The paper considers a scalar differential equation of an advance-delay type $$\dot{y}\left(t\right)=-\left(a_0+\frac{a_1}{t}\right)y(t-\tau )+\left(b_0+\frac{b_1}{t}\right)y(t+\sigma ),$$ where constants $a_0$, $b_0$, $\tau$ and $\sigma$ are positive, and $a_1$ and $b_1$ are arbitrary. The behavior of its solutions for $t\to \infty$ is analyzed provided that the transcendental equation $$\lambda =-a_0{\mathrm{e}}^{-\lambda \tau }+b_0{\mathrm{e}}^{\lambda \sigma }$$ has a positive real root. An exponential-type function approximating the solution is searched for to be used in proving the existence of a semi-global solution. Moreover, the lower and upper estimates are given for such a solution.

In this article, we shall establish sufficient conditions for the asymptotic stability and boundedness of solutions of a certain third order nonlinear non-autonomous delay differential equation, by using a Lyapunov function as basic tool. In doing so we extend some existing results. Examples are given to illustrate our results.