Excessive White Particle Dust in Cabin. What is it?

I'm not sure what it is, but I'd recommend not trying to cross the border into Mexico or Canada until you get it cleaned up.

It's not "Scarface" Blizzard Pearl is it?

 

Anthrax! Call the Postal Service immediately!
.
_H*

 

Have you taken out the cabin air filter to check if it is shedding particles. Perhaps leave it out for a few days to see if this could be the cause.

 

The cabin plastic is a dust magnet. Both my 04 and 09 had/have the problem. It's the same in any car, it just seems more attracted to the plastic dash in the Prius.

 

Geez, one would *hope* that a dealer would be smart enough to start with the cabin air filter, but there are no guarantees...

Since a second car from the same dealer had the same symptom perhaps something in their shop or lot is the source of the material. I'd suggest inspecting and/or changing the cabin air filter yourself, then drive it for a few weeks on recirculate only and see what happens. Carry a Swiffer and sweep up any dust as soon as you see it.

(On 2nd reading this doesn't sound a lot different than my experience living in a big city. If I don't Swiffer it up, after three days of driving there's obvious dust on every dark surface.)

 

Head and shoulders will fix it.

 

In my opinion the white powder is aluminum oxide. It is caused by oxidation of the air conditioner evaporator core. The powder should stop when the weather warms and you use your air conditioner. The issue is unaffected by the cabin air filter.

 

I too have this "white dust" issue with my 2008 Prius. I clean and wipe down the dash and other inside components and in a couple of days it re-appears. I have changed and vacuumed the cabin air filter but that doesn't stop dust. Next time I may change the cabin air filter to the charcoal type and see if that fixes the problem. With our Prius luck lately I'll probably end up with charcoal dust everywhere. LOL!! By-the-way, 22,400+ miles on this 2008 model and none of the issues we have been hearing so much about lately. Love my Prius!!

 

My 2010 Prius is only one month old, and we are plagued with this same problem. Some of you are laughing, but when you consider these particles are in the air that you breath while driving ....... it's not so funny. This is not common dust, it is something else. I hope someone finds the answer.

Ed

 

Aluminum oxide won't "come off" the evaporator core. Unless something is rubbing it off. It's usually black anyway, though it's true, pure AlO is white. As the new loaner (2010) was also giving you the same dust, I suspect it's in the environment, or perhaps in the shop of the dealership (some kind of cleaning material).

Try leaving a dark plastic outside to see if any accumulated on it. That would indicate it's in the air.

 

Did you lend your car to Charlie Sheen?

 

Are there any oddball circumstances? Mice nesting in the car, you live downwind from a cement factory...? Otherwise, dust appearing after a couple of days is a fact of life. It's in your old car also, it's just more obvious on the dark plastic Prius dash. Run the cabin fan a lot, vacuum or change the cabin air filter as needed, and use a Swiffer duster every time you notice the dust.

 

Do you or neighbours use wood burners, I live out in countryside and everyone uses them and most cars with dark inside panels suffer this problem from the fine ash.

 

could it be the cauliflower or potato part of the veggie interior?

 

.... none of the above! Thanks anyway!

Ed