Battery Lug Corroded....Question...
11/29/14, 12:37 PM
#1
GT Member
Thread Starter
Battery Lug Corroded....Question...
We woke up today to our 2014 GT with what we thought was a dead battery....opened the hood and found a lug VERY corroded. This car is just a year old and is kept garaged. Strange.
Anyway, not being a tech type, I could not even figure out how to get the positive cable disconnected, but I did poor some baking soda on the corroded part of the lug and flushed with water, followed by paper towels. It's better, but I noticed that as you'll see in this pic, there is some kind of protective netting around the battery and as this pic shows, it's missing a chunk (see white section) and I'm not sure whether it was like that before or after the flushing with baking soda.
In any case, would like some input and your thoughts...is this common?
Thanks
Tom
Anyway, not being a tech type, I could not even figure out how to get the positive cable disconnected, but I did poor some baking soda on the corroded part of the lug and flushed with water, followed by paper towels. It's better, but I noticed that as you'll see in this pic, there is some kind of protective netting around the battery and as this pic shows, it's missing a chunk (see white section) and I'm not sure whether it was like that before or after the flushing with baking soda.
In any case, would like some input and your thoughts...is this common?
Thanks
Tom
11/29/14, 06:15 PM
#2
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Join Date: October 22, 2011
Location: NE Ohio
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Happened to my '11 with the original factory battery about 1.5 years in. But I waited too long to get it addressed in warranty as I was driving the car a lot and got over the 36k mile cutoff.
The battery post is not sealed correctly, allowing acid to leak out and corrode the cables and mounts. I found that the correct solution was to replace the battery for a hundred bucks or so with another Motorcraft one. /RZ
The battery post is not sealed correctly, allowing acid to leak out and corrode the cables and mounts. I found that the correct solution was to replace the battery for a hundred bucks or so with another Motorcraft one. /RZ
11/30/14, 10:30 AM
#3
Legacy TMS Member
I am not going to disagree, but I have another method that will fix it permanently, or so it would finally seem after so many batteries and the corrosion coming up on mine.
Admittedly, mine's an '06, but still, same problem.
What happens is that not only does the fumes of the battery leak out (which is why they have a little exit somewhere on the battery, typically) due to heat and whatnot, but the little positive cover on the battery terminal helps to trap it, as well as moisture, inside that cover, thereby facilitating the corrosion.
Once the corrosion starts, it's very difficult to keep it from coming back. The metal's compromised, and must be cleaned up as best as can be done to help arrest the spread.
Now, since it's just your terminal, that's fantastic. Means you don't have to do the entire dang battery cubbyhole. So get...
. a bucket of water
. a stiff, small metal brush (They have Lincoln three packs of various types hanging around everywhere)
. a small digging device (think dental pick or small flathead screwdriver, 'cause there's nooks and crannies on the terminal that need cleanin')
. terminal washers. Them lil' felt things.
. dielectric grease. A tube is better than them little packets, but 3-4 packets that they sell will be enough I'd guess. I'd rather have a tube 'cause handy.
. and get you a can of this:
http://www.crcindustries.com/ei/prod....aspx?id=05023
Fill the bucket about half or so with water.
Take the battery out.
Take the battery tray out too. Yes, do it. And the strap, and the blanket. All of it.
With the compartment now freed up, you put the bucket in it, with a terry towel you don't care about under it. It will be tossed.
Go to town with that spray. Spray the terminal, scrub it with the brush, pick at it wit the screwdriver. Make it *clean*. You will need multiple spray sessions, because when it's done, you want NO pink. The bucket of water is to dunk the terminal in it. and start over with the spray. Change it out once or twice. Do both terminals, of course.
DO let the spray sit before attacking with brushes for about 5 minutes, each time. It has to do the bit of work.
Once the terminal has no more pink on it (or you give up and say "eh, that's so small, it'll be ok". I did.
), you are done with that. But not done overall.
Spray the battery. This can be done on the ground, no problem, just gotta do it.
Spray the tray.
Spray the hold down strap
Spray the blanket
Spray the bolts.
Basically, you are to spray the ENTIRE WORKS. I'd also do the firewall and such, but that's me. I had the acid leak so bad it ate the firewall paint. I was not happy. But I scrubbed it, and repainted it with black BBQ paint, and the entire engine bay will be shot black one day, so... eh.
Anyway, same trick. Spray the stuff, get rid of the pink. Spray is yellow unless it 'sees' acid.
Be sure to cut the posts with a terminal tool to new metal, and do the same with the terminals We want nice and pretty clean metal here.
Once all the stuff is deacidtized, you can reassemble it. Put antisieze on the bolts when you put the tray and hold down in, it'll be nicer next time.
DO NOT put the terminals on yet!
Put the washers on first.
Put dielectric grease on the bottoms of the terminals. A nice coating. Don't be chintzy. Then slap them on, tighten them down.
Now *slather* the terminals with the dielectric grease. It doesn't have to be messy, mind, but it has to cover the entire thing everywhere. Get a Q-tip if you need to, but get that stuff ALL on the terminals.
Put the little cap on and finish things up.
I have as yet to have that **** corrosion come back after doing this. Well worth the time and effort. The last time I just scrubbed the spray on the terminals, got rid of the corrosion, spray and wiped the battery down, shot that silly red 'protector' spray on the terminals and... corrosion. About 3-4 months later. It was irritating.
Yes, it's a little more messy on the terminals, but man... I can't even imagine not doing it this way for all my vehicles from here on out.
In case it helps, that's what I think you all should do.
Admittedly, mine's an '06, but still, same problem.
What happens is that not only does the fumes of the battery leak out (which is why they have a little exit somewhere on the battery, typically) due to heat and whatnot, but the little positive cover on the battery terminal helps to trap it, as well as moisture, inside that cover, thereby facilitating the corrosion.
Once the corrosion starts, it's very difficult to keep it from coming back. The metal's compromised, and must be cleaned up as best as can be done to help arrest the spread.
Now, since it's just your terminal, that's fantastic. Means you don't have to do the entire dang battery cubbyhole. So get...
. a bucket of water
. a stiff, small metal brush (They have Lincoln three packs of various types hanging around everywhere)
. a small digging device (think dental pick or small flathead screwdriver, 'cause there's nooks and crannies on the terminal that need cleanin')
. terminal washers. Them lil' felt things.
. dielectric grease. A tube is better than them little packets, but 3-4 packets that they sell will be enough I'd guess. I'd rather have a tube 'cause handy.
. and get you a can of this:
http://www.crcindustries.com/ei/prod....aspx?id=05023
Fill the bucket about half or so with water.
Take the battery out.
Take the battery tray out too. Yes, do it. And the strap, and the blanket. All of it.
With the compartment now freed up, you put the bucket in it, with a terry towel you don't care about under it. It will be tossed.
Go to town with that spray. Spray the terminal, scrub it with the brush, pick at it wit the screwdriver. Make it *clean*. You will need multiple spray sessions, because when it's done, you want NO pink. The bucket of water is to dunk the terminal in it. and start over with the spray. Change it out once or twice. Do both terminals, of course.
DO let the spray sit before attacking with brushes for about 5 minutes, each time. It has to do the bit of work.
Once the terminal has no more pink on it (or you give up and say "eh, that's so small, it'll be ok". I did.
), you are done with that. But not done overall.Spray the battery. This can be done on the ground, no problem, just gotta do it.
Spray the tray.
Spray the hold down strap
Spray the blanket
Spray the bolts.
Basically, you are to spray the ENTIRE WORKS. I'd also do the firewall and such, but that's me. I had the acid leak so bad it ate the firewall paint. I was not happy. But I scrubbed it, and repainted it with black BBQ paint, and the entire engine bay will be shot black one day, so... eh.
Anyway, same trick. Spray the stuff, get rid of the pink. Spray is yellow unless it 'sees' acid.
Be sure to cut the posts with a terminal tool to new metal, and do the same with the terminals We want nice and pretty clean metal here.
Once all the stuff is deacidtized, you can reassemble it. Put antisieze on the bolts when you put the tray and hold down in, it'll be nicer next time.
DO NOT put the terminals on yet!
Put the washers on first.
Put dielectric grease on the bottoms of the terminals. A nice coating. Don't be chintzy. Then slap them on, tighten them down.
Now *slather* the terminals with the dielectric grease. It doesn't have to be messy, mind, but it has to cover the entire thing everywhere. Get a Q-tip if you need to, but get that stuff ALL on the terminals.
Put the little cap on and finish things up.
I have as yet to have that **** corrosion come back after doing this. Well worth the time and effort. The last time I just scrubbed the spray on the terminals, got rid of the corrosion, spray and wiped the battery down, shot that silly red 'protector' spray on the terminals and... corrosion. About 3-4 months later. It was irritating.
Yes, it's a little more messy on the terminals, but man... I can't even imagine not doing it this way for all my vehicles from here on out.
In case it helps, that's what I think you all should do.
Last edited by houtex; 11/30/14 at 10:34 AM.
12/23/14, 07:31 AM
#4
My 2012 started having problems Sunday and I discovered the terminal and engine harness had been affected by the corrosion. Only have 29,500 miles but the 36 months were up 2 months ago. The dealer replaced the battery and harness for $935. They told me they would do it under warranty but someone nix'd that and I ended up paying. I found out on my way home that something was done wrong. My mpg keeps rising so now I am getting over 40 mpg and my shifter button to turn off overdrove does not work. I went back and showed the service writer. He said to bring it back in when it is convenient for me (LOL) and they would fix it for free.
If the rubber cover was not hiding the damage, I would have noticed before it was too late.
If the rubber cover was not hiding the damage, I would have noticed before it was too late.
12/24/14, 11:09 AM
#5
My 2012 started having problems Sunday and I discovered the terminal and engine harness had been affected by the corrosion. Only have 29,500 miles but the 36 months were up 2 months ago. The dealer replaced the battery and harness for $935. They told me they would do it under warranty but someone nix'd that and I ended up paying. I found out on my way home that something was done wrong. My mpg keeps rising so now I am getting over 40 mpg and my shifter button to turn off overdrove does not work. I went back and showed the service writer. He said to bring it back in when it is convenient for me (LOL) and they would fix it for free.
If the rubber cover was not hiding the damage, I would have noticed before it was too late.
If the rubber cover was not hiding the damage, I would have noticed before it was too late.
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