Allergic to my prius?

The allergen can even be something you have been around for your entire life, with no problems until now. Sometimes our bodies just change with age or a trigger.

Tom

 

Me too! I have very bad allergies too but have already taken care of the issues you have highlighted. Don't steam your seats! I bought Wet Okole seat covers in matching colors and have had them over a year now and they are excellent. Best covers ever. Really tough and excellent stain resistance.
That and I keep the back seats down in full hatchback mode and have a sheet over the whole area plus a Priuschat Shop Weatherguard mat. That and full floor mats and there's nothing really that could outgas to bad. Plus as I drive away every time I open the windows and exchange cabin air for a few minutes.
Please be aware of the Prius Air Conditioner mold issue also. Its a problem in areas of the country that use there ac constantly as in Florida where I live. Quite alot of posts concerning that issue on this site. Sniff the air vents real closely and see if they smell musty/moldy and post back and we will give you some advice concerning that issue but I have real bad allergies and have no problem with my 07. When in the car and AC or heat on are you in re-circulate or fresh air intake mode? Check the cabin filter.

You said you moved. Have you cleaned the AC condensate/condenser coil in your new place? The only thing that makes my eyes really irritated is I am extremey allergic to cats. If I go into a house that has cats I can barely see in 20 minutes my eyes ar so red. I wonder if your allergic to cats or dogs and your new place had a cat? That would do it for me.

BTW, steam cleaning the seats wouldn't hurt the traction battery as they are under a big plate behind the rear seat.

 

Let me suggest something simple. As soon as the weather permits, drive with the window(s) down for a few days and see if there is a difference. That "new car" smell may be what you want to get rid of.

Also, take out the air conditioner filter and clean it out. Very simple.

 

Hi Volco...,

The Polyurethane sealant in new cars (same stuff was in my 2000 Saturn SL2) gives off nasty VOCs. My office mate would not even go for a ride in my new car because he is so sensitive to that stuff, and just gotten over it with his 2005 Camry. Run with the windows open, and park in the sun with the windows cracked, if at all possible. This will shorten the period of time the VOC's in that plastic need to cook out.

 

I have a 2006 Prius. I experienced extreme nausea (allergic and/or toxic reaction) for the first two months I had my car. I was on the verge of returning it. What I finally did was spray over two full bottles of Febreze on the seats, carpet and headliner. Doors and dash as well...and don't forget the carpeting in the entire back 'trunk' area. That helped a little bit with the smell but more importantly the chemical action of Febreze is to encapsulate those chemicals that are emitted as the new materials outgas. We finally concluded that one of the major 'offenders' was the carpet and carpet cement that holds it down. The other VERY IMPORTANT thing I did was the following: it was wintertime (Jan.) when I took delivery. I had the car in the garage with all four windows cracked about an inch or so. I placed a 1300 watt electric space heater in the car on the center console and made sure it couldn't / wouldn't tip over. I kept the heater turned on full over night for about two weeks. The film that built up on the windows was amazing and also frightening. But the smell went away, my nausea went away and the car became driveable without nausea or eye irritation (I too had burning, stinging, watering of eyes). I still have the car--love it, but would not take delivery of another one without doing the exact same thing, i.e. I would keep the current one with a two to three week overlap so I could degas/outgas the interior materials.

I do NOT think that simply covering the seats or keeping back seats folded down would eliminate your problem. One good thing about the Prius is that there is excellent air circ. inside (traction battery need). I would try this outgassing...it's worked as I described it for several owners now. Good luck.

 

If you search around PriusChat, the issue of stinky A/C comes up fairly often. Those of us who were able to "borrow" very expensive fiber optic inspection scopes from a client have even managed to drill a couple of holes into the HVAC case, and hose down the e-coil with various EPA approved chemicals

Seems once you have a mold, fungus, or bacteria growing in the e-coil, it can be hard to erradicate. I had to treat my Prius twice, and my FJ once already, due to smell. I don't seem to have allergies, but don't like stinky stuff

I used NuCalgon BioFresh and NuCalgon EvapFresh. The BioFresh is a lot stronger, it gives off a chlorine odor for quite awhile, but it does work very well

 

Oh you have new carpet in your pad too? New house carpet is really really bad for me.

15 years ago I did Home Theater installs on the side. We pre-wired new homes for sound & video and cctv. I was there at punch out with new carpet in every house. Huge house's with miles of new carpet. When I'd get home after a long install I'd look in the mirror and my face looked like I got a sunburn from the carpet chemicals. And the sore throat and eye burn too. I'd drive away from the house after the install and I'd be almost stoned. Horrible. Can't do it anymore. Some people are really allergic to VOC's. New carpet's the worst. Formaldehyde. No carpet in my house...just hardwood.

Time for you to get an allergen test.

 

I refuse to allow carpet in my house. I made an exception for the stairs to the basement, so nobody would slip and tumble down.

I'm not allergic to carpet, but whenever I've pulled up old carpet in other houses I used to own, it was nasty what was crawling around in the pad. Ugh

 

Yea, that film is crazy! Its like driving in the wintertime with frosted windows its so bad! Your going to need some of this stuff to clean it off, once you get those glues and sealants outgas:

Invisible Glass | Miracle Cleaning Products | Glass Cleaner

It wont come off with ordinary glass cleaner!

 

we just picked up our prius 3 weeks ago and the interior is bothering my wife as well. likely this is an indication of offgasing (VOC's, formaldehyde etc) mentioned by some and the other chemicals that make cause some to have environmental sensitivities. my understanding is that honda is way more advanced than toyota in terms of the internal health of the occupants.

 

My condolences.

I hope it will go away after you change the cabin filter.

 

unfortunately it will disappear only after the products on the inside of the car finish offgasing. the cabin filter is largely insignificant on this issue. i actually believe the filter is largely optics. i just hope toyota leads the charge in terms indoor air quality for cards...

 

I, too, have had similar problems with the air quality in my Prius. For the first several months, I had problems with sore eyes and coughing after spending time in the Prius. I drive it less (we have three cars in the family to share) and my problems have cleared up.

 

Where do your cats go to vomit? It's a law of nature that all cats run for carpeting when they get sick. Lacking that, they sometimes resort to upholstered furniture or a basket of clean laundry.

I seem to recall that one of your cats seldom vomits. It makes me wonder if that one is really a cat. Are you sure it's not a large rat or a small fox?

Tom