News on battery rubber vent smell

I'm thinkin it might be a good idea to just put a wrench on all the bolts in the steering column to make sure nothing is loose. unless the Toyota tech actually did that (and it sounds like your dealer sucks, and he didn't), that is the next logical move. like the one guy that said they over-tightened a pinch bolt a bit and the noise stopped. don't go gorilla and break the bolts, but they all need to be tight

 

Well, before you do that I suggest you open the traction battery case and confirm that is the source of the smell.

The 2G spec is the same, the car must be IG-ON, wheels pointing straight ahead. The manual suggests that if the spec is exceeded then either the sliding yoke subassembly (which is like a universal joint) or the steering gear itself is at fault.

!!

 

Hi Folks,

Off the topic but have to ask. I see this picture View attachment 80675 of the trunk floor and it looks exactly like that in my '08. I thought mine was damaged and I'm looking at some kind of tape and water drains but this picture suddenly implies it is standard on all prii? What are these things?

Back on topic, I report that my '08 has same smell that may have appeared after the following events:

1. replacing 12v battery
2. running low/empty of engine oil
3. leaving car for 10 days closed up in hot humid weather.
4. running A/C for first time this year.

thanks,
Hank

 

tape is sound deadening, plugs are to drain water i suppose.

perhaps running low on oil put stress on the battery, and leaving it locked up in the hot humid weather exacerbated the smell.

but the a/c can get smelly as well, and might need a cleaning. dealer has a special treatment, or you can pick it up at a parts store. i like the charcoal cabin filter, sprinkled with baking soda.

 

Hope you used the proper 12v battery when replaced

 

In Europa, its the same Problem with smell from HV Batterie-Tubes on Gen2 Prius.
This is a work with Silicone-Tube:

With the original Ends.... and small drilled Hole for switching...the Modules...

The smell ( Horse or Cow Piss) is 100% from the original black Tubes , in this pic the upper Tube....

 

Yes, Optima, direct replacement, vented.

Did also find mouse nesting material in the AC filter today, but it does not smell at all.

No smell it seems coming from the passenger seat vent while moving.

Smell is better, but not completely gone after interior cleaning (not including upholstery), and airing out for a day.

I'm wondering if replacing the battery and/or removing the duct released some fumes/gas.

 

mice.

 

Battery Driven - did you end up replacing the vent hoses? If so, what was the result?

 

I have replaced them and the smell is gone. A few days with the windows open during day time on the drive way and all was good after two years of Toyota refusing to take care of it unless I pay for parts and labor.
Those tubes are not part of the Hybrid battery and therefore not covered by the hybrid warranty.
I therefore conclude I also do not lose the Hybrid warranty swapping the pipes myself.
A few more folks have now done so. Once you small again on the pipes after your car is free of the smell, you seriously ask yourself how you managed to use the car before at all.
My truck this summer. 4h of work all in.

 

Maybe Toyo says they're not part of the battery? They sure seem like part of the battery: integral vent system, inside the case. Shame on them on putting their heads in the sand, they're doing a "Honda" on this issue.

 

Toyota does this even with the Prius transaxle. The warranty only covers a specific failure, has to produce the certain DTC code. If it's not that failure, then it's not covered.

So in the battery, they only cover the battery if it triggers p0a80 and nothing else.

 

Well just bought me a Prius 2005 last week, it´s a great car but….. A strange smell was starting to get to me. Some of the friend´s took a drive with the Prius, came back and told me the car was stinking horse….

I just could not get it, but my nose soon found its way to the rear vent for the battery and YES it seems like the motherload of stink.

Glad I found this thread to set things straight with the smell, unfortunately there is no easy way to fix this. But the smell is big and musty so I have to do something.

/J

 

if you dealer refuses to swap them, best for silicone hoses, DIY,. Takes 3-4h and is not that hard. It will take a while for the smell to completely disappear. Best to vent a couple of nights (and days) with all windows open, e.g. in your garage.


iPad ?

 

Maybe if enough owners raise a stink?

 

well done. hopefully, it's just residual and will clear with time. all the best!

 

Just wait. I gets less and less over time. The more often you can park the car with the windows open, e.g. in your garage over night, the faster it disappears. My last nest was the middle console storage space. A few nights with the compartment open and any paper discarded, it also stopped.
If you kept the smelly tubes, have a sniff in a view weeks. You won't believe you had that stuff in your car before. It is soon recognisable.