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My PIP cargo space smells after charge

Discussion in 'Gen 1 Prius Plug-in 2012-2015' started by Dark_Prius, Aug 28, 2012.

  1. Dark_Prius

    Dark_Prius Member

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    I notice my cargo space smells something funny after charge. I figured it is coming from the cooling fan blowing out from the vent.

    Does any of you experience this?

    LT26i ? 2
     
  2. Tracksyde

    Tracksyde Member

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    When you say smells "funny", what do you mean? Like burnt electronics? Stale air? Road kill? Please elaborate.
     
  3. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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    No, I do not smell anything from mine.
     
  4. mrbigh

    mrbigh Prius Absolutum Dominium

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    A death rodent maybe ?:rolleyes:
    I do not have any foul odors aider.
     
  5. chesleyn

    chesleyn Active Member

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    Mine smells like chicken crap. Wait it's from all the top soil I've been carting for my new front garden of succulents.


    iPhone ?
     
  6. bielinsk

    bielinsk Gremlin

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    Dog hair, because you know, of the dog hair.
     
  7. Dark_Prius

    Dark_Prius Member

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    More like burnt electric, like the battery.

    LT26i ? 2
     
  8. chesleyn

    chesleyn Active Member

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    Not good.. time for service.
     
  9. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    no smell at all. take it to the service man for a whiff.
     
  10. stu lb

    stu lb Junior Member

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    I haven't had this problem, but I suggest that you have the dealer check your car asap.
     
  11. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    Battery smells suck... The dealer will not offer you any assistance if you bring it in. I mean if you have visible battery damage and you could smell it that'd be one thing, but that's not likely the case in a 2010... And some people get the Prius smell more than others so it's not a significant problem across all vehicles so Toyota doesn't take it seriously...

    My Gen2 vents a nasty smell out the battery cooling air intake intermittently when the car is parked and the cabin temp is just right. A friend recently got in my car recently and said: "How come Prius' have that smell?"

    Here's a link to the guy that located the source of it: Prius battery exploration

    It has to do with something going on in with the material in the vent tubes and not the actual battery acid and as far as he and others can tell it's not serious. It'd be cool to find aftermarket vent tubes that don't stink!

    In the meantime I'm gonna install a carbon-HEPA filter over the air intake for the battery and not only will it likely eliminate much of that smell, but it'll keep the battery vent system from breaking down due to too much lint in the system.

    Of course your car has a different venting system so I'm not sure if you can do a similar fix or not?
     
  12. Dana Sion

    Dana Sion New Member

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    Wow, we had a 2009 Prius and never had such a smelly problem. The battery vent fan also hardly ever came on.
     
  13. lensovet

    lensovet former BP Brigade 207

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    well the PiP fan runs as long as you're charging.
     
  14. mrbigh

    mrbigh Prius Absolutum Dominium

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  15. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    never smelt anything in any of my 3 pri.
     
  16. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    smell is a funny thing the nose can pick up trace of chemicals.
    But I would definitely get a second opinion from someone with electrical or chemistry lab experience.
    Dang it I can't make it to CA but if anyone has a VA PiP I can take a whiff.
     
  17. chesleyn

    chesleyn Active Member

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    Okay, on the note of funny smells coming from the back of the car. I do have a client who lives in Beverly Hills at the top of Mulholland Dr. The climb to her house is about 1000 feet in a timeframe of 2 minutes. It is extremely steep and the car can barely hold 30 mph during the climb. I pull over to the right so the Porsche and BMWs can fly past me at 60.

    When I reached her home, the car definitely smelled of chemicals.
     
  18. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    doesn't seem like a good thing, especially since everything gets vented outside. but who knows? could be completely normal when using battery to the max. you can do that without the ice coming on? i wonder if there is any overheating protection?
     
  19. ny_rob

    ny_rob Senior Member

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    It's not the climb up Mulholland Dr. that you should be concerned with... it's the way down Mulholland Falls that should worry you ;)
     
  20. usbseawolf2000

    usbseawolf2000 HSD PhD

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    Mine smells like Lithium rather than NiMh. :LOL:
     
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