Welcome to the forum. Good find on the part. We do expect pictures and a write-up on the installation

 

Thanks! Can do... I've done a lot of reading on this forum and learned a ton about this motor, so the least I can do is share what I've learned to hopefully save others a few bucks and some time.

I see you're from Colorado Springs... My truck was transferred to OR from CO so I could buy it, and my best friend lives in Boulder. I love it there, every time I visit I consider moving there!

 

I moved here from Tacoma, WA thanks to Uncle Sam and am still grateful.

 

Welcome to the forum. And a wonderful first post to boot.

 

Or you can buy a cable terminal at the local auto parts for under 5 bucks.
Unless your concerned and like the cheap ass metal clamp FORD uses.


I Live For Myself and I Answer to No One.

 

Or you can buy a cable terminal at the local auto parts for under 5 bucks.

Yep, that is A solution... But in my opinion not the best one. The most readily available style of generic terminal doesn't really leave enough room for the cables and the 'circuit breaker' or fusible link assy that bolts onto the factory battery clamp.

I know there are lots of kinds of battery terminals/clamps that may work around this small limitation but not all are readily available.

Personally, for $9 more I'd rather go with an OEM style that has the proper size studs for the fusible link assy, and it will let me keep the factory wiring paths.

And like you, the generic terminal was my first thought when I found out the wiring harness was $270! But when looking at how everything would attach I just wasn't really thrilled with that solution.

 

Optima Batteries are a no go for me any more. Had 3 of them die in a row. Read some of the more recent reviews..... Check out https://www.remybattery.com/ and search thru the various batteries. Deka is one of the best brands you can get and are brutes. You should, could also also look at a battery in the same group with dual posts....ones with post connections o the side and top. Very nice to have....
This is what I replaced my Red Top Optima with in my 2000 Frontier with a 2400 watt stereo....that was 5 years ago. When i sold the truck the battery was still holding full charge and no signs of wearing out.
http://www.remybattery.com/intimidator-9a78dt-battery.html.

Nice write up...and NEVER trust the silly dealerhip without doing your own research like you did.

 

RE: criming, here's my experience. I used my Dremel with a cut off wheel to cut off the old terminal, then I tried using a hydraulic crimping tool to reattach the new one, but there wasn't enough clearance between the jaws and the actual terminal assembly because of the 90* angle. So I basically just inserted the stripped wire, bent the legs of the crimp connector in as much as I could with a HUGE pair of Channellock pliers to get them started at the right angle.

I then used a steel block resting on the battery tray as an anvil, and a large ball peen hammer and brass drift to 'negotiate' the legs of the connector into place. Once I was happy with the alignment I beat on it a few more times to make sure it wouldn't come loose, then of course yanked on it really hard to make sure it wasn't going anywhere.

I just checked it a few weeks ago and it's holding up very well after several thousand miles and lots of gravel & washboard roads. And no hint of corrosion, thank you AGM battery!

2016BoostedGreyGoose, thanks for sharing your experience with Optima. I've been using them for many years and had excellent luck with them, but since they were bought out by Johnson Controls, I've heard quality has declined. Having said that, I haven't been let down yet by them, and have purchased 3 new and one used since the buyout, including putting one in my Ranger a few years back and it held up very well and I sold it with the battery in perfect condition. So maybe I just got lucky! Hopefully this new Red Top holds up alright and doesn't ever leave me stranded.

 

I just had the same problem with a corroded positive terminal on Sunday so the Ford dealer was not open. As a quick fix, if your negative terminal is OK, just replace the negative terminal with a universal from local parts house and use the parts from the negative terminal to repair your positive terminal. Also there is currently a great sale on AGM batteries at Sears (internet only, not at store) until 11/11/16. I got mine for $126 because I had some special points I didn't even know I had. Otherwise it would be $132 - plus tax.

I'm picking up the OEM terminal this week that was in the previous post. And will install it next weekend. Thanks so much for the part number.

 

Hello To all
Has Anyone replace a whole harness on a 2012 4x4 f150 it looks like i got to drop the front differential

 

I am wondering why crimping would be necessary? On my terminal it looks like the two threaded posts are all that is needed and it would just be a matter of getting that crimping part hanging down either off or bent straight out. Is there something I am missing as to why it would need to be crimped?

EDIT: Never mind. Once getting the terminal loose I see it now. Was hard to see with the red boot on there.

 

This is awesome, great job! I had a similar problem happen on my 2000 ranger positive terminal and I measured the distance from the starter to the battery and had the local auto parts store crimp me a new positive cable. I capped off the old harness positive and ran the new cable next to the harness and hooked it up on both ends. Way cheaper than a whole new harness with the labor of hooking it up everywhere.

I bet an entire harness assembly is what the dealer was quoting you. I'm sure the newer F150 harnesses are complex.

 

This forum and Fastanova just saved me $200+.

After a $200+ quote to replace the positive battery cable on my 2014 F-150 FX4 I threw a fit: only the clamp was corroded, not the whole cable. Research on this site showed that these clamps intended for a Ford Edge would work: THEY WERE RIGHT! Via eBay and sourced from FL they arrived extremely fast (to TX) in original plastic Ford Parts bags: Ford part numbers BT4Z-14450-AA and BT4Z-14450-BA. Clamps were identical to the originals. All the weird cables fit exactly like the originals. I was waiting for something to be wrong but everything was A-OK. The biggest "problem" was hack-sawing the cable from the original clamp as tight to the clamp as I could because there's not alot of slack to play with. I didn't have a crimper so I just used large vice-grips. It looks original... I'm 100% satisfied... and I saved over $200.

Hopefully I'll be able to return the favor. Many many thanks!

 

This is my first post to this forum, I just purchased a used 2013 F150 FX4 w/ the EcoBoost 3.5L, 42k miles, and going through normal inspection and preventative maintenance stuff I found the positive battery terminal is very corroded. Since the original battery is almost 4 years old and obviously leaking near the post, and I love having a maintenance-free sealed AGM battery, I ordered an Optima Red Top battery.

I also wanted to replace the terminal with a new one, or course. Well, if you go to Ford and ask them for just the terminal, they don't have it in their system. Instead they quoted me $269.99 for the whole positive side harness! I did some looking around on Amazon and found that the Ford Edge shares the same terminal, so I grabbed the part number and called the local parts dept. They DO sell that separately... Ford part number is BT4Z-14450-AA, my dealer had it for $13.99.

View attachment 47496

You will have to remove one crimp from your old terminal, and recrimp the cable on the new one, but it can be done if you're careful with a die grinder, and recrimped with a hammer and pliers if you don't have access to the proper crimping tools. I will be replacing later this week once my battery shows up but I thought I'd pass this along since the parts guy at the dealership was clueless.

I'm not sure if they figure that if you can afford a $40-50k truck, you can afford to spend $250+ to replace a corroded terminal, or what, since it's the exact same part on the Edge.

-Aaron

 

I did exactly like you said and it worked like a champ. Had to dremmel the connection to the wire and really crimp the new terminal but this method was spot on! Thanks for the help!

 

Hi, I'm Sarah, been stalking yall for awhile. I have a 2013 fx2 5.0 and I'm having the same issue w the positive terminal. My entire battery exploded n I'm dealing w the clean up now and was gonna replace the cable but just getting it off is ridiculous! I'm in the process of learning my truck bumper to bumper. So bear w me if it seems like I'm asking stupid questions. I just want to learn as much as possible. I read to learn what I can but sometimes I cant find the answer I need. Plus too many know it alls that dont know squat running around on the internet! I do my research before just believing the first post I see. I'm kinda smart in that area. Thank you.

 

I did the same fix as above on a 2010 edge and 3 years later, I'm having a failure of the fix. I went ahead and bought the whole assembly and am tackling it this weekend. not fun.

 

My 2014 corrodes + terminal constantly. Top of battery is always damp w/ electrolyte. I’ve been thru all the battery management sequences multiple times w/ multiple batteries (normal life). Frequently get the prompt of radio disabled due to battery voltage.
Bottom line the battery/ alternator control is a cluster f on these trucks. Way to complex to function correctly.

 

Disconnect the current sensor so it goes back to old school mode. Then replace the flooded battery with an AGM. No more electrolyte, no more corrosion because no more outgassing. This is actually one of the best arguments for going AGM.

 

Except they all don't do it. I would love for it to be discovered at some point just exactly what is the root cause and if it could be addressed and never be an issue again.
I agree that the whole 12Volt management system is complicated because it's sophisticated enough to dodge being understood enough to fix it straight forward.