Mold Smell...2012

Mine showed up at 5k miles. Seems to be a Toyota problem. Camry owners say the same on the Toyota board. Is bring it in, but if they are just going to pump the hvac full of air freshener I'll pass. The mold is probably healthier to breathe in.

 

I changed the cabin filter in the Camry when the smell erupted with a Fram filter with baking soda. It had no effect on the smell.

WiseOwl: Don't give up. Hammer them to make it right. I never had the smell tested but from what others have said, it was indeed mold. Smelled like dirty, wet beach towels but would not be noticeable after a few minutes of A/C use.

 

You didn't address the most common culprit the e-coil. Phonexgreg found the cheapest buy on Amazon the Kool it.
Your car may have sat for a while an the ever present mold really took hold. And yes it will continue you have to flush out the e-coil yearly. I am susceptible to that smell also and once a year it gets cleaned. Really good for the car as it keeps the drip tube clear too.

Buy the Kool It on Amazon and take it too and independent with a lift and have them flush out the e-coil. Try to time it with an oil change they can do the same time to make it worth the trip.
Then take the car to a detail joint and have the front seats professional shampoo'ed. if they still smell bad after that
buy a set of Wet Okole seat covers. They are the best seat covers on the market. I have a set and after 6 years they still look new. They will hide the stench.

Dealer charges $100 for the Kool it service. Dealer kit comes in 2 cans. One is the Kool it cleaner the other is god awful old lady perfume they spray into the front windshield air dam. I omit that stuff.

But in 6 years on this forum your post seems the worst which makes me think about maybe you car did get flooded car like the poster said. I don;'t like that your seeing rust. Look under the spare tire the lowest point of the interior. If its all rusted you probably have mold under the front carpet. That will have a sharp very distinct smell to it.

Or whoever owned it never bathed. Wow. But if I had just bought a used car and thought that for a second it was a swamper I would pull a Carfax asap. Its only $25 and if that's on there you can return the car. They have to disclose that.

Is it a clear title car? What did you pay?

 

I had the same issue, but at least your dealer tried. Mine said, we don't really smell it, but turn off your AC 5mins before you come to a stop. I bought the Kool-It and hope to rectify it myself.

 

I had it about a year. I usually keep it in fresh air mode, but I think the body shop had it running in recirc for awhile as it started smelling after I got it back a couple of months ago. The smell isn't too bad especially now that I'm not running AC, so I think just a maintenance shot will help.

I took a look online and it seems to be a growing problem among other makes as well so I don't think you will necessarily avoid it by leaving Toyota. I would try the $11 solution first.

 

Common problem and I have the same issue some times. Usually going to vent mode and driving a few days with a window cracked or down will fix this. Always park your car in vent mode unless you park under a down spout. A friends car got flooded doing that.

Using the AC all the time on recirculate is not an option IMHO. The dealer will and can clean it for you.

Also you may have a molded carpet issue. Have the dealer make it right.

 

WiseOwl: Have the dealer find a Prius that was garaged in Death Valley. No mold could survive that heat

And good for you in holding the dealership responsible. Enjoy the Camry until they find a car that meets your approval. Sounds like you're really in the drivers seat now.

 

AC using recirculation mode improves MPG by only cooling the inside previously cooled air thus requiring less energy to the compressor that runs off battery system. This manufacturing strategy is among many small ones that all together produce high MPG.
Keep the circulation open after initial cool down and "suffer" that tiny loss in MPG.
Of course this plan is for your replacement Prius.

 

There is one more possibility...I had forgotten this but there are some threads here that discuss rodents that make nests in the outside air intake box. You (or the dealer) would have to remove the plastic trim piece beneath the windshield wiper blades to see inside that area. This could also be the cause of the strange odor. There are some mods on how to make it rodent proof. It's worth checking into if you are convinced the odor emanates from the AC system. That and a professsional evap coil cleaning should get rid of any odors from the system.

 

Was on a Corvette forum last night and the C6 has alot of complaints about odor and has a TSB for the e-coil too. Remedy is an afterflow circuit. Its a mod that when you shut the car off the fan continues to run for a period of time drying out the e-box.
Its the soaking wet e-box from condensation sitting in that dark metal box that forms the mold.

A few cars have this afterflow as stock also. Stinky e-coil is a problem with alot of cars.

The op's post is so intense there may be a stinky driver in the mix too that fouled the seats. But glad she stood her ground and maybe they'll take care of her. To bad it has soured her on Toyota because the Prius is a great little car no matter the Gen.

My wife drives ours primarily and has for 6 years and loves it.