Corrosion on Car Battery
Something isn’t quite right with your car, you just know it, so you pop open the hood. Amid the sea of tubes and cables, you can see the battery, and it’s covered in a whiteish, blueish, greenish crust. That’s called battery corrosion, and it’s a fairly normal problem—but one that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.
If you’ve noticed corrosion on your car battery, stop by the service center at Ira Toyota of Manchester. We’re here to help all our friends in the Bedford, Manchester, and Merrimack, NH, areas stay safe on the road, so read on to learn what to do if you notice battery corrosion.
What Causes Corrosion on Car Batteries?
Your vehicle’s battery is a complicated piece of electrical engineering, but what you need to know is that it’s full of sulfuric acid, commonly referred to as battery acid. This holds the charge when your vehicle starts up and turns over, and it’s constantly recharged by the turning of the wheels and the alternator.
Corrosion is caused when some of that acid escapes and starts to crystallize on the exterior of the battery. Overheating, which can be caused by overcharging the battery, causes the acid to become gas and settle on the outside of the battery, corroding it.
If you have a refillable battery—due to chemistry, battery acid begins as distilled water, which may need to be refilled periodically—then overfilling the tank will naturally cause corrosion over time.
Preventing Corrosion on Your Car Battery
Like any astute car owner, you’ll want to prevent corrosion on the battery, and there are a few ways to do it. Before corrosion begins, you can purchase some anti-corrosion pads and place them around the battery posts—where you clamp the jumper cables when the battery dies. These cotton pads are covered in an anti-corrosive compound, which can help stave off corrosion.
Alternatively, if you prefer the DIY technique, you can simply apply some petroleum jelly to the battery posts. This can help improve conductivity as well as prevent corrosion.
However, no matter how conscious you are, experts caution that your car battery will need to be replaced every five to seven years because it will begin to fail due to age.
What to Do About Corrosion on Car Battery
When you bring your car to our service center, and we notice corrosion on the battery, there are a few options. If there’s only a bit of corrosion and the battery casing isn’t swelling or displaying any other hazardous behavior, we can probably clean off the corrosion with baking soda or professional battery cleaner.
If there’s a lot of corrosion or the battery appears to be in a failure state, then we’ll recommend to change the battery completely. We’ll help you find the right battery for your Toyota model and handle changing it for you. This can take up to an hour, so relax in our waiting area with a complimentary cup of coffee.
Visit Our Service Center for Corrosion on Car Battery
The interior of your car’s mechanics can be an intimidating thing, so let the certified technicians at Ira Toyota of Manchester help if you notice corrosion on the car battery. Since the battery helps power all the electrical components of your vehicle, it’s important to make sure it’s in good condition for driving in the Manchester, Merrimack, and Bedford, New Hampshire, areas!
Contact us or schedule your next service appointment online!
