I've got a 2010 Prius that is getting stains in the cargo area of the trunk. They aren't water stains as I live in the desert and it doesn't rain much and the stains have been getting worse without rain. Can't seem to figure out what the problem is. Any ideas?
Looks like the entry point could be the left side of the trunk, as you can tell the left edge by the hatch is wet. Is that rubber molding sitting correctly on the hatch door?
As far as I can tell it's fine. But where is the liquid coming from. It hasn't rained here in months and it's been a bit since I washed my car as well. There's no recent external source of liquid
I'm curious what you'll find if you look under the hatch cover. Is there a dead body or a spare tire? All that area can be removed and you can see for yourself if there's something there. Wear gloves.....
The dead body was bagged so it wasn't leaking anything No liquid anywhere underneath or around the spare tire area. Only think I've ever found back there is almost a waxy like substance in places.
Animal piss would smell like hell I would imagine. The leaking hatch cleaner line is a possibility but that comes from the front right it's just a separate pump on the front jug so it has to be pumped up so it could only leak a little bit and then that line would be empty until you reprimed it using the rear cleaner again. So I would think maybe not maybe does that trunk mat removable pull it out and do some testing on the stains I mean like you say you don't have any liquid nothing's happening in other words if you open your hatch is that whole ridge around the gasket full of leaves dirt and shit seriously I have to ask I go to cars all the time and lift the hatch up and it looks like it hasn't been opened in years or people are so oblivious to pine straw dirt and shit in that whole track filled level that it looks right looks like it's part of the body almost the dirt's caked in there so good then I run my finger through there and I asked the people what in the hell they all look at me like I'm stupid.
Here's a few more pictures with the cover removed. In one of them I tried to get a picture of the weird orange waxy stuff. Not sure if that's normally there or what might be causing the issue. The track around the gasket is fine. Not pristine but not really dirty, regular dirty I would say. I'm not even sure where to begin to "test" the stains. They haven't really dried up at all. Seems like they just get soiled and then they are stained. I don't know. Appreciate all your thoughts on this!
The picture in your intital post is horrific. Any smell? Rodents getting in, through the vent flaps, one on either side near the back corners, below the hatch floor? Not sure; there'd be more evidence, things gnawed, seeds, bedding material.
No smells. No evidence of any animals and we don't really have that issue in Phoenix to my knowledge. It's not pretty for sure, but the initial picture somehow looks worse than it is
Does it feel dry or sticky or crusty or ___ ? Any chance something in groceries (or whatever) you or someone carried back there leaked?
It really looks like oil, someone transporting food or something that leaked. Orange substance is oil
Hmmm....what color is your windshield washer fluid? If you use my favorite, Rain-X, it is an orange color and doesn't have much smell. I'd really check out that rear windshield washer....maybe lay down some paper back there and run it a few times to see if anything drips.
I didn't notice in any posts if it's still wet? Probably the last time it rained, it leaked, which seems to be a semi common problem with a seal on the battery side first, then the other. And it wasn't dried out. It could be mold. You can take all the carpet out and get some "totally awesome" and wash it all a few times. Then allow it to dry. You can get it at the "Dollar(and a quarter) Tree". Or a 50/50 mix of white vinegar will work. While waiting for it to dry, fold the rear seat down and lay in the back with a flashlight and have someone hold a hose over the whole back hatch along the seals so you can see where it's leaking.
Windshield washer fluid is green, so don't think it's that. I've never spilled anything back there, in fact I rarely have anything back there. It's not wet, it feels a bit oily, that's kind of how it's always felt. Never really dries out, just always kind of feels oily. It started on the driver side there and has just kind of migrated slowly to the other side. It hasn't moved according to rain fall and it's probably been a solid 6 months (at least) since we've had rain and it's gotten worse recently. I think that answers all the questions, but let me know if I missed something
Probably spilled some type of oily substance. Doesn't matter. Clean it, and the metal under it. Then see if it comes back.
I think most people's dollar store windshield washer is blue if you bought the nicer stuff at Walmart you might have bought Rain-X and it could be orange I think Rain-X also has a green for the bug or whatever anyway that is a good call I would be looking at that real hard just to be and then spraying with the water hoses laying the water hose on top of the car and let it run down the slot where the rear hatch closes and leaves the little open you know space and set your garden hose there lay in the trunk and just listen and watch it should be pretty apparent fairly quickly or else have somebody be spraying the back windshield while you're laying back there if that hose has gotten damaged it's just squirting out
