Battery terminal "going bad?" - car question

[Darrell KSR]

My wife had a battery replaced on her 2009 Honda Odyssey van yesterday at Autozone. Everything was fine yesterday.

She called me this morning and told me she was stranded, and that the car wasn't even trying to turn over. I told her I was on my way (I'm about 5 minutes from where she was stranded), but asked her if she had tried the little portable battery thing in the car. Of course, she told me she had not, because when the old battery went dead, she tried it, and it wasn't "enough" to start the car. I pointed out that she had a brand new battery, so it probably would be enough this time, so she said she would try.

She called me back as I was backing out in my car and told me she had the car started; that the terminal was off the battery, and she just placed it on the battery, and it started right up. So I told her to run by Autozone and have them tighten it.

The guy at Autozone (not the one that worked yesterday) tightened it, but said that her terminal was "going bad," and that the previous guy should've told her. Said it was something Honda would have to do. He said that his tightening it might last until the next battery change, or it may not last.

What the heck is he talking about?

[suncat05]

The cells in an auto battery die. I have never heard of a battery terminal going bad. It's either connected and making contact, or it isn't. Mind you, I am not mechanically inclined in any way aside from basic, simple stuff. But this sounds pretty basic to me.
Could she be talking about the battery post, and not the terminal? I have seen battery posts that have come apart or just broke. Just a thought.
Another thought.......is there some corrosion on the terminal or adjoining wires?

[dan_bgblue]

[bigsky]

the cable terminal I'm guessing and they do rot/corrode I take a flattened penny and wrap it around the battery terminal and then put the cable around both. but I have access to flattened pennies

[dan_bgblue]

but I have access to flattened pennies

Rail line near by?

[bigsky]

Rail line near by?

no I have two or three of those machines that flatten pennies and imprint a t-rex and other Dinos. sometimes they don't imprint and I've got some of the blems

[dan_bgblue]

That is cool. Are you a collector of those machines or just picked up a few at a flea market?

[CitizenBBN]

That is cool. Are you a collector of those machines or just picked up a few at a flea market?

I presume they're at the museum. Either that or he's been diving at the bottom of the mall wishing well again.


I did once have a cable get corroded but back in the cable where you couldn't see it. Car wouldn't turn over, went to check it out, the plastic had split as the corrosion had grown and it was so bad there were just a few strands of cable left.

[KeithKSR]

My wife had a battery replaced on her 2009 Honda Odyssey van yesterday at Autozone. Everything was fine yesterday.

She called me this morning and told me she was stranded, and that the car wasn't even trying to turn over. I told her I was on my way (I'm about 5 minutes from where she was stranded), but asked her if she had tried the little portable battery thing in the car. Of course, she told me she had not, because when the old battery went dead, she tried it, and it wasn't "enough" to start the car. I pointed out that she had a brand new battery, so it probably would be enough this time, so she said she would try.

She called me back as I was backing out in my car and told me she had the car started; that the terminal was off the battery, and she just placed it on the battery, and it started right up. So I told her to run by Autozone and have them tighten it.

The guy at Autozone (not the one that worked yesterday) tightened it, but said that her terminal was "going bad," and that the previous guy should've told her. Said it was something Honda would have to do. He said that his tightening it might last until the next battery change, or it may not last.

What the heck is he talking about?

Lead terminals are a thing of the past, and some people think you can't replace the new ones that are metal. When the one on my truck failed I cut it off, left a little of the old terminal in place, drilled a hole in the metal and replaced it with one of these. I used plenty of dielectric grease to prevent oxidation and corrosion.

Attachment 4448

[KeithKSR]

BTW, that was three years ago, and no issues since then.

[bigsky]

That is cool. Are you a collector of those machines or just picked up a few at a flea market?

At the museum sorry to be obscure.