Things You'll Need:
- Adjustable crescent wrench
- Terminal brush
- Wire stripper
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Step 1
Disconnect the battery. Start by uncovering the terminals, provided the car has terminal covers. Determine which style terminal the car has. Starting with the positive (red) wire on a top post battery, loosen the nut, using an adjustable crescent wrench, until you can turn the terminal. Once you can turn the terminal, pull it off. On a side post battery, simply unscrew the bolt and the terminal will come right off. Now move on to the negative (black) wire and repeat. Keep all wires away from the battery during the terminal replacement.
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Step 2
Before replacing the terminals, use a terminal brush to clean the battery posts. Cleaning the posts thoroughly until there are no signs of corrosion will make a fresh connection for the new terminals.
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Step 3
Remove the old terminals. Unbolt or cut off the old terminals. Check both wires. If you find corrosion, use a wire stripper to strip the wires, leaving about 3/4 of an inch of wire exposed.
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Step 4
Tighten the new terminal bolts with your adjustable crescent wrench until the wire is securely in place. Be sure you have the red wire associated with the positive terminal and the black associated with the negative terminal.
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Step 5
Starting with the negative (black) wire, connect the terminal to the battery. Tighten the bolt, using your adjustable crescent wrench and being sure not to overtighten it. Now connect the positive (red) wire to the battery in a swift motion to avoid creating sparks. Tighten the bolt, again being careful not to overtighten. As a preventative measure, spray the terminals with an anti-corrosive to prevent any future issues.
