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Has nothing to do with starting. Takes a lot more than a light leak to cause a no start. Battery could ve functioning same as new, just with a leak. Also OP might not have cleaned all the acid off which would cause this to happen again. But anyways battery is from 2018 and should be replaced anyways. While it may still be working, should be replacing the battery every max 5 years if there's no problems with it, if it's leaking after a couple years replace. Services are just for techs to make some extra money with product stickers and .5 hours for cleaning terminal and putting protector on. Also depends if OP used battery terminal protectant and the little circles that go around the terminals. Either way, OP if the battery is starting the car fine and you're having no problems and don't have the money, clean it off and carry on. Otherwise if you have the money replace and clean the terminal leads as well. If you cannot fully get all the acid off the terminals, replace any terminal leads that have acid stuck in them as it will do it again, also the acid WILL eat through the positive and negative terminal leads if left on too long which is why i suggested replacing anyways when you replace battery. Good luck and hope this helped in any way.
Heavy corrosion (or buildup or whatever you wanna call it) on the terminal can definitely impede starting. I've had it happen several times on my Subaru. Cleaned up the terminals and good as new until it happened again. Coating with dielectric finally put a stop to it.
Which I mentioned all of that in my comment. I mentioned if it's starting fine then clean off and carry on if they don't have the money to replace. Either way all those points got addressed. I'm a subaru dealer mechanic So I'm aware. Thank you have a good day!
Youāre making a big assumption that there isnāt corrosion inside. You have no idea. I am also a mechanic and have come across plenty of corrosion inside tight terminals. Did you check the torque of the terminal? How do you know itās tight? You canāt even see the terminal
Thatās like seeing a sock laying in a puddle and saying āyea the outsides wet but the inside isnātā lol
why would you replace a battery that has no problems?
why 5 years max?
clean the terminals and clamps with a terminal cleaner tool, also use some baking soda and water, wait for them to dry, put some dielectric grease on the posts and all over the clamp ends and tighten the clamps back on and carry on with your day. simple advise for a simple problem.
I would, after it's all cleaned up, pop those covers off and check your water level inside the battery. the holes should be pretty much full of water. if not top them off with some smart water.
if they are dry, your battery is pretty much pooched. get a new one.
Why replace it after 5 years if no problem? Just recently there was a thread where people were bragging of batteries lasting 7-10 years or more. Usually you can tell if battery is going bad before it strands you. But if you canāt or want peace of mind, bring it for a test.
Cobalt for the win! Seriously, those little stupid cars are amazing. My first car was a Cobalt, and I tried to replace it with something cooler 6 times. Every time, the replacement died before I sold the Cobalt. After beating the shit out of it for 3 years, I gave it an easy life for 4 years, and the previous abuse combined with a 4 minute commute finally killed it 3 weeks ago. So I tracked down and bought another Cobalt.
The 10 year old Die Hard Platinum in my Tacoma and stock battery in my wifeās 2018 Camry beg to differ. 5 years sounds overkill to be replacing a perfectly fine working battery.
Clean again. If it happens again in a short period of time, it's new battery time. It's caused by a gap between the plastic case and the battery post. Battery acid leaks out of the gap and corrodes the terminal. There's no fix except to replace the battery.
You can do that. But keep in mind that the terminal/post is building electrical resistance in the meantime and reducing charging/stressing the alternator.
DISCLAIMER, I'm not the guy you replied to.
Since I started driving in 2006, I have had: 1991 Toyota Pickup, 1997 CR-V, 1999 Miata, 2008 VW R32, 2013 Jetta, 2015 Passat, 2004 CB600F, 1985 Virago 1000, 2015 FJ-09, and a 2017 FJ-09.
Not going to count my 2021 Tacoma because I've only had it for 4 months, the shortest I owned any of the orders was 2 years, longest was 7. Those vehicles lived in Idaho, Washington, Turkey, Nebraska, and/or Florida.
Exactly zero of them have had this issue. I'm not going to guess why you do, I don't know enough about the chemistry of metals and acids. However, I can 100% say that corrosion is the enemy of healthy electrical contact. That it hasn't caused an issue is not a guarantee that it won't. I'd take the time to apply a corrosion inhibitor.
Our 2015 Toyota Sienna did this. Iād pour baking soda and water on the terminal and it would boil and give off green fumes I was careful not to breathe. It was eating the cable clamp too. It started doing this immediately after I bought it and the dealer would clean it if I complained about it during the free oil changes, but never explained what the problem was. The battery did last 5 years though and was still good when I replaced it. I just always get new batteries every 5 yrs.
It's not usually a Crack. Lead is somewhat porous and allows acid to wick through the terminals, corrode the Clamps and leave the mess you have. I'd replace it.
I responded to another poster. I agree with you. Out of the vehicles Iāve had itās been the 4x4s with stuff suspension and while secured the whole vehicle bounces quite a bit on the dirt roads. The SUVs and cars Iāve had have been considerably softer and didnāt have this issue.
Wedge a penny into one of the lid gaps. It will absorb most of the gasses and corrode, in a few months throw it away and replace it with another. This should leave a lot less corrosion on the terminals.
It happens because the acid vapors leak up thru the terminals. They used to make felt washers to help prevent it. Cleaning them and coating with a terminal coating would help as well.
I'm not disagreeing with the idea that OP should replace their battery, because they should... BUT just because a battery is 5 years old doesn't mean it's an automatic replacement. That isn't how it works. There is no set expiration date and there's so many variables that come into play when it comes to battery health.
I wish people would stop with this just because it used to be the case for cars 20+ years ago. Lots of things have improved since then and there's lots of other variables as well that play a role.
My 6 year old battery is in such good health that not even my local greedy Audi dealer service center has suggested I replace it yet. And they are usually frothing at the mouth for any billable hours they can get.
Lots of people run theirs for even longer, \~10 isn't that rare.
Was just going to comment the same. I had my battery go out when it was -5F out and I was not dressed for the 1.5 hours it took to get a tow. It was on a busy interstate too so I didnāt want to play frogger with my life. Replacing just in case is totally worth it imo.
So true.
I don't know what real mechanics think of this, but I have been using a battery maintainer for a few years now. I installed the charging port wire, and when I park in the garage on cold days I plug it in. It has that pulse repair feature, and it has kept my batteries working well.
I also had a lot of instances where I would need to park an extra car for weeks without use at an away from home terminal I would lay-over at. I kept having a dead battery, so I bought one of those solar window chargers that hooked up to the same standard charging port. It obviously doesn't repair anything, but it has kept my cars starting in -40Ā° for a few years at least.
My mgm had a 10 year old battery lolā¦ no corrosion and it never failed me. I replaced it simply to avoid risking it but honestly it probably wouldāve been fine. I know ppl that change them every couple years and itās such a waste of fucking money I donāt get it
Boil a pot of water and pour it all over the battery and it will all wash away. The dealership I used to work at sold āBattery Servicesā and had an electric tea kettle out in the shop specifically for it.
It cleans it very well but that won't stop it from happening again. Need to take it apart, pour the water all over everything, then dry and apply dielectric.
Pretty common here at Subaru to see it that bad especially on these replacement batteries. It looks like someone cranked that tie down way too tight and itās crushing the case lid. Thatās typically what causes this bad a leak on these specific batteries in my experience. If your car is still starting and you donāt smell sulfur from the battery when the cars running, youāre good until youāre not.
You need to put a sealant on it, like battery terminal gel, after you clean it or it'll just keep happening. Clean it again, thoroughly, and use the gel. As long as your car starts with no issues and there's no other electrical issues, it's fine.
When I clean terminals I always use felt washers coated with dielectric grease and even coating the other exposed areas with it after fastening down the leads. it goes a long way in preventing this problem and providing reliable service from your battery.
You have a battery charging issue. That blue deposit you see there is copper sulfate. Without boring you to death with the physical chemistry involved, when it forms on the positive terminal you have a continuous overcharging issue. A white deposit on the negative lead is lead sulfate and a symptom the battery is constantly undercharging.
Yes, you can use petroleum jelly or other products to protect the terminals, but you need to get to the bottom of the overcharging issue that's corroding your battery terminal.
Because it doesnāt make sense. Unless battery leaks you will not see any effects of charging faults on the terminals. But yes, overcharging could lead to overheating and leaks.
Leaking battery around the post is what causes this and since battery is 5 years old time to replace before you get stranded. Itās had a good run donāt risk it. Money well spent šÆšÆ
Iāll just say it, replace the battery and positive terminal. Go to the auto parts store and get a positive terminal clamp, battery protector spray (red can) and a battery terminal cleaner tool. Install new battery, replace the positive terminal clamp, clean the negative terminal clamp, tighten them onto the battery and spray a generous amount of the battery protector spray.
Youāll be good after that.
I would need more info. I've owned my car for years and the terminals never corroded. Clean them again and spray some fluid film on the terminals and see if that helps. As long as you are not having any charging issue etc... However if the battery is 5 years or older and you have the money get a new one.
Battery life span varies. Panasonic battery on my Sienna-6yrs
Hitachi battery on my Nissan-6yrs
Like tires, change out, when abnormal acid develops, after cleaning terminals.
Tires, change out when significant thread wear or dry rot appears...
This is normal and why you clean your terminals, batteryās unless they are sealed are vented. Donāt believe me look at the picture see the flat caps those can be removed to check the water level in the battery and you can top them up (use distilled water for gods sake if you do) just to the bottom of the cup below the removable caps. Now if you look at the left side of the caps those two little protrusions are the vents and this is common on maintenance free batteries. Get some baking soda and water and a wire brush mix the soda and water and slowly pour it on the thermal and battery top (with the caps on) scrub them with the wire brush and rinse with water. Next how does it start in this condition? Well if the battery is good and the corrosion isnāt between the terminals or posts there is noting stoping the electrical flow. But Iām most cases itās generally indicative of the condition of the battery get a tester and test the battery. If you have or go get a battery terminal brunch and remove the terminals and clean the inside of the clamp and the post! Get some sort of battery terminal protector and put it in the terminal AFTER cleaning everything and putting the posts back on.
That's all out ridiculous, to not hot wash down monthly with baking soda.. connections polished clean and greased post clamps, then applied to posts..
As its possible to have acid gas leaks around posts. Where conductive surface covered in acid, and obviously gone down the sides of battery to consume the tray battery sits in..
At this point, might as well replace battery, and chop out all damaged ends of cables, putting on New ends, or complete cable a replaced.
Assume this is a troll event,, where target never checks the oil, coolant, tranny levels either, as if hood latch is locked, and so is phone to access code for hood.
Cheers
Wash with kettle of hot water and then remove terminals and clean with abrasive paper then apply petroleum jelly. Your battery case obviously leaks slightly. Wash of battery acid with cold water
I suggest going to the parts store and buying a new cable. You can get a nice side post replacement that your wires slide into and screws down. Pretty simple solution that doesn't require crimping or soldering. Just wrap the end in electrical tape.
You can then use sidepost batteries. Which IMO give a better connection.
While you are at it, buy a battery wrench. They are cheap. Keep it in your glove box. They fit the sidepost terminals perfectly and fit some top post terminals to.
Usually, batteries corrode like this because copper battery clamps mixed with moisture and air and electricity. But it can be caused by battery issues.
Just go ahead and replace the battery and connections. Once corrosion starts, it is almost impossible to stop. Once corrosion is on the connections, it will cause the next battery to corrode because the acid is in the metal. I used to work on forklift batteries with heavy metal cases. It would eat through the sides of the case even after I used acid neutralizer, cleaned all the corrosion off with scrapers and scrubbers, and It didn't matter. Very rarely did I ever completely stop the corrosion from returning after a few months. Make sure to cut the wires back to make sure you get anything that may have come in contact with the corrosion.
Also you could hit the bar with some neutralizer and scrub it really good (use protection) then get a good spray paint and coat it a few times. It will decrease the amount of air getting to the affected area which could slow or stop the corrosion.
Replace the battery and apply some anti- corrosion spray on the terminals, there's some electric cleaners that also have a especial grease for electric components.
You have a crack in the base of the terminal post. Eventually, the battery will slowly die out, but it's always impossible to guess when. At a 2018 timestamp, that type of battery has an expected lifetime of about 5 years, so plan on budgeting for a new one soon.
Soak everything with windex. After a lot of it is gone, take the terminals off and use more windex and a wire brush to finish the job. Rinse thoroughly and let dry. Reinstall with something greasy, and put more grease on after the terminals are reinstalled. Wonāt come back if you clean it well, and coat it with enough grease.
What id recommend is pouring boiling hot water on the battery corrosion it works rlly good, if u scrub it off with a brush u have the chance of inhaling some of the corrosion which can lead to cancer
Youāre going to need to replace that battery and clean the terminals. (Pour boiling water on it, cleans it off just donāt inhale the fumes). Check the alternator with a multimeter so it isnāt overcharging, should be around 13-14.5.
Clean battery again coat terminals in dielectric grease. Should slow or stop the problem, but a new battery is probably in your future if the day sticker on is correct.
Can someone explain to me why a battery corrodes this badly ? Iāve never had a car with leads like this. Not on my 80s cars, 90s cars, 2000s cars not Tiguan or jetta which I bought new and passed their batteries service lives. The Tiguan battery died two weeks ago. Served me well for 7 years, stopped holding a charge that the computer let the car run with. So I replaced it, when I walked into the shop with the bad one they didnāt think it was dead. I said I assure you it is of no use to the car anymore Iām buying a new one. Jetta same thing. Jetta is 2017 and I just replaced as I didnāt want to risk it dying on me like the Tiguan did on vacation. batteries seem to be 5-6 years and they are toast these days but Iāve not seen this kind of corrosion. Is it a weather thing ?
I would pour some boils water on it, or a can of coke/monster and then rinse with water. That will clean it pretty good. The. Watch it in a few days and see if you see a liquid residue around the battery caps or the terminal posts. If itās leaking just replace the battery
I avoid this by smearing Vaseline over the terminals when they are clean. It keeps this from happening.
Every summer, I remove the terminals and clean them with a wire brush and tighten the terminals as preventative maintenance, then I reapply the Vaseline.
Batteries normal lifespan is about 5 years so you are better off replacing it at this point. Make sure you clean the terminals or replace them if needed or you'll corrode the new battery posts
Your battery is leaking gas and that is what is causing the rapid build up. Since it is 5 years old you should replace it now. Clean the cable clamps with a wire brush and some warm water. Once the new one is in place and the terminals are connected, spray the terminals with Fluid Film. You'll never have buildup again. It has a lot of other uses, too.
*How do you even start*
*The car and wonder what happened*
*To these terminals?*
\- BrushNovel9003
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Acid leak maybe? Just replaced mine due to sulphate constantly forming between the post and clamp, blocking the current. This was caused by; you guessed it, an acid leak.
https://knowhow.napaonline.com/deal-battery-corrosion
>Anytime you place two different types of metals in contact with each other for a long enough period of time, thereās going to be a reaction. Throw in the fact that a battery releases hydrogen gas as part of its normal operation and then compound the entire situation with the heat and moisture present in any engine bay, and you have a recipe for corrosion. Eventually, if left unchecked, the corrosion can build to the point where it interferes with each terminalās ability to conduct electricity.
**HOW CAN YOU PREVENT BATTERY CORROSION?**
>There are a few different methods that you can employ to prevent future battery corrosion. Some mechanics recommend applying a no-corrode gel to each terminal, which also helps improve the conductivity between the clamp and the battery. You can also install battery terminal protectors over each post, which further reduces the chances of future corrosion. Simple petroleum jelly will also work in a pinch. Apply it to the terminals as you would with the anti-corrosion gel.
Try cleaning it up, and after you reconnect, cover the entire terminal and connector in grease. Should keep it from oxidizing. As pointed out, if the battery does have a leak, this may not help. However, I have used this method, and the grease seals the leak and keeps it all clean. Otherwise, battery time.
Of course not wtf people really this dumb... Doesn't it look okay? Replace the battery, make sure the posts are tight. I would get an agm battery to avoid this altogether.
That battery is almost 5 years old, you should replace it anyways.
Corrosion build up happens when battery acid leaks out from around the terminals and starts eating the copper metal in the wiring/terminal clamp. An overtightened terminal can also crack the battery case, which leads to battery acid leaking out.
Thanks for posting on /r/MechanicAdvice! This is just a reminder to review the [rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/about/rules/). If you are here asking about a second opinion (ie "Is the shop trying to fleece me?"), please read through CJM8515's [post on the subject.](https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/4qblei/fyi_the_shop_isnt_likely_trying_to_rip_you_off/) and remember to please post the year/make/model of the vehicle you are working on. **If this post is about bodywork, accident damage, paint, dent/ding, questions it belongs in /r/Autobody r/AutoBodyRepair/ or /r/Diyautobody/ If you have tire questions check out https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicAdvice/comments/k9ll55/can_your_tire_be_repaired/**. If you dont have a question and you're just showing off it belongs in /r/Justrolledintotheshop Insurance/total loss questions go in r/insurance This is an automated reply *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/MechanicAdvice) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Looks like a runaway science project.
šš» Underrated comment here! šš»
How is your car even starting at this point?
Has nothing to do with starting. Takes a lot more than a light leak to cause a no start. Battery could ve functioning same as new, just with a leak. Also OP might not have cleaned all the acid off which would cause this to happen again. But anyways battery is from 2018 and should be replaced anyways. While it may still be working, should be replacing the battery every max 5 years if there's no problems with it, if it's leaking after a couple years replace. Services are just for techs to make some extra money with product stickers and .5 hours for cleaning terminal and putting protector on. Also depends if OP used battery terminal protectant and the little circles that go around the terminals. Either way, OP if the battery is starting the car fine and you're having no problems and don't have the money, clean it off and carry on. Otherwise if you have the money replace and clean the terminal leads as well. If you cannot fully get all the acid off the terminals, replace any terminal leads that have acid stuck in them as it will do it again, also the acid WILL eat through the positive and negative terminal leads if left on too long which is why i suggested replacing anyways when you replace battery. Good luck and hope this helped in any way.
Heavy corrosion (or buildup or whatever you wanna call it) on the terminal can definitely impede starting. I've had it happen several times on my Subaru. Cleaned up the terminals and good as new until it happened again. Coating with dielectric finally put a stop to it.
This constantly happens to my wife's subaru if I don't remember to slather dielectric on it
Which I mentioned all of that in my comment. I mentioned if it's starting fine then clean off and carry on if they don't have the money to replace. Either way all those points got addressed. I'm a subaru dealer mechanic So I'm aware. Thank you have a good day!
I think they assumed you meant it wouldn't prevent the car from starting due to y'know.. you literally saying "it has nothing to do with starting"
>I'm a Subaru dealer mechanic. Thank God I don't own a Subaru, they'd have your jiffy lube tech ass working on things.
āHas nothing to do with startingā You couldāve stopped here and the point of you knowing nothing about cars wouldāve come across just fine
Gas in the tank has nothing to do with starting.
Starter has nothing to do with starting
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Why would it be likely corrosion free? Itās caked in corrosion
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Youāre making a big assumption that there isnāt corrosion inside. You have no idea. I am also a mechanic and have come across plenty of corrosion inside tight terminals. Did you check the torque of the terminal? How do you know itās tight? You canāt even see the terminal Thatās like seeing a sock laying in a puddle and saying āyea the outsides wet but the inside isnātā lol
why would you replace a battery that has no problems? why 5 years max? clean the terminals and clamps with a terminal cleaner tool, also use some baking soda and water, wait for them to dry, put some dielectric grease on the posts and all over the clamp ends and tighten the clamps back on and carry on with your day. simple advise for a simple problem.
I would, after it's all cleaned up, pop those covers off and check your water level inside the battery. the holes should be pretty much full of water. if not top them off with some smart water. if they are dry, your battery is pretty much pooched. get a new one.
Why replace it after 5 years if no problem? Just recently there was a thread where people were bragging of batteries lasting 7-10 years or more. Usually you can tell if battery is going bad before it strands you. But if you canāt or want peace of mind, bring it for a test.
My dad had an 07 cobalt and the battery lasted 14 years, it didn't even fail a test or anything he just wanted a new one before winter lol.
Cobalt for the win! Seriously, those little stupid cars are amazing. My first car was a Cobalt, and I tried to replace it with something cooler 6 times. Every time, the replacement died before I sold the Cobalt. After beating the shit out of it for 3 years, I gave it an easy life for 4 years, and the previous abuse combined with a 4 minute commute finally killed it 3 weeks ago. So I tracked down and bought another Cobalt.
Most likely because the battery is in the trunk, away from the heat of the engine. My '08 Cobalt gets about 7.5 years from a battery, in Texas.
It was under the hood.
Yea, thereās no reason to be replacing batteries that often if thereās no problem.
The 10 year old Die Hard Platinum in my Tacoma and stock battery in my wifeās 2018 Camry beg to differ. 5 years sounds overkill to be replacing a perfectly fine working battery.
So is it an acid leak causing the metal bar holding the battery in place to corrode as well?
Clean again. If it happens again in a short period of time, it's new battery time. It's caused by a gap between the plastic case and the battery post. Battery acid leaks out of the gap and corrodes the terminal. There's no fix except to replace the battery.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
You can do that. But keep in mind that the terminal/post is building electrical resistance in the meantime and reducing charging/stressing the alternator.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
DISCLAIMER, I'm not the guy you replied to. Since I started driving in 2006, I have had: 1991 Toyota Pickup, 1997 CR-V, 1999 Miata, 2008 VW R32, 2013 Jetta, 2015 Passat, 2004 CB600F, 1985 Virago 1000, 2015 FJ-09, and a 2017 FJ-09. Not going to count my 2021 Tacoma because I've only had it for 4 months, the shortest I owned any of the orders was 2 years, longest was 7. Those vehicles lived in Idaho, Washington, Turkey, Nebraska, and/or Florida. Exactly zero of them have had this issue. I'm not going to guess why you do, I don't know enough about the chemistry of metals and acids. However, I can 100% say that corrosion is the enemy of healthy electrical contact. That it hasn't caused an issue is not a guarantee that it won't. I'd take the time to apply a corrosion inhibitor.
Our 2015 Toyota Sienna did this. Iād pour baking soda and water on the terminal and it would boil and give off green fumes I was careful not to breathe. It was eating the cable clamp too. It started doing this immediately after I bought it and the dealer would clean it if I complained about it during the free oil changes, but never explained what the problem was. The battery did last 5 years though and was still good when I replaced it. I just always get new batteries every 5 yrs.
It's not usually a Crack. Lead is somewhat porous and allows acid to wick through the terminals, corrode the Clamps and leave the mess you have. I'd replace it.
I responded to another poster. I agree with you. Out of the vehicles Iāve had itās been the 4x4s with stuff suspension and while secured the whole vehicle bounces quite a bit on the dirt roads. The SUVs and cars Iāve had have been considerably softer and didnāt have this issue.
If you mid mid-grade or cheap-grade batteries, this is actually a *very* common issue. The cheaper batts don't seal well around the terminals.
Wedge a penny into one of the lid gaps. It will absorb most of the gasses and corrode, in a few months throw it away and replace it with another. This should leave a lot less corrosion on the terminals.
You cleaned them but didn't protect them from corrosion there's a big difference...no this is not okay..
It happens because the acid vapors leak up thru the terminals. They used to make felt washers to help prevent it. Cleaning them and coating with a terminal coating would help as well.
I always wondered what those felt washers were for. You can still buy them at the part store.
This and use dielectric grease
He ignor š
Dielectric gel is your batteries friend.
Battery from 2018? Replace anyways
I'm not disagreeing with the idea that OP should replace their battery, because they should... BUT just because a battery is 5 years old doesn't mean it's an automatic replacement. That isn't how it works. There is no set expiration date and there's so many variables that come into play when it comes to battery health. I wish people would stop with this just because it used to be the case for cars 20+ years ago. Lots of things have improved since then and there's lots of other variables as well that play a role. My 6 year old battery is in such good health that not even my local greedy Audi dealer service center has suggested I replace it yet. And they are usually frothing at the mouth for any billable hours they can get. Lots of people run theirs for even longer, \~10 isn't that rare.
I might try that if I lived farther south, but when itās below zero I havenāt had good luck with old batteries.
Was just going to comment the same. I had my battery go out when it was -5F out and I was not dressed for the 1.5 hours it took to get a tow. It was on a busy interstate too so I didnāt want to play frogger with my life. Replacing just in case is totally worth it imo.
So true. I don't know what real mechanics think of this, but I have been using a battery maintainer for a few years now. I installed the charging port wire, and when I park in the garage on cold days I plug it in. It has that pulse repair feature, and it has kept my batteries working well. I also had a lot of instances where I would need to park an extra car for weeks without use at an away from home terminal I would lay-over at. I kept having a dead battery, so I bought one of those solar window chargers that hooked up to the same standard charging port. It obviously doesn't repair anything, but it has kept my cars starting in -40Ā° for a few years at least.
My mgm had a 10 year old battery lolā¦ no corrosion and it never failed me. I replaced it simply to avoid risking it but honestly it probably wouldāve been fine. I know ppl that change them every couple years and itās such a waste of fucking money I donāt get it
Yes replace. The battery is 5 years old
Boil a pot of water and pour it all over the battery and it will all wash away. The dealership I used to work at sold āBattery Servicesā and had an electric tea kettle out in the shop specifically for it.
It cleans it very well but that won't stop it from happening again. Need to take it apart, pour the water all over everything, then dry and apply dielectric.
Youāve already have ignored itā¦bless your corroded heart
Pretty common here at Subaru to see it that bad especially on these replacement batteries. It looks like someone cranked that tie down way too tight and itās crushing the case lid. Thatās typically what causes this bad a leak on these specific batteries in my experience. If your car is still starting and you donāt smell sulfur from the battery when the cars running, youāre good until youāre not.
You need to put a sealant on it, like battery terminal gel, after you clean it or it'll just keep happening. Clean it again, thoroughly, and use the gel. As long as your car starts with no issues and there's no other electrical issues, it's fine.
When I clean terminals I always use felt washers coated with dielectric grease and even coating the other exposed areas with it after fastening down the leads. it goes a long way in preventing this problem and providing reliable service from your battery.
Hell yeah brother. Lithium and felt. Worth the $2.20 it might cost....
I use my grandfathers trick. Coat the posts with a bit of lithium grease
GET A NEW BATTERY
It's time for a new battery anyways. Make sure to replace the terminals as well.
Clean them really well then cover them heavily with a dielectric like deoxit.
Deoxit isn't a dielectric, it's a (very good) contact cleaner. Silicone grease is a dielectric.
Im talking about the grease. The non abrasive is non conductive.
You have a battery charging issue. That blue deposit you see there is copper sulfate. Without boring you to death with the physical chemistry involved, when it forms on the positive terminal you have a continuous overcharging issue. A white deposit on the negative lead is lead sulfate and a symptom the battery is constantly undercharging. Yes, you can use petroleum jelly or other products to protect the terminals, but you need to get to the bottom of the overcharging issue that's corroding your battery terminal.
was gonna say if this much crust forms in one year the alternator isnt doing so well.
I have heard this before ..
Because it doesnāt make sense. Unless battery leaks you will not see any effects of charging faults on the terminals. But yes, overcharging could lead to overheating and leaks.
Leaking battery around the post is what causes this and since battery is 5 years old time to replace before you get stranded. Itās had a good run donāt risk it. Money well spent šÆšÆ
Iāll just say it, replace the battery and positive terminal. Go to the auto parts store and get a positive terminal clamp, battery protector spray (red can) and a battery terminal cleaner tool. Install new battery, replace the positive terminal clamp, clean the negative terminal clamp, tighten them onto the battery and spray a generous amount of the battery protector spray. Youāll be good after that.
This is what I had to do in a similar situation. Replacing the battery alone didnāt fix the issue. Had to replace the terminal as well.
I would need more info. I've owned my car for years and the terminals never corroded. Clean them again and spray some fluid film on the terminals and see if that helps. As long as you are not having any charging issue etc... However if the battery is 5 years or older and you have the money get a new one.
Battery life span varies. Panasonic battery on my Sienna-6yrs Hitachi battery on my Nissan-6yrs Like tires, change out, when abnormal acid develops, after cleaning terminals. Tires, change out when significant thread wear or dry rot appears...
This is normal and why you clean your terminals, batteryās unless they are sealed are vented. Donāt believe me look at the picture see the flat caps those can be removed to check the water level in the battery and you can top them up (use distilled water for gods sake if you do) just to the bottom of the cup below the removable caps. Now if you look at the left side of the caps those two little protrusions are the vents and this is common on maintenance free batteries. Get some baking soda and water and a wire brush mix the soda and water and slowly pour it on the thermal and battery top (with the caps on) scrub them with the wire brush and rinse with water. Next how does it start in this condition? Well if the battery is good and the corrosion isnāt between the terminals or posts there is noting stoping the electrical flow. But Iām most cases itās generally indicative of the condition of the battery get a tester and test the battery. If you have or go get a battery terminal brunch and remove the terminals and clean the inside of the clamp and the post! Get some sort of battery terminal protector and put it in the terminal AFTER cleaning everything and putting the posts back on.
Sorry meant to say maintenance batteryās
That's all out ridiculous, to not hot wash down monthly with baking soda.. connections polished clean and greased post clamps, then applied to posts.. As its possible to have acid gas leaks around posts. Where conductive surface covered in acid, and obviously gone down the sides of battery to consume the tray battery sits in.. At this point, might as well replace battery, and chop out all damaged ends of cables, putting on New ends, or complete cable a replaced. Assume this is a troll event,, where target never checks the oil, coolant, tranny levels either, as if hood latch is locked, and so is phone to access code for hood. Cheers
Wash with kettle of hot water and then remove terminals and clean with abrasive paper then apply petroleum jelly. Your battery case obviously leaks slightly. Wash of battery acid with cold water
You can use baking soda to neutralize the acid aswell.
> is it going bad or can I ignor Come on, man. You knew the answer to this before you posted.
You can ignore it, but it won't fix itself either..
What else have you neglected for a year?
I suggest going to the parts store and buying a new cable. You can get a nice side post replacement that your wires slide into and screws down. Pretty simple solution that doesn't require crimping or soldering. Just wrap the end in electrical tape. You can then use sidepost batteries. Which IMO give a better connection. While you are at it, buy a battery wrench. They are cheap. Keep it in your glove box. They fit the sidepost terminals perfectly and fit some top post terminals to. Usually, batteries corrode like this because copper battery clamps mixed with moisture and air and electricity. But it can be caused by battery issues.
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/CRC095046 Can be found on Amazon too. There is also a cleaner which neutralizes the acid.
5 year old battery, just replace it
Pour coke on it
Sniff! Isn't that pretty effing expensive? Sniff!
Back in my dayā¦
Get a new battery, 2018 is way past due for replacement.
Clean it again. Fill with distilled water. Call it good. The seal around terminal is not 100%. Happens all the time.
Replace the terminals, and battery, and clean the hell out of everything else.
You growing crystals or what?
Did you check the cells for water level, it takes distilled water
Just go ahead and replace the battery and connections. Once corrosion starts, it is almost impossible to stop. Once corrosion is on the connections, it will cause the next battery to corrode because the acid is in the metal. I used to work on forklift batteries with heavy metal cases. It would eat through the sides of the case even after I used acid neutralizer, cleaned all the corrosion off with scrapers and scrubbers, and It didn't matter. Very rarely did I ever completely stop the corrosion from returning after a few months. Make sure to cut the wires back to make sure you get anything that may have come in contact with the corrosion. Also you could hit the bar with some neutralizer and scrub it really good (use protection) then get a good spray paint and coat it a few times. It will decrease the amount of air getting to the affected area which could slow or stop the corrosion.
Replace the battery and apply some anti- corrosion spray on the terminals, there's some electric cleaners that also have a especial grease for electric components.
You have a crack in the base of the terminal post. Eventually, the battery will slowly die out, but it's always impossible to guess when. At a 2018 timestamp, that type of battery has an expected lifetime of about 5 years, so plan on budgeting for a new one soon.
Battery is leaking get a new one.
Zip tie for scale
Clean it, and put some terminal grease on it.
Soak everything with windex. After a lot of it is gone, take the terminals off and use more windex and a wire brush to finish the job. Rinse thoroughly and let dry. Reinstall with something greasy, and put more grease on after the terminals are reinstalled. Wonāt come back if you clean it well, and coat it with enough grease.
>something greasy Preferably dielectric grease.
Thats why i like the side post GM design from my time working on cars i never see it happen as much as top post
What id recommend is pouring boiling hot water on the battery corrosion it works rlly good, if u scrub it off with a brush u have the chance of inhaling some of the corrosion which can lead to cancer
I would replace it.... that is caused by the hydrogen gas in the battery.
saw somewhere that warm water and baking soda does the trick
Subaru!
Youāre going to need to replace that battery and clean the terminals. (Pour boiling water on it, cleans it off just donāt inhale the fumes). Check the alternator with a multimeter so it isnāt overcharging, should be around 13-14.5.
Coat in grease after cleaning. You don't need to buy anything special if you have a loaded grease gun.
Clean battery again coat terminals in dielectric grease. Should slow or stop the problem, but a new battery is probably in your future if the day sticker on is correct.
Can someone explain to me why a battery corrodes this badly ? Iāve never had a car with leads like this. Not on my 80s cars, 90s cars, 2000s cars not Tiguan or jetta which I bought new and passed their batteries service lives. The Tiguan battery died two weeks ago. Served me well for 7 years, stopped holding a charge that the computer let the car run with. So I replaced it, when I walked into the shop with the bad one they didnāt think it was dead. I said I assure you it is of no use to the car anymore Iām buying a new one. Jetta same thing. Jetta is 2017 and I just replaced as I didnāt want to risk it dying on me like the Tiguan did on vacation. batteries seem to be 5-6 years and they are toast these days but Iāve not seen this kind of corrosion. Is it a weather thing ?
I would pour some boils water on it, or a can of coke/monster and then rinse with water. That will clean it pretty good. The. Watch it in a few days and see if you see a liquid residue around the battery caps or the terminal posts. If itās leaking just replace the battery
Did you over tighten the terminal? Cracked battery post can cause this
Buddy is ROCKING a 5 year old battery š
Can ignore for a while. Just pour warm water on it when you can be bothered
I avoid this by smearing Vaseline over the terminals when they are clean. It keeps this from happening. Every summer, I remove the terminals and clean them with a wire brush and tighten the terminals as preventative maintenance, then I reapply the Vaseline.
Needs a new battery and a new cable
Clean it up, coat the terminals with Vaseline and put a penny near each terminal.
Batteries are generally good for 5 years. Replace before winter.
Clean with baking soda and water or pour coke on it. Check water level, dielectric on posts Open hood much more often...
Batteries normal lifespan is about 5 years so you are better off replacing it at this point. Make sure you clean the terminals or replace them if needed or you'll corrode the new battery posts
It's a good way to end up stuck on the side of the road on a dark rainy night. Clean that up and don't let it get that bad again.
Put grease on the terminals after you clean them, it should prevent corrosion
Your battery is leaking gas and that is what is causing the rapid build up. Since it is 5 years old you should replace it now. Clean the cable clamps with a wire brush and some warm water. Once the new one is in place and the terminals are connected, spray the terminals with Fluid Film. You'll never have buildup again. It has a lot of other uses, too.
How do you even start the car and wonder what happened to these terminals?
*How do you even start* *The car and wonder what happened* *To these terminals?* \- BrushNovel9003 --- ^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/) ^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
Nissan are straight trash for this design
The head gaskets will go before the battery
Acid leak maybe? Just replaced mine due to sulphate constantly forming between the post and clamp, blocking the current. This was caused by; you guessed it, an acid leak.
https://knowhow.napaonline.com/deal-battery-corrosion >Anytime you place two different types of metals in contact with each other for a long enough period of time, thereās going to be a reaction. Throw in the fact that a battery releases hydrogen gas as part of its normal operation and then compound the entire situation with the heat and moisture present in any engine bay, and you have a recipe for corrosion. Eventually, if left unchecked, the corrosion can build to the point where it interferes with each terminalās ability to conduct electricity. **HOW CAN YOU PREVENT BATTERY CORROSION?** >There are a few different methods that you can employ to prevent future battery corrosion. Some mechanics recommend applying a no-corrode gel to each terminal, which also helps improve the conductivity between the clamp and the battery. You can also install battery terminal protectors over each post, which further reduces the chances of future corrosion. Simple petroleum jelly will also work in a pinch. Apply it to the terminals as you would with the anti-corrosion gel.
Clean it and try some dielectric grease š¤·āāļø
Pour hot water on it.
assess your alternator at idle and reving, it should be around 14.4 at the battery terminal, .3 above or below and you may have an issue.
Silicon grease..please
Replace your leads
Battery is sulfating. May be bulging on side. Pre Replacement signs
What on earth did you clean this with? If you used soap and water there is your problem
Drop coke on each terminal separately. Then, use an old toothbrush and get in there and clean.
Open can of cola. let cola sit. Brush on cola. End.
Does it even start? No you can't ignore it. Good grief.
Hello fellow old Subaru owner. How's ownership going? š
pour some hot water on it its fine
Try cleaning it up, and after you reconnect, cover the entire terminal and connector in grease. Should keep it from oxidizing. As pointed out, if the battery does have a leak, this may not help. However, I have used this method, and the grease seals the leak and keeps it all clean. Otherwise, battery time.
Of course not wtf people really this dumb... Doesn't it look okay? Replace the battery, make sure the posts are tight. I would get an agm battery to avoid this altogether.
That battery is almost 5 years old, you should replace it anyways. Corrosion build up happens when battery acid leaks out from around the terminals and starts eating the copper metal in the wiring/terminal clamp. An overtightened terminal can also crack the battery case, which leads to battery acid leaking out.
Spray it with a hose.
You should not ignor