When your car’s battery terminals are covered in corrosion, electricity has a hard time flowing which can leave you stuck in your tracks. The battery is necessary to ignite the fuel that gets your engine moving so without a properly working battery, you won’t be going anywhere in your vehicle. If you see a white, powdery substance on the metal terminals, you could have an issue with your car idling or engine not starting. Your car battery should last about four years with routine maintenance and proper cleaning.
Safety Considerations
Before you attempt to do anything with your car battery, you should know that corrosive material can be dangerous. You should wear protective goggles, gloves, and a smock for protection. Make sure you follow your vehicle’s procedure for disconnecting the battery and get a new battery if you notice any cracks or leaks in it.
With these safety considerations taken care of, we can finally get down to cleaning your battery.
Step 1: Locate your vehicle’s battery after looking up its location in your vehicle’s owner’s manual. Most batteries are under the hood near the engine but this can vary based on make and model.
Step 2: Turn the car off and raise the hood. It’s a good idea to let your car cool off for at least 30 minutes before tackling this project.
Step 3: Put on your safety goggles, work gloves, and apron.
Step 4: Remove the rubber or plastic covers that protect the points where the cables connect to the battery terminals. There should be two covers.
Step 5: Use a pair of plies or socket wrench to loosen the clamp on the negative terminal (marked with a minus sign).
Step 6: Remove the clamp from the positive terminal (marked with a plus sign) in the same way.
Step 7: Clean corrosion off the battery by following the instructions on a bottle of battery terminal cleaner. This product may foam up after it is sprayed on the terminals and clamps,.
Step 8: Use a wire brush to loosen the corrosion on the terminals and clamps. Gently scrub the terminals and clamps down to bare metal.
Step 9: Spray each terminal and clamp with water from a spray bottle to rinse away the remaining foam and corrosion,
Step 10: Dry each terminal and clamp with a clean cloth.
Step 11: Apply a layer of battery terminal protectant to prevent future corrosion.
Step 12: Reattach the clamp to the positive terminal first then attach the remaining clamp to the negative terminal.
Step 13: Replace both terminal covers and close your vehicle’s hood.
If you follow all these steps you should have a vehicle that runs much smoother and doesn’t stall out. The engine should start with the turn of a key.
If you don’t feel comfortable cleaning the battery yourself, or you would like a check up on the rest of your vehicle, you can always take your Toyota vehicle to the service experts at Peruzzi Toyota in Hatfield, PA. In addition if you have ToyotaCare maintenance with your new vehicle purchased from Peruzzi Toyota, we will take care of all your factory recommended maintenance and provide you with 24-hour roadside assistance in case something happens to your vehicle. Give Peruzzi Toyota’s service center a call at 877-523-2999 or visit us at 2601 Bethlehem Pike in Hatfield, PA.
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