2015 RX 350. Dealer saying battery terminals corroded. The quote is $49.20 for labor and $46.39 for parts, plus tax.
Checking on youtube it seems to be a fairly easy job, for quoted $100.
Did I miss something? Anything I need to pay attention to if I do it myself?

thanks.

 

Simple job. I have to do it periodically on my 1999 Ram. There are inexpensive battery terminal burnishing tools available at any big box auto parts store (NAPA, Advance Auto Parts, Autozone, Pep Boys, etc.) that make this job easy. You remove the battery cables, slip the tool over the top of the terminal, then twist it back and forth a few times. Your terminal comes out shiny and new-looking. You then use the associated small wire brush to clean up the cable ends. Reinstall your cables, snug everything up, and you are good to go. Some folks apply a dressing such as petroleum jelly on both terminals afterwards (I did that many years ago but did not like the mess it eventually made on top of the battery). Don't pay someone $100 for this easy-to-do job that you can repeat as needed once you have the burnishing tool.

 

I was forced to do this on my RX a few weeks ago because the positive cable end had corroded so much it fell apart. While it's not a difficult job I think $49 labor is very reasonable if they need replaced. However, I bought a set of terminal ends for around $10. Because of the way they connect you'll probably end up getting a pair of marine battery cable ends and I found that the package that has two in them are two different sizes and one will not fit. Also, if I remember correctly, the battery terminal ends also are different sizes but do not match the two different sized in the paired package. If the corrosion is slight then what RX in NC said is certainly true, by the $4 brush and just clean them up.

 

For that much money I suspect they are also replacing the cable ends.

 

There are better/correct product, but I reach for regular grease and apply a thin coating on the exposed [not where the terminal make electrical contact]. Never had corrosion issue.

Salim.

 

assuming the cable end is not too far gone. Get a glass of water add a heaping tablespoon of baking soda, mix, but the cable end in the mix. it will bubble and the water will turn blue. when the bubbling stops rinse thoroughly.

 

Cola will clean the gunk or baking soda water, after clean and dry I like to use a felt washer and the red spray protector.

 

Pictures will help us help you.

 

$1 terminal protectors from wal-mart also help. I put grease on top and let the heat melt it into the spaces between the terminals after cleaning.