The corrosion around the terminal is normal but is a sign some of the acid is leaking out. Cleaning it off will help prolong the life and improve the contact to the terminal, but it is a sign it is beginning to fail.
Usually a battery lasts 3-5 years, but a Wal-Mart battery might not be as good. If I were you,I'd at least clean the corrosion off the terminals with a wire brush, but in all honesty I'd replace that battery. It has 150,000 on it, so its had a lot of use.
Bottom line-Replace the battery before it leaves you stranded, especially a no-name Walmart battery. It's 4 years old, and mine usually need to be replaced ever 2-3 years.
Well most new batteries come with a 60 month prorated warranty. They last years depending on the weather etc. The green stuff is just old battery acid corrosion that just needs to be cleaned off with a wire brush. Your car has 260, 000 miles on it? 10,000 mile road trip? Wow. Anyways if you're worried about the battery dying on your trip why not buy a new battery as a spare and leave it in the trunk as a backup. If you don't use it return it after your trip. That makes sense :D Or bite the bullet and spend the $85 for a new one for peace of mind
It depend on brand and also on yourself.
Cheap battery does not last long.
You need to take care of it regularly by taking it out, wash it with water with baking soda, dry up.
Clean both terminals and cables using battery brush (3 bucks) and put some grease on them to avoid corrosion...
My original battery lasted up to 8 years!
corrosion on the terminals can affect a batteries performance they must be cleaned thoroughly to bare metal and greased to prevent the corrosion coming back you see a bad connection to earth will make a battery dead
I bought a used 2006 Corolla in 2010 with 110,000 miles and just 2 months later the car's original battery totally lost all of it's juice while it was just parked (all lights and accessories OFF) while I was at a restaurant for only 1 hour. I took a taxi home where my friend helped me get a new battery at a nearby Wal-mart.
I then put the battery in and the car was good to go. I checked the battery at home and yes, it was as dead as a door knob.
I have since put on another 150,000 miles on the car and I am about to go on a 10,000 mile road trip this summer. I was just wondering if maybe I should put in a new battery or risk going to DEATH VALLEY with my old battery. The old battery has a TON of this greenish stuff around the positive terminal. I just cleaned it off, but still that's weird.
So how long does a car's battery last before it goes bad, and should I get a new battery now, or risk having the car break down in the middle of no-where?
