How to Check and Refill the Battery Electrolyte in a Toyota Corolla

The Toyota Corolla is a compact car named the best selling name plate in the history of automotives. It's a great fuel-efficient, reliable and dependable car that will go beyond 100,000 miles if you take care of it properly. Learn how to do simple maintenance to your Toyota Corolla, including checking and refilling the battery electrolyte fluid once a month.

Instructions

1

Park your Toyota Corolla, turn the engine off and open the hood. Make sure your car is parked in a safe place on level ground.

2

Find out if your Toyota Corolla has a sealed, maintenance-free battery or a traditional cell battery. If you have a traditional battery, remove the six cell caps. Look at the fluid levels in each one. There is an indicator line on the outside of each cell. If fluid levels are low fill with distilled water. Don't fill with regular water as there are chemicals that can ruin your battery. Be careful to not overfill with the distilled water.

3

Check fluid levels on a maintenance free battery using the battery's built in hydrometer. The hydrometer has a clear plastic ball with one of three colors. A green eye indicates a full charged and adequate fluid battery. A yellow eye indicates that the battery is low on electrolyte fluid and the battery needs to be thrown away and replaced. A dark eye indicates that the battery is getting charge but needs additional fluid.

4

Replace the cell caps on the traditional battery. Make sure the caps are on tight.