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Need advise=Clothes smell of coal tar and the car has a new car smell again after 2years.

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by NRad, Aug 17, 2010.

  1. NRad

    NRad New Member

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    I have a 2007 Prius with about 64000 miles on it. Recently after 2.5yrs, we have noticed that my husband who drives about an hour + to work each way smells of what can only be called as coal tar ' a crude derivative of crude oil' when he reaches home. This has been going on for about 5 months or so and we only realized recently that it was the car and not his office ( he has a desk job, not in any lab or other sources that can have smells). We have tried running the car with the air vents set to open but the smell remains, though less. Also got it checked with our local dealer but nothing was found. I have also noticed that the car has a new car smell the last 4+ months. I tried searching for similar posts on the forum but couldn't find anyone with a simlar problem on a not new car. I called the toyota help line today and they said they had no answer but as the dealer couldn't smell anything, its not the car. Having read about VOCs and other stuff I am worried that my hubby is driving and breathing carcinogens every day for 2.5 hrs!! Any advise is appreciated. Thanks.
     
    #1 NRad, Aug 17, 2010
  2. Patrick Wong

    Patrick Wong DIY Enthusiast

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    I don't know what coal tar smells like. If the smell can be characterized as a gasoline smell, then look for:

    1. a loose or missing engine oil cap
    2. a loose or missing engine oil dipstick
    3. loose PCV ventilation hoses
    4. damage or holes in the exhaust system

    Regarding the "new car smell", it is possible to purchase aerosol cans that provide this fragrance. Is it possible that someone had sprayed this in the car's interior?

    Good luck.
     
    #2 Patrick Wong, Aug 17, 2010
  3. bedrock8x

    bedrock8x Senior Member

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    Is it likely this is the moldy smell from the A/C system?
    If you turn on the A/C, does the smell goes away?
     
    #3 bedrock8x, Aug 17, 2010
  4. NRad

    NRad New Member

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    Coal tar smells of napthalene & aromatic hydrocarbons. Coal tar is among the by-products when coal is carbonized to make coke or gasified to make coal gas. Coal tars are complex and variable mixtures of phenols, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heterocyclic compounds. In high concentrations it is a carcinogen.I guess you could call it some kind of aromatic hydrocarbon smell. The smell does not go away with the A/C on. I dont know what they checked at the dealer's as they just said that they couldnt find any leak or smell of gas. Toyota has agreed to take it in for another check so will ask them the q's that Patrick has asked. The problem is that the smell is noticeable only on the clothes after a long drive, and not if its after a short while .. probably evaporates off the clothes fast.
     
    #4 NRad, Aug 17, 2010
  5. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

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    His clothes may simply be picking up other vehicle exhaust odors from outside. Try driving for several days with the A/C set to recirculate. Keep watching the "Climate" screen because the sneaky little devil sometimes turns itself to outside air depending on other settings.
     
    #5 richard schumacher, Aug 17, 2010
  6. 2k1Toaster

    2k1Toaster Brand New Prius Batteries

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    Are they repaving any of the roads? That usually stays on my tires for a few hours.

    Also, if you get your oil changed at a quick lube place (like Jiffy Lube or Grease Monkey or Walmart etc...) then they probably spilled oil on your engine in their haste and now it is burning off.
     
    #6 2k1Toaster, Aug 18, 2010
  7. Rae Vynn

    Rae Vynn Artist In Residence

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    When is the last time the cabin air filter was changed?

    What are you using to clean the interior surfaces?
     
    #7 Rae Vynn, Aug 18, 2010
  8. TFT

    TFT Junior Member

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    Is the smell stronger near the hybrid battery vent in the back seat? I have a similar problem in my 2004. Hobbit discovered that the vent tubes inside the hybrid battery pack are off gassing the smell. See here about halfway down the page. If the small is concentrated near the battery vent then this is most likely the culprit.
     
    #8 TFT, Aug 19, 2010
  9. jbjr

    jbjr New Member

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    This is definately the cause of this odor in the Prius's. Toyota Dealers can't seem to smell it but I have some that won't ride in my car because of it. I have removed my tubes (at my own discretion) and the smell is quickly clearing up. I'm trying to get Toyota to replace them under warranty. Regardless of replacement I'm sending out a sample of my tubes to a lab for analysis. They are definately, without a doubt the cause of this odor. I will keep everyone posted on my outcome.
     
    #9 jbjr, Sep 22, 2010
  10. 2009Prius

    2009Prius A Wimpy DIYer

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    Even for a 2009? :eek:
    Yes please keep us informed. This reminds me of the problem of the melting rubber on the hatch handle. Also a bad rubber issue.
     
    #10 2009Prius, Sep 23, 2010
  11. NRad

    NRad New Member

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    An update: So I took the car to the dealer a second time. They said they can't get ANY odour and that the cabin filter was quite fresh/ new and that there is no gas leak. They put in an air freshner through the vent and that was it. Came back home and put my head into my other car and the difference was extremely palpable. Went back again after about 3 weeks and asked them to come smell the car with me. This time the manager came and basically said that the smell that I notice 'may be there' but even if it is plastics offgassing, where do they start looking for it? Suggested deionising the car and now my car smells like bandaid as does my husband when he returns home. The smell in the car is less if driven with AC off and windows down but who can do that all the time. And yes, the smell is more in the back. Haven't decided what to do next. I wonder how much it costs to do the changes suggested by jbjr. I am not a DIYer.
     
    #11 NRad, Sep 23, 2010
  12. 2009Prius

    2009Prius A Wimpy DIYer

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    Here is an idea of an easy remedy. Get a piece of charcoal air filter and tape it over the HV battery vent to see if it helps reduce the odor. Good luck! :)
     
    #12 2009Prius, Sep 23, 2010
  13. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

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    That's the cooling *inlet* to the battery system; the used air exits to the outside. It's not a good idea to restrict the inlet, and since that point is upstream of the possible source of the odor it wouldn't help anyway.
     
    #13 richard schumacher, Sep 25, 2010
  14. 2009Prius

    2009Prius A Wimpy DIYer

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    Good point. But I thought the odor is diffused upstream into the cabin through that inlet, especially if the fan wasn't running. On the other hand if the odor comes out of the outlet and comes up through the trunk floor then yes filtering the inlet does not help.
     
    #14 2009Prius, Sep 25, 2010
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