battery cables are loose
Asked by denny Feb 28, 2022 at 04:23 PM about the 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix Base
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
what is the best way to tighten those silly batttery cables,the negitive one is
loose and after wrapping it with tinfoil i finally got it snug,this might have been
my proplem all along,with car missing, cruise cutting out, and i had it at a GM
dealership,they never checked the battery cables,service manager is going to
get an ear full from wife,its her car
10 Answers
You can buy replacement bolts for the battery cable ends at your local auto parts store. Remove the bolts from the battery cable ends and put the new bolts in the cable ends. Put Vaseline on the cable ends and attach them to the battery. Hope that helps! Jim
i wish, but the cable ends are wierd on the pontiac ,i cant even put normal ends on it,not enuf slack,so i had to oreder new one ,but Thanks
They should be side mounted battery cables. GM has been using them since the early '70s. If someone has cut the original ends off the cables and replaced them with something else, then replacing the cable assemblies are indeed your best bet. Before you bolt the new cables on to the battery put some Vaseline on the cable ends. They'll never corrode again. Also remember to attach the positive cable first, then the negative cable second. Hope that helps! Jim
js08016 yes my silverado and vette have normal gm side mounts for the battery but wifeys pontaic dont here is a pic
I see, thanks for the picture!! Looks like the battery and the cables need to be replaced. Don't forget to put some Vaseline on the new battery posts and cable ends so they don't corrode like that in the future!! Jim
Hi Jim, yes i cleaned them up and put vaselineon the connections,seems to have solved my problem,tested bsttery its still good thanks
Awesome! Thanks for letting us know!! With the Vaseline on there those battery cables will never corrode again. Jim
Do NOT put vaseline on the cable ends. It can get between the battery post and the cable end and the stuff does NOT conduct electricity. Clean and tighten the cables and use a battery post protectant spray on them. Another option is using an AGM battery which will eliminate the corrosion. I used to use vaseline or grease in the old days and have learned it is really not a good idea. It is unlikely to cause a problem, but it can.
Not true, Bob. I've been using Vaseline on my battery cables for 30+ years and never had a problem. Jim
True Jim, keep doing what you are doing, but it is a fact.