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My car has a rubber smell...help!

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Ladyslipper, Nov 13, 2015.

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  1. Ladyslipper

    Ladyslipper New Member

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    Last week I bought a 2012 with 35,000 miles. It has leather interior that was not factory installed. I noticed a smell when I first picked the car up and asked if the air filter had been changed and it had. It took me a day or two to realize the smell was like a new tire. Sometimes it is stronger than others but, it can actually give me a strange taste in my mouth. I went back to the dealership on a cooler day and they did not think it was anything. Driving home tonight it was terrible.
    I Googled this question and found that it could be a problem with the vents for the battery but that it happened on older models, not one this new.
    I seriously can not stand this. Any ideas?
     
    #1 Ladyslipper, Nov 13, 2015
  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    welcome! could be the battery vent tubes, but true, don't recall on gen III. could be a/c vents or clogged drain line. might be worth tearing open the battery fan duct, look in the spare tyre area. sniff around under the hood, under the seats, etc. try to locate the smell. bring it back on a warm day when it's more noticeable keep the windows closed and ask the service manager to take a whiff.
     
    #2 bisco, Nov 13, 2015
  3. Ladyslipper

    Ladyslipper New Member

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    Thanks much. Everything else I love.
     
    #3 Ladyslipper, Nov 14, 2015
  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    yes, the smell can be quite nauseating according to those who have experienced it. all the best!(y)
     
    #4 bisco, Nov 14, 2015
  5. jdcollins5

    jdcollins5 Senior Member

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    The spare tire is in the back cargo area under the floor deck. You may have a new spare tire back there.

    This being in the cabin with you it would be very noticeable.
     
    #5 jdcollins5, Nov 14, 2015
  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    The battery vent tube issue has just been on second gen, as far as I know. Our 2010 had no noticeable smells when new, and nothing developed over time. My hunch is some aftermarket addition. I know I've bought made-in-China items, rubber wheel chocks for example, that smelled bad when new. The smoking gun might be that aftermarket leather interior?
     
    #6 Mendel Leisk, Nov 14, 2015
  7. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    gen II's had no noticeable smells when new either.
     
    #7 bisco, Nov 14, 2015
  8. Ladyslipper

    Ladyslipper New Member

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    Thank you all so much. Last night I removed every piece of rubber I could find. I took out the floor mats, rear deck pad and spare tire. Tonight I plan to wipe the interior down and see how it goes. I got close to the vent in the back and could smell just a little odor. Could you tell me how those vents work? Is there an extraction fan pulling from the car interior towards the battery?
     
    #8 Ladyslipper, Nov 15, 2015
  9. jdcollins5

    jdcollins5 Senior Member

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    Yes. When the battery temp gets above about 96F there is a HV Battery Fan that pulls air from the rear passenger vent and pushes it through the battery and exhausts it through the rear passenger wheel well.
     
    #9 jdcollins5, Nov 15, 2015
  10. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    the vent tubes that gave trouble on the gen II were inside the battery case.
     
    #10 bisco, Nov 15, 2015
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