Do I need special tools to change my car battery?

I need to replace the battery on my Toyota Corolla. I can't seem to do it with an ordinary wrench or pliers -- the nuts are too tight. Do I need a special tool? All the online guides I've seen skip over this problem -- they just say to loosen the nuts, as if it should be easy.Do I need special tools to change my car battery?you just need a metric wrench that will fit the bolt.
Do I need special tools to change my car battery?
pliers or a monkey wrench
Do I need special tools to change my car battery?
Sound like you need a pair of Grip pliers or try an adjustable wrench. They should add traction to your screws as you remove them.
G'Day Jon,

From memory they are 12mm nuts, if you can't get them loose a small set of bolt cutters will cut through the hold-down, this will allow you to replace the battery. If the nuts are that corroded and will not move they, and the hold-down will have to be replaced anyway, any generic type should fit, just make sure you do secure the new battery. I have had one tip over and short out, it burnt the whole wiring loom which had to be replaced.

Any battery residue should be removed with a few tea spoons of sodium bi-carbonate mixed in water and poured over the powdery residue, this will neutralise the acid, then rinse well with water. If you just rinse it off it will become acidic again and very corrosive.
I have a '94 Corolla, and it's pretty basic. I just use the box end of the correct size wrench. The nuts won't come all the way off...just enough to slide the cable off the post. If they're REALLY corroded, you might try pouring some cola on them to eat at the corrosion.