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2010 Toyota Prius AC Mold smell

Tiny
KANAKANAKA77
  • MEMBER
  • 2010 TOYOTA PRIUS
  • 42,000 MILES
Hi there,
The car consistently smells like mold when I start it up. I've read up quite a bit on this and have done everything I can find online regarding cleaning it. I've used lysol, and other sprays through the air intake on the front of the car. I've changed the air cabin filter. I've even disassembled the fan motor to see if there was anything stuck in there. The sprays worked for a couple days and then back to the smells.
I understand there is another method that actually cleans the evaporator fan blades. I can't imagine they'd remove the whole evaporator as labor intensive as that is. So I'm curious what I can do. I know there is an AC drain tube under the carpeting on the passenger side up on the right side of the center panel. I've attached a pic. Is that my access point? What would I do?
Thanks again for the help!
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Sunday, June 9th, 2013 AT 10:18 AM

12 Replies

Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
It's probably water that hasn't drained for using a/c. You have to crawl under the car and run a wire through it to clean it. You won't hit or hurt anything by doing this. You may get wet then try your sprays like febreze in vent that should cure it.
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Sunday, June 9th, 2013 AT 12:37 PM
Tiny
KANAKANAKA77
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  • 44 POSTS
Where would I run the wire through? The tube in the pic? If so it detaches from the floor. Could I just run a wire through this? How far up does it go?
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Sunday, June 9th, 2013 AT 1:12 PM
Tiny
HMAC300
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Run the wire through the tube any old way you feel like it and yes the one in the floor.
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Sunday, June 9th, 2013 AT 1:13 PM
Tiny
KANAKANAKA77
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  • 44 POSTS
Thank you! Appreciate the help!
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Sunday, June 9th, 2013 AT 1:14 PM
Tiny
MDEAGLE22
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
I have the same exact problem with regards to the recirculated air conditioning. Every time I start the car and turn the a/c on, a terrible smell (like mildew) comes out of the vents. Did you ever get this problem fixed on your 2010 Prius? I'm curious which method(s) worked. Thanks!
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Monday, July 8th, 2013 AT 1:12 PM
Tiny
KANAKANAKA77
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  • 44 POSTS
I've yet to find a solution outside of paying toyota. There's nothing in the tube when stick the wire in it. When I turn on the AC water flows freely out, as in there is no clog. I'm curious what the next step would be as well.
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Monday, July 8th, 2013 AT 1:46 PM
Tiny
KANAKANAKA77
  • MEMBER
  • 44 POSTS
And I emptied 2 cans of lysol through outside intake and it works for a day then unleash's the nastiness the following day.
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Monday, July 8th, 2013 AT 1:48 PM
Tiny
HMAC300
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You might try changing the cabin filter on this it may be full of crap then you migh tsee something in there that is causing the smell. there is a video on youtube.
http://youtu.be/w6FbfF600rU
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Monday, July 8th, 2013 AT 3:07 PM
Tiny
KANAKANAKA77
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Cabin filer has been changed, hose isn't blocked, intake has been lysoled. Any other thoughts? Thanks! :)
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Monday, July 8th, 2013 AT 4:23 PM
Tiny
HMAC300
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Nothing that I can thinkof
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Monday, July 8th, 2013 AT 4:54 PM
Tiny
KANAKANAKA77
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  • 44 POSTS
This is what I've found after more research. Thoughts?

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/130-7th-generation-1993-1997/337357-diy-c-odor-cleaning.html
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Friday, July 12th, 2013 AT 12:41 PM
Tiny
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That looks like a pretty good fix to fix your problem, but it shouldn't get that kind of crap in it anyhow. Most of the time on other cars it just a plugged drain tube and a little air freshener takes right care of it. Looks like a pretty good tip. It's certainly worth a try.
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Friday, July 12th, 2013 AT 3:16 PM

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