Since my battery connection is loose lately even I tighten them up all the time (and gives me starting problem), I"m planning to change the battery terminals. which one should I get? the stock ones from dealer or aftermarket style. If I change with the aftermarket ones, do I need to change the cables as well? right now my cable end has the metal thing which attaches to the terminal. I'm worried that they dont fit on the aftermarket terminal. has anybody changed them before? any suggestion?
Thanks!

 

Whatever you do (and I suggest new OEM cables), don't use anytinig that doesn't have the post clamp made/molded/permanently attached to the cable. Those clamp-on types are ugly and corrosion magnets. You'll be sorry in a year or two if you go that route.

George

 

I recently changed the positive terminal end on my GS. The original end was damaged by an overzealous battery technician at Sears who installed the battery before I purchased the vehicle. The original Toyota positive terminal end has black plastic moulding around the terminal to resist corrosion.

Well Sears was so intent on selling the "no contact pads, (or rings around the posts as part of the service), the mechanic failed to notice that the positive terminal already had a contact around it. He put their ring over the post and then the terminal over that. The terminal then did not fully seat over the post because it sat too high. He continued to tighten the terminal around the remaining post until he ruined the end. It was barely making contact, but the technician did not care. It was tight enough to start. Then he placed the red cover over the post and the job was done.I did not discover it until after I bought the car, and it would not start one morning. The terminal finally worked loose enough not to make contact. I put it together good enough to get to work and planned to fix it during lunch break.

A quick call to Lexus shocked me, because they wanted $30.00 for the terminal end. They refused to give me their part number. I made a quick call to Toyota asking about a cable end for an Avalon, which carries the same part. They confirmed that their price was $17.00, (which was still too high in my opinion.) They were willing to give out the part number.

I finally went to Pep Boys, and found a suitable substitute, complete with the mounting stud and wing nut for the battery cable to connect to. Their cost was $3.95 with tax!! Quite a bargain.

Just my $.02

GSEREP1