Flash problems, Casio Ex-z3

I own a Casio EX-Z3 digital camera and for a couple of months have been having problems with the flash. The camera works perfectly in light conditions but it next to useless at night. When the camera is used with the flash the result is often a dark, reddish-hued, picture. The flash usually doesn't go off. Sometimes the opposite is true and the picture is flooded by the flash. The best chance I have of getting the flash to go off at all is to wait for the flashing light next to the view finder to stop flashing then take the picture in that instant. Taking pictures this way seems to result in the flash flooding the picture. If I wait a couple of second the flash doesn't go off at all and the picture is red-hued again. Could this be a problem with the battery? The battery life still seems to last as long as it always has. My non-expert opinion is that it could have something to do with the way the flash charges and discharges. Could this be linked to the battery? In which case would replacing the battery solve my problem?