The positive cables attached to my car battery corrode so fast I have to clean them at least once a month. Does this mean the battery is bad?
2006-12-20 06:32:48 · 10 answers · asked by Karl A 2 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
The positive cables attached to my car battery corrode so fast I have to clean them at least once a month. Does this mean the battery is bad?
EDIT: One other thing I just remembered. The positive post on the battery actually appears to be bent slightly although the bend appears to happen outside the battery, not inside. Because of this I have a hard time getting a good connection between the post and the cable. The battery has been dying this week so perhaps a new battery would help.
2006-12-20 06:42:59 · update #1
first, IMPORTANT; wear eye protection around that battery of yours!! do not put your face over it when you are working on it. that bent post makes me worry for you. i have seen a battery explode! not trying to scare you, just warn you to be very careful when working on those terminals. you could short the battery out causing it to explode if the terminal snaps off. i think a crack in the case by the post is causing the corrosion. the acid is very corrosive so when you change the battery out wash down the tray with baking soda to neutralize the acid. then rinse with water to clean up the residue. be careful and good luck
2006-12-20 07:05:09 · answer #1 · answered by car dude 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First of all the connections need to be tight. After making sure they are tight you can cover the posts with a battery post spray on product that keeps out moisture which is the major cause of battery corrosion. You can also cover the battery posts with Vaseline or a light grease to accomplish the same thing however it's not as effective as the spray sealer. Make sure you don't have the battery (electrolyte) fluid level to full. No higher than the inside ring inside the the battery below the cap. If it's to high than this is where the moisture is coming from because as you drive you battery charges making the fluid warm which expands it and causes it to leak. Good luck
2006-12-20 06:41:11 · answer #2 · answered by Dumb Dave 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Its possible that you're battery wasn't even the issue... Sometimes the corrosion disrupts the ground connection and the circuit cannot be completed, your car might make a weird clicking noise when you try to turn it over but I've seen it where the battery seems completely dead! Its possible that when you tried jumping the first two times, the ground connection wasn't sufficient and therefor it didn't charge. When you charged directly to the battery terminal you probably disconnected the ground and after reconnecting, a better ground was established which allowed the car to start. If the corrosion was bad then it probably just lost the ground again a few hours later.
2016-03-13 08:57:47 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would check the alternator first, although I do not think that that would help much. Take a volt meter and you should see approximately 14V at the battery when the car is on.
Check and make sure that the cable is tightly connected to the post. Use a light sandpaper to clean the post and the inside of the connector. Get some no-ox and put a light film around the battery post. You do not want to much as this stuff is non conductive. I usually apply with my finger and lightly wipe it off with a paper towel. There should be enough residue left on the post and then connect your cable.
No-ox is very cheap and can be found at most electrical supply stores, home depot, etc.
2006-12-20 06:38:44 · answer #4 · answered by Paul J 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If you live in a humid area then it could be the positive lead from the battery being corroded inside the insulated jacket. The braided wire will have pockets of corrosion that prevent the flow of electricity cause in it to corrode at the post where it suppose to be traveling to.
2015-03-16 15:35:56 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. it means its dirty, clean it with a battery cleaning kit, then use battery grease to prevent corrosion and last
MOST IMPORTANT
keep your cable ends as tight as possible so it prevents vibration or movement.
A loose cable will corrode faster.
2006-12-20 06:36:36 · answer #6 · answered by Verbatim 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
any battery that is not maintance free will leak acid and cause corrosion. they are cheap made and low price which lure customers in. if you want to cut down corrosion,the only battery that will do this a/c delco. BMW,LEXUS,TOYOTA,GM,HONDA start using a/c Delco on their vehicles to make customers happy
2006-12-20 07:37:16 · answer #7 · answered by LEXUSRY 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The post where the cable attaches may be broke loose from battery.
2006-12-20 06:43:02 · answer #8 · answered by Dizzypilot 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It needs to be cleaned properly, tightened properly and greased with a spray type grease not WD40. IT HAS NOTHING to do with the alternator, by the way.
2006-12-20 06:41:10 · answer #9 · answered by Lulu 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Alternator malfunction?
2006-12-20 06:34:38 · answer #10 · answered by P&B 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋