Corrosion Forming on Terminals, is it time for new battery?

I'm about 3 years in and about 30k miles in on a 2019 TRD off-road 4x4.

The other day while changing the oil I noticed a decent amount of corrosion Forming on the terminals. Is this a sign it's time to change the battery or is the dirt from offroading and lack of terminal pads the cause of corrosion?

 

Google:

Myth #5- Corroded terminals or connectors
OPTIMA Batteries are sealed, so you'll never need to worry about corrosion at your battery terminals. If that's the case and all car batteries have finite lifespans, how can you expect corroded battery terminals will indicate your OPTIMA battery needs to be replaced if they never happen? On other vehicles with regular flooded lead-acid batteries, if you see corrosion forming around your terminals, it doesn't mean your battery needs to be replaced, but it does mean there is probably significant resistance building up around that connection, which can make it harder for your battery to accept and deliver current. Clean those connectors and battery terminals with a wire brush and a solution of one tablespoon of baking soda mixed in a cup of hot water. Then check battery voltage (at least 12.6V), charge if needed and have it load-tested for free at any quality auto parts retailer. If it does need to be replaced, consider a sealed OPTIMA battery, so you won't have to clean up that mess in the future

 

Clean the connection and then add dielectric grease to the posts and terminals. Shouldn't happen again

 

I agree with @Chaosh1, no need for a new battery; clean things up and give them a good coating of dielectric grease and call it a day.

 

I had come across this but was not sure if it was specific to their brand of batteries or batteries over all. Thanks

 

Generally if an older battery and seeing corrosion develop on battery terminals, the battery is nearing the end of its life. With new batteries make sure you coat the terminals with dielectric grease after its hooked up. They even sell a battery terminal spoog you can spray on.

 

Disconnect and clean up the corrosion, you can use a small knife to gently scrape the battery posts nice and bright.

I give the terminals a spritz of WD-40 every oil change, keeps them sealed as well as grease and is less messy.

 

Completely normal.

Sprinkle the battery with a little water and then sprinkle some baking soda over that. The solution will start to bubble neutralizing the battery acid that has condensed onto of the battery and terminals. Let it work for a few minutes.

Hose the battery, tray and apron down well.


If you have a non maintenance free wet cell battery, pop the cell caps off and top up the battery with distilled water up to the bottom of each port. Replace caps and spray a small amount of WD-40 on the terminals.
Now drive the truck for a bit to recharge the battery. Refilling can reduce the specific gravity of a cell if it was low. So taking it out on the highway for a ½ hour rip will recharge it. If any cell has exposed plates inside it before filling, then the battery may need to be replaced.

Always where safety glasses and gloves when servicing a battery.

Edit: normally a battery change is required when it fails to hold a charge or for leaks. Unless the corrosion is excessive the battery probably just needs maintenance.

 

my original battery did the exact same thing. after replacing with Costco battery no corrosion going on 2 years.

 

AND .......you can coat the terminals with grease before they get corroded

 

That’s completely normal and nothing to worry about. If it bothers you, follow the advice above to clean up the corrosion. It could eventually over many years cause a conductivity issue. It’s a bigger issue if you have additional non-lead connections to your battery like on a boat. Not long ago I had to replace some battery connectors on my 1999 boat because the copper connector had dicintigtated.

 

Agree with the others that it is normal. One other point is that your mileage is completely irrelevant in the life span of your battery. Factors that determine your batteries life span are heat, cold, and number of cycles that you put it through. I am at 4 years on my 2018 living in Fla. Probably on barrowed time...

 

Clean and fluid film the terminals

 

---This----
When the battery gets closer to its end of life the speed of corrosion at the terminals seems to increase. Just clean your terminals and use some dielectric grease then keep an eye on it.

 

I have to argue one has nothing to do with the other. Over time batteries age, and over time battery terminals (often) become corroded, however, there is absolutely nothing about say a three year old battery which increases terminal corrosion. If this was the case, the "Honda 100-Month" battery I had in my Accord would have looked like a total corrosion factory every other day when I finally replaced the battery at 118 months (yes, two months shy of 10 years).

 

If you are under 36 months on your warranty, take it to the dealer to have them check it out. My battery developed a bad cell at 33 months and my dealer gave me a free replacement.

 

Semi-related, once upon a time I was driving my 1974 Datsun pickup down the street when the engine suddenly died and a spot on the hood started to glow red and smoke. Thoughts of close encounters of the third kind filled my mind. I got out, lifted the hood, and discovered the positive terminal had shorted out on the hood because I had neglected to replace the plastic battery terminal hood.

 

Just a thought, but I would do something besides an Optima, my last two Optima's lasted less than a year.

 

Corrosion just means the terminals had battery acid exposure. Clean w/ baking soda solution, dry, brush to bright with wire brush, reassemble connectors and spray connections with battery aerosol oil.
I've had to do this once or 2x in the past 4 years.

 

Lol I clean them with Coca Cola. Amazing clean.