If you’re like most people, you rely on your vehicle for everyday use. Without even thinking about it, you hop in, turn the key or push the start button, and away you go. That is, as long as your car is working as intended. With an improperly functioning car battery, however, you aren’t going anywhere, and it’s time to find out why. As one of our videos shows, corrosion can eat away at the battery cable parts until there is very little left.
How a Car Battery Works
If you were a doctor trying to diagnose a patient’s illness, you’d need to know a lot about body parts and how they function. The same is true when it comes to cars. In order to know what’s working and what isn’t, it’s helpful to have a good working knowledge of a vehicle’s components, even if you’re not a professional auto mechanic.
Although there are many parts, let’s take a look at a few of the key components of a car battery:
- Battery terminals and cables – these connect the battery itself to the vehicle’s electrical system.
- Battery acid/paste – the chemical component of a car battery.
- Positive and negative plates – sets of positive and negative plate blocks make up the battery cell and conduct energy.
In simple terms (we’ll avoid the scientific jargon here), a car battery works by taking chemical energy and converting it into electrical energy – that’s the kind needed to start your vehicle and power electrical components such as lights and the radio. The chemical reaction comes from the interaction between hydrogen, oxygen, lead, and sulfur.
What Causes Corroded Battery Cables and Terminals?
If you remember from chemistry class, chemical reactions often result in the desired action or product. But, they can also lead to the formation of byproducts. In car batteries, we see that in the form of corrosion.
As your vehicle heats and cools, so does the battery. During this process, hydrogen gas is released through the battery’s vents and mixes with particles around the battery itself. This mixture builds up over time and is the corrosion we most often see on battery terminals or cables.
Recognizing Battery Corrosion: What to Look For
A corroded battery is typically evidenced by a crusty or flaky deposit that forms on and around battery terminals. This deposit is often white or blue in color, resembling a powdery substance. It can accumulate over time and may look unsightly, resembling dried toothpaste or baking powder.
When inspecting your vehicle, you’ll often find this corrosion by lifting your car’s hood and examining the battery terminals closely. Corrosion tends to appear first on these terminals, where it reduces their ability to conduct electricity efficiently, possibly leading to starting issues or other electrical problems.
The appearance of corrosion is not just limited to automotive batteries; you might find similar residues forming on batteries in everyday items such as flashlights, remote controls, or other electronic devices.
Why Regularly Checking Your Car Battery is Crucial
Regular battery checks are essential for maintaining your vehicle’s reliability and performance. Here’s why you should prioritize this simple yet often overlooked maintenance task:
Prolong Battery Life
Routine inspections help identify potential problems before they escalate. By addressing issues early, such as corrosion or loose connections, you can extend the life of your battery significantly.
Prevent Unexpected Breakdowns
No one wants to be stranded because of a dead battery. Regular testing ensures your battery is in good condition, minimizing the risk of unexpected breakdowns and the inconvenience that comes with them.
Improve Vehicle Performance
A healthy battery ensures your vehicle runs smoothly. It provides the necessary power for starting your car and running electrical components efficiently, contributing to overall vehicle performance.
Safety Considerations
After an accident or if you’ve dropped the battery, it’s crucial to have it checked. Impact can cause internal damage that might not be immediately apparent but can lead to more significant issues down the road.
Cost-Effectiveness
Regular checks can be cost-effective in the long run. Identifying and fixing minor issues early can prevent more expensive repairs or the need for a complete battery replacement.
When Should You Check Your Battery?
- Periodically: Incorporate battery checks into your vehicle’s routine maintenance schedule.
- After Incidents: Always inspect it after any incidents that might cause damage, such as accidents or drops.
- Before Long Trips: Ensure reliability on the road by checking your battery before embarking on extended travels.
By committing to regular battery inspections, you not only safeguard your vehicle’s functionality but also enhance your peace of mind on every journey.
How Battery Age Leads to Corrosion
As your car battery ages, several factors contribute to the development of corrosion. Let’s explore how time impacts this essential vehicle component:
Chemical Reactions Over Time: A battery undergoes continuous chemical reactions to provide power to your vehicle. Over time, these reactions can cause the battery terminals to emit hydrogen gas. When this gas mixes with ambient moisture, it forms a corrosive substance known as sulfuric acid. This is the main culprit behind the visible build-up on battery terminals.
Deterioration of Materials: The materials inside a battery, like the lead plates and electrolyte, degrade as time goes on. This breakdown facilitates the release of corrosive by-products, further encouraging corrosion.
Increased Resistance and Heat: Aged batteries often have increased internal resistance. This means they can’t supply power as efficiently, causing them to heat up more during use. Heat accelerates corrosion, as it speeds up the chemical reactions that lead to the formation of corrosive compounds.
Frequent Short Trips: The frequent short driving trips often associated with older vehicles can prevent the battery from fully charging. This incomplete charging cycle can lead to acid stratification, which also promotes corrosion.
As the battery ages, the accumulated wear and tear from chemical interactions, material degradation, and inefficient charging cycles creates an ideal environment for corrosion to develop and spread. Regular maintenance and periodic checks can help mitigate these effects, ensuring a longer-lasting battery life.
How to Fix Corroded Battery Terminals
Unfortunately, once corrosion occurs, it’s not going to go away on its own. Instead, it’s going to require some good, old-fashioned WORK! If the buildup is not too severe, the terminals can be cleaned as follows:
- Use a wire brush and battery cleaner. This is the ideal method as the battery cleaner works to break down the built-up particles and the wire brush scrubs them away.
- Use a baking soda-water mixture and a toothbrush. If you don’t mind a little extra scrubbing, this method can work just as well and can be done with everyday materials that most people have at home.
For both of these methods, the car’s engine should be off and the battery cables should be disconnected from the vehicle. If you have any questions at all about the process, or whether your corroded battery terminals can even been cleaned, be sure to ask your local automotive repair professional.
Does a Corroded Battery Need to Be Replaced?
Sometimes, a corroded battery cannot be sufficiently cleaned. Or, it has other issues that indicate it’s time for a replacement. When inspecting your battery, be sure to note the condition of the case itself. If it’s leaking or bloated, don’t bother with trying to clean the corroded terminals and cables. Instead, head to your local auto repair shop for a new car battery.
Beyond excessive corrosion and leaking or swelling of the battery case, here are a few other symptoms that indicate it’s time for a new battery instead of cleaning or repair of the old one:
- Difficulty starting the vehicle – the engine crank is slow and the car has difficulty starting or won’t start at all.
- Check engine light is on – this can occur for multiple reasons, but can also appear when the battery is weak and ready to call it quits.
- Low battery fluid – look at the side of the battery. There is often a clear window through which you can see the battery fluid level. If it’s below the lead plates, talk to your mechanic about battery testing or replacement.
- Age – if your battery is greater than three years old, it’s on borrowed time.
How to Prevent Battery Corrosion
With many problems in life, the solution is often to prevent the problem in the first place. In the case of car batteries, it’s best to start fresh with a new battery. Then, you can implement the following corrosion prevention procedures:
- Use spray battery protector. Available at many auto parts stores, this product is meant to prevent buildup on battery terminals and cables. Follow the manufacturer’s application directions, but start with clean parts!
- Apply anti-corrosion gel. This product is directly applied to the terminals themselves, but not the connectors. It acts to prevent corrosion buildup, meaning less cleaning down the road and better battery performance!
- Install felt terminal protectors. This is a great option for the car owner who doesn’t want to handle gel or spray, which can sometimes be messy. The felt pieces are inexpensive and are directly installed on the terminals. They are typically saturated with a corrosion preventative that does not dry out or evaporate, providing long term battery corrosion protection.
8 Ways to Extend the Life of Your Car Battery
You’ve learned a little about how a car battery works, how its parts can become corroded, and how to prevent battery corrosion. Let’s wrap up with a few more tips on extending your battery’s life in general:
Start with the right battery for your vehicle.- Limit frequent, short-distance trips.
- Make sure the battery is properly secured.
- Turn off electrical accessories when the vehicle isn’t running.
- Keep the battery clean, including its case and terminals.
- Minimize exposure to temperature extremes.
- Perform regular checks on the battery’s voltage.
- Use the vehicle on a regular basis.
Start with the right battery for your vehicle.
Follow these tips and you’ll find that a little preventative maintenance will go a long way in helping you get the most use out of your car battery. Happy driving!
