Urinal smell in 2008 Prius - possibly from A/C ?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by cDxA, Oct 14, 2025 at 9:22 AM.

  1. cDxA

    cDxA New Member

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    Does anyone else have a urinal smell coming from their A/C ?
    I recently took over my parents 2008 Prius.
    I remember around 11 years ago the day they bought it used.
    It had a sweet, putrid 'urinal' scent pack smell to it.
    I thought the used car guys had placed a scent pack in the car, but I can't find it.
    11 years later, and the smell is just as strong as day 1, despite trying all sorts of odor absorbers.

    I thought maybe a cat had got into the car, but the smell would have gone away after 11 years.
    I can't trace the origin of the smell, but I notice that it seems possibly stronger with the A/C on, but this may be the wind blowing the smell into my face from elsewhere.
    My next thought was the cabin air filter, but no. The smell would have gone away in that too after 11 years.

    Any ideas ?
     
  2. VelvetFoot

    VelvetFoot Member

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    I had a stinky car lately. Changed cabin air filter and sprayed some stuff from the parts store made for it while the filter was out and fan running. Worked.
     
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  3. cDxA

    cDxA New Member

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    Thanks !
    I figured this might be the issue, but would the smell be just as potent after 11 years ?
    This is my first full day with the car, so I'll have a look at the filter maybe this evening.
    Edit : I'll look in the manual and online to find the filter location, but is there more than one, and if so which one did you change ?
    Do you just clean the things, or do you have to buy a replacement?
    - Thanks
     
  4. VelvetFoot

    VelvetFoot Member

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    This was a different car. The filter is usually in the glove box but mine wasn't. Only one.
    Clean the filter? Change it!!!!!
    Spray the heck out of the box too while the system is running-see directions on can.
    Mine had something to do with A/C and moisture in the airbox/filter causing mold/mildew, I suppose.
     
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  5. saneesh8

    saneesh8 Member

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    Toyota have a cleaner to clean the evaporator box also. I think CarCareNut have a video for this. Replace the filter and the passages, if possible, take out the fan and clean it and then clean the evaporator with that Toyota spray. .
     
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  6. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    It can always be mold and or mildew growing in the air conditioning part of the box it never drains fully they're always done droplets sitting around that the smell wen ya first start the AC is that water standing getting ready to become maybe mold or similar . Flushing that box and drain tube out regularly is a good thing if it's run alot .
     
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  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    sometimes it is the vent tubes for the hybrid battery
     
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