Melted battery terminal - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

djfunkshun · 03-04-2010, 11:36 AM

I went to start my car this morning and it would not crank, not even a little bit. After I popped the hood I noticed that my positive battery terminal had begun to melt away and is now only 2/3 - 3/4 the size it use to be. After some very carefull prying I was able to get my camry to start. Any ideas as to what is going on here?

hill8570 · 03-04-2010, 02:40 PM

Melt away as in "corroded", or melt away as in "looks like someone took a blowtorch to it to make some sort of weird sculpture"?

If the first, you're getting leakage out of the post seals of the battery -- you can mitigate this by brushing the area with something like baking soda, but it's usually a sign the battery is reaching end of life.

If the second, the terminal wasn't making good contact with the post -- either the post was corroded or the terminal was loose. If the terminal is a melted mess now, you need to have it replaced or replace it yourself.

djfunkshun · 03-04-2010, 03:12 PM

Melted as if I had hit it with a cutting torch. There was a small piece of melted metal sitting on top of my battery next to the terminal.

I have had issues with batterys in this car for quite some time now. It always seems to be the positive terminal or the connector.(Which is loose btw)

flyeri · 03-04-2010, 03:32 PM

If the connector is loose you could have some arcing at the terminal wich generates more heat. It sounds like you need a new battery at this time. Since this is an ongoing problem, go to Advance or Autozone etc, and have them check your charging system. You may find the voltage from the alternator is too high, maybe caused by a bad voltage regulator. I had this on an old Mazda and it kept boiling my battery.

djfunkshun · 03-04-2010, 03:53 PM

Now I am beginning to wonder if this in any way relates to another issue I have been having.
5Sfe stall

hill8570 · 03-04-2010, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djfunkshun

Now I am beginning to wonder if this in any way relates to another issue I have been having.
5Sfe stall

It's a strong possibility. A flakey battery connection really jerks your electrical system around.

#2! · 03-04-2010, 07:02 PM

Could also have more heat damage further down the wire. I would replace it.

73sport · 03-04-2010, 07:19 PM

Lets not forget cool stuff like leaving a wrench on the battery and closing the hood! ZAAAPPPPPPP!!!!!!!

IMO chunks don't just blow out too often (it can happen during starting/cranking) but what is more likely is something made a dead short from ground to +12vDc. With 450 to 600 amps, things burn!

Any disfigured wrenchs, hood kick stand, jumper cables? Maybe a Rayovac all metal flashlight from 1969?

Replace the positive wire a good quality Toyo part. Don't be fooled by stuff with GIANT red insulation covering it. Sometimes the actual cable inside is low strand count, hi numeric value say 6 or 8 gauge while a factory wire is 2 or 4 gauge with very fine copper strands.

73sport · 03-04-2010, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djfunkshun

damp no. extremely hot. humid as well. it cut off on me today as well on my lunch break. it only seems to do it when the car is jostled a bit.

Bingo!

Oh, please do esplain, jostled a bit. . .

Short story: lady kept saying her CD player skipped all the time. I drove her car on an errand, it worked fine.

I watched her park her car one day. She routinley drove it over a 7" curb (both ways). I asked her if it skipped when she pulls in the driveway (at 10mph). She said "yes, nearly every time. How'd did you know?" I just shook my head. . . Hopefully not the same jostle you refer too!

djfunkshun · 03-05-2010, 08:02 AM

Jostled a bit: I live in lower Alabama (not in the country) but the the roads are horrible. Some times bumps (not curbs) may cause it to shut off while driving down the road at 30-45 mph. It does however quickly come right back on. I guess it is sort of like a hiccup; off then on again rather quickly.(1/2 sec maybe)

Today the car shut down on me several time on the way to work this morning. Not the short little hiccups that I am used to. It was full on get out of the car play with the battery. Good thing I always leave early. I will be going to but a new battery when I get off work, possibly some new wiring as well.

#2! · 03-05-2010, 09:28 AM

Constant and sudden opening and closing of the entire electrical circuit under a full load like that is going to kill any battery. New or old. So if your going to the expense of buying a new battery, install new wiring and terminals also.

djfunkshun · 03-10-2010, 08:06 AM

Quick update: replaced battery and both connections. No more problems. Man do oem connections really suck. Cheap and flimsy after being 10+ years old I guess it was time to replace them.