To any device, vehicle, or tool, the battery is at heart and is the most important part. You will notice something different from your car the moment something happens with it.
Most of the time, people assume it’s because of a loss of power and then get it charged.
However, it might only be because the terminals are now in loose connection, and all you have to do is to learn how to tighten battery terminals.
The below content will walk you through every aspect of this method and what you need to know before carrying it out.
What Causes Loose Cable Terminals On My Car Battery?
The case happens more regularly than you think because the culprit varies differently. Here we will discuss the two most common causes.
The first one is quite simple. There might be a poor connection because you forgot to tighten them well.
People sometimes get too excited after fixing their vehicles and accidentally forget the small but important tasks.
Remember the last time you took it out or did something with the terminals. Have you tightened them back?
It might be you jump starting it or replacing it. Just ensure that next time you do so, tighten the cable’s nuts properly.
The other reason lies in how you use the vehicle. Nothing will be intact forever if it has to face so much pressure.
The same goes for the cables. If you’re driving off-road too often, the vibrations will loosen the cables.
It will happen regularly if you don’t find any solutions to the vibration. In this case, we advise you to force the component to stay in place and reduce the vibrations it has to bear.
For example, you can get it to sit on a holder and use straps to tighten it in place better.
Not only will this method reduce the chances of having such a problem, but it will also prevent potential damages.
How To Tighten Battery Terminals
This section will teach you how to make battery terminal tighter. Follow this simple process!
Preparations
- Clean Rag
- Work Gloves
- Wire Brush
- Screwdriver
Instructions
Step 1: Locate The Problem
For experienced drivers, this job is a piece of cake, and you might wonder why this step even exists. But trust us, it’s totally necessary for new drivers.
Even for those who have been on the road for some time, finding the location can still be difficult due to the hidden location of specific vehicle models.
If you find out it’s not under your hood, look for it somewhere using the manual. It’s not because the car can run without it but because you know nothing about your car.
Step 2: Examine It
The next step of how to tighten loose battery terminal requires you to look closer at it. See whether your vehicle is using top-post or side-post terminals.
A proper understanding of your cable type will enable you to fix it better and faster.
- Top-post: Your metal posts are located on the right side and top left.
- Side-post: Wires are on the side.
Once you’ve examined this characteristic, you can grasp the socket size to find suitable tools.
Step 3: Clean The Top
The battery has been there for some time with your car on the road, and chances are it is covered in dust.
It will be hard to determine the positive and negative terminals under the dust layer. Therefore, wiping the top clean will give you a visual of that information before doing the job.
Step 4: Pick The Correct Socket Size
The information in step 2 will be useful for this step in this guideline. Now, choose the proper socket size for the terminal type you’ve determined.
Connect it to the ratchet while paying attention, and remember which side each cable is attached to. If they are labeled, the job is easier for you.
Step 5: Scrub The Terminals
The dust may clog up and make the battery terminal not tight enough, resulting in you having to do the job again on a sooner date. This extra resistance can even make the cells not function properly.
That’s why a little scrubbing and cleaning them off will ensure this method’s success. A wire brush should be enough to help clean the cables thoroughly.
Step 6: Fix The Cables Into The Appropriate Cables
Once they are clean after your scrubbing, end the process by attaching the clamps to the respective sides you’ve mesmerized from step 4. When they are in the right place, screw them all in.
Now you might go too far and over-tighten them. Remember that just enough tightening would work perfectly. Overdoing the job will only result in more damage.
How Do You Know If A Battery Cable Is Loose?
The symptoms are quite simple. If your cable is in a faulty connection, likely, the car can’t start after turning off, and electrical problems may arise.
Of course, the above might stem from another malfunction within your car. But testing and examining from the simplest thing wouldn’t hurt, right?
Once you insert the clamp into the cable and can still wiggle it freely, the cables are loose. If that’s the case, the below section on how to tighten battery cables will be useful for you.
How Often Should I Check The Loose Terminals?
The answer to this question varies depending on how you use your vehicle. You will have to tighten the battery terminal more regularly if you’re off-road.
Those terrains will require you to check and tighten battery cables weekly to ensure your baby is in good condition. Doing so will ensure a comfortable, safe trip and prolong its lifespan.
Also, whenever you notice your car starts sometimes and sometimes it doesn’t, it’s the hight time to inspect the battery terminals.
Should I Buy New Battery Terminals?
Yes, you should. But that’s only in case you have carried out everything right, but the cables are still loose. Moreover, if you experience the symptoms too many times, it also means you should replace them.
Why? Because doing the method too frequently is not recommended. The process might not be safe if your tool is stripped.
Some sources on the Internet might teach you hacks for this problem and tell you to pinch some conductive stuff into your clamp. This temporary solution can work but in the very short term.
Soon enough, they will disconnect, and you won’t know when. If that happens while you’re driving, you could get a blown OVP (over-voltage protection) and pay more money.
Our advice is not to be so economical buying this stuff. A cheap solution as an alternative won’t bring about the same effect as the original ones, and you might have to buy more because it doesn’t work out.
Tips On How To Fix Loose Battery Cables
- Always have your cables insulated so you won’t experience any shorting. Also, as time passes, improper insulation might bring about corrosion that prevents your electric charge. The flow of electricity to your car will be discontinued. If you haven’t found time to have them insulated yet, try using electrical tape to cover them.
- Be extremely careful while working with electrical parts. During the process above, always keep your metal tools far from you. If they are both in direct contact with the positive and negative terminals simultaneously, that can hurt you and damage your car parts and components.
- Make sure you follow the instructions above and remember all the necessary information, such as the terminals type and the negative and positive cables.
- The shims can be a temporary solution when you need more time until you fix the problem entirely. Nevertheless, ensure they are the same metal and are secured tightly. Not matching the metal will lead you to signs of corrosion.
Conclusion
How to tighten battery terminals is not hard at all. You just need a proper understanding of your car to carry out a suitable solution and not mess with everything.
Refer to our step-by-step guide and tips for a successful DIY task.
After all, remember to pay attention to your vehicle so there won’t be any potential risks and damages to you, your passengers, and your four-wheeled friend.