1999 Toyota Solara Owners Manual - Page 223

SOLARA_U -Checking battery exterior Terminals Ground cable -Checking battery fluid NOTICE z Be sure the engine and all accessories are off before performing maintenance. z When checking the battery, remove the ground cable from the negative terminal ("- " mark) first and reinstall it last. z Be careful not to cause a short circuit with tools. z Take care no solution gets into the battery when washing it. CHECKING BY THE HYDROMETER Check the battery hydrometer color. Hydrometer color Type A GREEN Type B BLUE condition by the Type A Green Dark Clear or yellow light Type B Blue White Red Hold- down clamp Check the battery for corroded or loose terminal connections, cracks, or loose hold- down clamp. a. If the battery is corroded, wash it off with a solution of warm water and baking soda. Coat the outside of the terminals with grease to prevent further corrosion. b. If the terminal connections are loose, tighten their clamp nuts-but do not overtighten. c. Tighten the hold- down clamp only enough to keep the battery firmly in place. Overtightening may damage the battery case. Condition Good Charging necessary. Have battery checked by your Toyota dealer. Have battery checked by your Toyota dealer. DARK WHITE CLEAR or LIGHT YELLOW RED 223