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I have a 2001 Ford Windstar. When I went to clean the battery terminals: the one with the RED cover over it was a bright blue color; the other had normal white corrosion. I do not know why the this corrosion problem would show different colors.

BTW, my car is not running at the moment, which prompted me to check battery, clean terminals, and make sure the problem is not the battery. At this point we are thinking it is the fuel pump, even though I put in a new fuel pump in March of 2011. If I would ask you to help me with this problem, is there a charge, or "how does this work?"

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    As far as how Stack Exchange works, there is ABSOLUTELY no charge. We do it to better the internet and help people out. I've written a bunch of answers and have never been paid a dime. If you find answers supportive of your needs, then up-vote them. If you think it answers your question, click the checkmark. If you think they stink down-vote and leave comment. As for your non-starting issue, get the battery cleaned up and recharged and see if it solves your non-starting issue. If it doesn't, come back and ask a new question about it. Still, no charge ;-)
    – Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2 ♦
    Oct 6, 2015 at 15:39
  • Great suggestions, @Sidney!
    – Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2 ♦
    Oct 6, 2015 at 20:35
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    THANKS FOR THE "WELCOME TO SE STACK EXCHANGE...I wanted to let you know the outcome of my problem..I do,however, thank everyone for the input..as it turned out the main thing was not the battery...it was my fuel pump, even though it had been replaced in 2011. After contacting the original mechanic, I found that the fuel pump had a warranty, and, only have to pay labor charge. Hooray! I am still thankful for your help, because now I will be more watchful for any corrosion on the battery...Have a great day! Sharon
    – Sharon Maxon
    Oct 8, 2015 at 16:38

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tl dr: Corrosion (once cleaned) is not a huge issue.

It is just typical corrosion on the battery terminal. See this image:

enter image description here

(NOTE: This is a 6V battery, but the same principles apply.)

The blueish color you see is hydrated copper sulfate. When acid vapors escape from the battery, it can cause a reaction with any copper which may be in the terminal. The other side is white(ish) because it is lead sulfate. I believe the reason why it happens the way it does is due to how the electrons flow through the battery, which can cause one or the other metal to react more.

If you want to find out more, see this blog post.

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    Wow... I don't normally congratulate someone on an excellent answer, but you answer is fantastically useful!
    – End Anti-Semitic Hate
    Oct 6, 2015 at 19:58

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