This "how to" automotive repair guide was specifically written to assist owners of the 2005 Toyota Corolla S in replacing a corroded battery terminal and the car's 12V battery. I am not a professional mechanic. I assume no responsibility for damage to your vehicle, persons, property or pets. If you have any doubts, please consult an ASE certified mechanic. Please proceed with caution at your own risk.

A corroded battery terminal is usually a sign of a battery that is leaking acid.

When our 2005 Toyota Corolla S wouldn't start up one morning, I knew it was finally time to replace the OEM AC Delco brand battery. The average lifespan of a car battery is 3-5 years, so I was fairly happy that it had lasted this long.

I went to Wal-Mart and purchased an EverStart Maxx brand automotive battery, model # MAXX-35S.

I also purchased an EverStart universal battery terminal replacement.

To complete this repair, you'll need the following tools: needle nose pliers, standard pliers, 11mm socket, 12mm socket, and wire or cable cutters, and a wet/dry shop vacuum for cleanup.

The bolts on the wire clamp side of the EverStart replacement battery terminal require an 11mm socket. The other side of the new terminal that tightens over the battery post, requires a 12mm socket.

If possible, try to unbolt the old corroded battery terminal. If that's not possible, cut it off with a pair of cable cutters or needle noise pliers equipped with a cutting edge.

Try to cut the old terminal off with as much original wiring as possible.

The Toyota engineers didn't provide any more wire than necessary to reach the OEM battery post.

The new terminal barely fit on the new EverStart battery since the cable was slightly shortened by cutting off the old terminal.

To prevent any further corrosion from building up, I plan on installing some felt anti-corrosion washers over the battery posts.

Before attaching the terminals to the battery, make sure that both the posts and terminals are free of any corrosion or grease.

A wire brush does a great job of polishing up the surfaces so that they make good contact with each other.

I used a wet/dry vacuum to clean up most of the light blue corrosion dust that littered the engine bay.

The new EverStart battery from Wal-Mart had enough juice to start the car right off the shelf without me having to charge it first.

I left the car running for a few minutes and then drove about 30 minutes to allow the alternator to charge the battery.

If you have a Battery Tender or an automotive battery charger, it would be a good idea to let the new battery trickle charge over night.

For more of my related automotive maintenance instructions, click on the following links: Toyota Corolla PCV Valve Replacement Guide, Toyota Corolla Cabin Air Filter Replacement Guide, Toyota Corolla Oil Change Guide, Buffing Old Faded Headlights, K&N Air Filter Cleaning Guide, Fuzion ZRi Tire Review, Automotive Interior Carpet Replacement, Falken Ziex ZE-512 Tire Review, WeatherTech FloorLiner Car Mats Review, and the Headlight & Tail Light Condensation Removal Guide.