What to look for
Open the hood and look at where the cables clamp onto the battery posts. White, blue or green crust, a clamp you can twist by hand, or a frayed cable end are all enough to stop a car from starting.
Cleaning them safely
Disconnect the negative cable first and the positive second. Scrub the posts and clamps with a baking soda and water mix and a wire brush, rinse, dry, then reconnect positive first and negative last, tightened so they do not move.
Wear gloves and eye protection; battery corrosion is acidic. If the corrosion comes back quickly, the battery may be leaking or overcharging, and that needs a test.
Need This Fixed?
YBE handles this at the Capitol Heights shop, seven days a week. Read about No-Start Diagnostics, or call and describe what your car is doing.
Further Reading
Background on the parts and systems described above.