Toyotas and battery corrosion

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Feb 27, 2018
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What is it that makes every Toyota have battery corrosion?

Working as a lube tech at a dealership, and working on my dad's 2019 Tacoma at home, working on my aunt's Prius, literally every single Toyota I've ever worked on, the positive terminal always looks like it's made of Miracle-Gro crystals.
 
I wonder if it's more to do with a larger % of people who don't want to work on their vehicles, buying Toyotas, so they don't open the hood, see the issue and clean it off.

I also wonder if the charging system is set up more aggressively so more outgassing.
I know his truck has the tow package so I'm pretty sure it has a larger alternator but I've seen corroded positive terminals on smaller cars like corollas, Camrys etc
 
^ Not just size of alternator but charging algorithm when computer controlled, or voltage set point on older designs that aren't. Just speculation, I really don't know without measurements.
 
At least my Avalon has an easily replaceable and cheap positive battery post connector instead of having the connector attached permanently to the cable. Once corrosion starts it is nearly impossible to completely remove it from the post connector. When I have had corrosion get started I replace the connector and coat it with grease and use the felt washers. That usually stops it. My Nissan Frontier also has the replaceable connector.
 
My observations: AGMs or Deka/Korean Clarios(Delkor) built with the old ACDelco Freedom “sealed” design and Hyundai Songhwa/Hankook Atlas(the current Walmart battery suppliers) will prevent acid puke with Toyotas. I made the mistake of getting a Costco Interstate for the Sienna - I prefer to deal with Walmart as little as possible. The Korean-made Everstart is all sealed. Subarus also puke acid. It’s part of my PM to douse the battery in cleaner, and grease the terminals.

Prii, as well as the other Toyota/Lexus hybrids using a sealed JIS S46B24L(Deka sells one, 9A51P or ask for a Prius 12V at O’Reilly, Clarios provides a Korean-made one for DieHard/Interstate) or a AGM 24R battery have clean terminals.

Toyota is now using DIN-sized batteries with their new TNGA cars as well as the 2016-2022 Lexus RX450h/HiHy and those are mostly sealed AGM too.
 
The battery is old/sulphated. Here's the Lexus battery which is 5 years old (date sticker 5/17). Replaced battery and terminal with same last month.

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New terminal (negative; positive is a bit larger); don't know if this is used across all Toyotas. I don't know what the purpose of the plastic "foot/washer" is, it broke off years ago from the one above. Most likely a victim of over-tightening. Maybe there were cracks around the post/battery case.

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What is it that makes every Toyota have battery corrosion?

Working as a lube tech at a dealership, and working on my dad's 2019 Tacoma at home, working on my aunt's Prius, literally every single Toyota I've ever worked on, the positive terminal always looks like it's made of Miracle-Gro crystals.
true, had it on my rav4, hilux, and Land Cruiser, same goes with the wheels
 
3 Toyotas, 3 Walmart Evermaxx Group 35 Batteries. Never had any kind of corrosion to speak of. Then again, before a new Battery is installed by me, Battery gets a full charge, wire brushed connection points, new NOCO felt Battery protectors and finally, a nice coating of silicone grease.

Over the top, YES! But who here on BITOG isn’t?✋😎🤚
 
This is my 3 year old rav4 positive cable. I have never taken it off. Never heard of this as a problem.

With modern smart chargers its usually not corroding due to charge, but usually due to battery leaking or venting. Mine is a Japanese build and Japanese battery. I wonder if the more local builds get leaky batteries?

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Seen it happen with Ford's too.

It's an underhood maintenance thing with the 2021 Toyota Tundra with the factory Clarios battery to check the terminals. Once in a while go at it with an acid-neutralizing battery cleaner and terminal protector afterwards.
 
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