Anyone seen the terminal seperate on a side post battery?

[Jspafford]

My mom called me today, she went to go out to lunch and her car wouldn't start. 2003 Chevy Impala LS.

I drive up there and the electrical is on the fritz, seems like a dead battery. Pull out the jump box and hook it up, it turns over slowly, but keeps stopping mid crank. I think the battery is shot, looks like the original.

Get under the hood, remove the brace and battery hold down, get all the wires out of the way, remove the bolt on the negative terminal, start on the positive and when I go to turn it the whole cable snaps loose with it still screwed into the battery part. The whole round part of the battery where the bolt screws in came off and it was dripping out battery acid!!!

I have never seen that happen before.

I had one hell of a time getting the bolt to come out because I wasn't able to get a good hold on it with anything.

Put a new battery in and it's fine, but has anyone ever saw a side post rot completely out?

 

[krugford]

Yep, I used to work for an Interstate Battery store. It didn't happen often, but everytime it did was a memorable occasion. I don't know about the Impala, but the Grand Prix's (among other cars) required you to tip the battery sideways to get it out/in. Nothing better than dumping battery acid all over the floor, engine compartment, etc. God I hate side post batteries, worst invention ever.

 

[Jspafford]

Yep. Sure enough I had to wiggle like hell to get it out past the radiator neck and the computer. I was able to tilt it back towards me though so none spilled. It was already all over the battery tray though.

What causes it? Old age?

 

[canyoncritter]

heat.from amp draw.....check over the battery cable to be in good condtion.

I use to see this alot when I worked in a shop. mostly from all the "homie" cars with the big thumpin stereos and cheap installs

 

[COPPERHEAD85]

iam manager of a battery store and i see this alot..mainly on ac delco batterys.i had 3 out of 4 break in one day...........major pain in the a$$!

 

[Jspafford]

Haha, Yep. It was an AC Delco. Says right on the top. I put in an interstate MT-75 in place of it. Hope it fares better. Of course the battery was 4 years old with 151K on it.