggested it to him. And...it only took three appointments for the dealer to get the right lock in to fix the tailgate (they kept forgetting the car had a rear facing third seat which apparently then changes the lock in the tailgate.)

As for the rotors - yes, the car had recently had a 22,500 service and tire rotation. I have now had the rotors filed down to prevent the brake pulsing - if that doesn't work I will apparently need new rotors.

Jane