Hi all, recently I noticed that the air coming out of the vent system of my Prius Prime 2019 has a musty smell. The smell will go away if I turn on the AC, but it stays with recirculation both on and off as long as the AC is off. I have changed the cabin air filter and sprayed a can of Lysol into the outside air intake. But they don't seem to work at all. The musty odor is probably because I parked the car outside for a year during COVID. Any suggestion on what I should try next?
You can get a small ozone machine and run it for a bit inside with the air recirculating. You can also look into a gentle cleaning solution or very diluted bleach and warm water, damp sponge or soft pipe cleaners and wipe down the area around the intake, vents, the housing for the cabin air filter. Run the air recirc on high to ensure everything is completely dry before putting the cabin air filter back. Careful with the crossbars above the air filter. My dealership broke one when they removed a mouse nest and I had to go back and get it fixed (they were kind enough to warranty repair it but even if they hadn't it was only $65 including labor). Also check for rodent activity. They love getting up in the Prius Prime. Mine isn't even a year old and I had a nest up in the blower fan and I drive it every day.
Whether it is caused by the rain and humid air, if so, let it dry in the sun. If not, it is recommended to replace the air conditioner filter
Just replacing the filter will probably not help. The stink will still be there or return. Buy this: can't post the link for amazon for some reason but search GENUINE TOYOTA APPROVED S.E.T. SERVICERITE AC EVAPORATOR REFRESH KIT 00053-00008 Check your dealership as it might be cheaper. You mostly need the V shaped tip from this kit. Once you have that, you could use another brand spray if you like in the future. Also get a new cabin filter or at least place your old one in the sun for a few hours if it still looks pretty clean. Find the drain tube shown in this video. Follow the instructions from this video:
