Dayton Daily News

Q My neighborhood kid has a 1991 Toyota truck with a 4-cylinder engine and a 5-speed manual transmission. Both battery terminals develop corrosion every few days. He has replaced the cables, battery and fuse box. He also installed an extra ground wire. Despite this, corrosion develops within a few days. It's obvious to me that something is not properly connected, or there is reverse polarity. What should he do? B.R., e-mail

A This likely isn't a case of reverse polarity or improper electrical connection. If it were, your neighbor would have many other issues with the truck, such as it not running.

The trouble with corrosion is that once it starts, it's almost impossible to eliminate and prevent. Despite this, he can thoroughly clean the battery terminals and battery posts inside and out with a solution of baking soda and water. Once everything is as dry as a bone, he should use sandpaper or specialized battery cable clamp and post cleaning tool to remove a thin layer of metal from the connections. Then he can clean the terminals again with baking soda and water. He should also clean the exterior of the battery using caution not to get any of the cleaning solution in the cells.

Once everything is dry he should connect the cables to the battery terminals and apply anti-corrosion compound to the exterior of the connections. He can purchase everything he needs from an auto supply store. Also, many Toyota dealer parts departments sell a battery terminal anti-corrosion compound.