What You Need to Know About Corroded Car Battery Terminals
Are you experiencing electrical issues with your car? If you find yourself frequently having to jump-start your car or having problems with auto electrical components, such as the radio and cabin lights, you might want to check your car battery terminals for corrosion.
Over time, a build-up of corrosion on the terminals of your auto battery may prevent an electrical current from flowing to the various components of the vehicle. Consequently, various electrical components of your car will begin to act up. Here's what you need to know about corroded car battery terminals.
What Causes Corrosion on the Battery Terminals?
Corrosion on your battery's terminals is a result of hydrogen gas being released from the sulphuric acid in your battery. The hydrogen gas will get trapped under the hood and react with different elements to form a layer, which is corrosion.
Usually, corrosion on the negative terminal forms when the battery is undercharging. On the other hand, corrosion on the positive terminal may be a result of overcharging the battery.
What Are the Signs of Corrosion?
Usually, the initial signs of corrosion on the terminals of your car battery is the formation of a blue, white or green substance. At the initial stage of the build-up, the amount of the substance is not so significant that it can interfere with the normal functioning of your car engine and the electrical components of the vehicle.
Over time, however, corrosion build-up will increase, preventing the flow of charge to the engine and other components. At this point, various electrical components of your car will start to fail.
How Should You Deal With Corrosion?
If you notice corrosion on your battery terminals, do not fret. You simply need to clean the corroded terminals to get the battery back to its best shape. But first, you need to put on the appropriate protective gear. Note that the sulphuric acid in your car battery is hazardous and can cause serious burns.
Use a solution of water and baking soda to clean the terminals together, with a brush to scrub off the layer of corrosion. You may want to disconnect the battery cables to completely clean off any residue of corrosion. After satisfactorily removing the gunk, be sure to rinse the terminals with water and apply a coating of grease onto them. This will slow the process of corrosion in the future.
With the above information, you should be able to keep your car battery terminals free of corrosion for a long time. If you find your battery terminals corroding too often, do not hesitate to inform a professional mechanic about the issue. Learn more about car batteries from car mechanics near you.
Hello! This is a blog which will help you to gain important knowledge about servicing your automobile. No one who contributes to this blog is an expert or a professional. However, we do have a passion for everything to do with looking after cars and trucks. We know that your auto will at some point malfunction or underperform. Knowing what to do when it does can make all the difference. Read on to find out how you can prevent problems with your truck or car. We will also look at the role that professional mechanics can play in this process.