What is this smell, and how to get rid of it !!!! PLZ Assist..ty

Did you find the source like a leak or dead animal? I had to take out my carpet and clean it and the insulation underneath after the AC drain line leaked. There is a plastic liner on the underside of the carpet which acted as a vapor barrier and did not let the water evap underneath leading to moldy odor. Only way to get rid of it was to take the carpet out, clean, and then disinfect. I think that using a a. O3 or other gaseous disinfecting generator may help it won't get al km that deep. New replacement carpet is also an option. Taking the carpet out is not that hard...remove seats and center console cover. Now I have a hose clamp on the AC drain line connection below the dash to keep this from disconnecting again.

SM-G960U ?

 

Maybe everybody should look into this. Or were you doing some under-the-dash work, knocked it loose??

 

long legs/sticking feet up to the left of the front passenger side will cause this drain tube to come apart at the connection under the dash

SM-G960U ?

 

50/50 mix of white vinegar and water does a great job, or you can use "totally awesome".
You can get it at "dollar tree" for a dollar a quart. Again, a 50/50 mix is good.
It has a strong smell, so make sure the door are open!

 

Whatever cleaner you use, a good wet/dry vacuum will be good for pulling the fluids out. Wash cycle followed by a couple of rinse cycles?

If it was a sunny summer day that'd help with the drying, maybe kill some germs too. Hair dryer or heat gun, and maybe a leaf blower (or the wet/dry on blow) will accelerate the drying.

You want to really wipe dry the bodywork under the carpet too.

 

Heat gun? Leaf blower? I think he wants to use the rug!

 

Unbelievers...

 

The longer you leave it, the worse it will get.....
Throw some banana peals in the car for a day. They help to absorb the odor....

 

Hoping to find out from the original poster, did you ever figure out the source of the smell??

we are having the same issue - thought it was Panera leftovers that kid #1 left in the car - but those are long gone and it’s still an issue. Car has been detailed and all the floors were shampooed. Mats (rubber all weather scrubbed). Changed the cabin air filter in case the smell was lingering in that.

It’s not as bad but the Smell is there when you open the doors, and goes away when driving - doesn’t seem to be coming from the a/c line being clogged (though that’s a problem we are familiar with).

just curious if you found a solution as your description is spot on to our issues.

 

I haven't had this problem with either of my prii, but i have with other cars.
1. Confirm ac tube has an unrestricted flow.
2. Confirm all door weep holes are clear.
3. Confirm the gutter drains are clear.
A. Crease between tail light and body when rear hatch is open.
B. I never looked how the A and B pillars drain.
4. Confirm the wiper area drains flow.

If you park outside there is good chance you have leaf plugging up one of them.
Happy hunting!

 

Recommendations for avoiding a return of the smell:

1. Reduce your overall use of AC. Nice days but not sweltering, just roll the windows down as needed.

2. When using AC, try to shut it down, but leave fan running (may need to set fan speed to avoid it racing), at least a mile before your destination. This'll give the water beads that have collected on the AC "evaporator" (the AC radiator inside the dash) a chance to evaporate. It's this residual water that breads mold, causes the smell.