Citations in-text seem completely random

Can you attach the output style you are using?   Depending on the ambiguous settings and first time cited and 2nd time cited setting, you could get variation.  If you attach (first need to zip the file because I don’t believe the forum has been fixed to accept a .ens file yet) the output style, I can have a look at it.  If that is not possible, PM me for my email and email it to me, and I can check it that way.  If it is an “out of the box”  output style, just give me the name, and I will download it.  (Have you tried downloading a new version to see if it has corrections?)