My 2007 Prius has a horrible smell inside. I have read that many other Prius owners have this problem, too. It is a chemical-type smell, which I believe is coming from some plastic inside. I have had the seats and all the floor upholstery replaced and it still smells. I have had a new evaporator installed and had it cleaned out as well, still smells. I also have had the air filter replaced, and this is not the smell of a dead animal. I have not spilled anything in the car and it has never been flooded.

The smell is kind of sweet, kind of chemically. It sticks to my skin and my clothes and I smell like it after I have left the car. It has smelled like this since day 1, when I bought the car new. I thought it was new car smell and that it would fade, but it hasn't after three years. Toyota Corporate does not acknowledge that other people have complained about this, but I have seen reports that other people have indeed complained.

Any ideas? Has anybody solved this? If you have this problem too and have not solved it, please feel free to contact me at my email: prius_owner is my login name and I have a yahoo account.

 

Your problem is most likely that the hard plastics in your interior were made improperly, outgassing long past the usual period. Sickly sweet usually means PVC out-gassing, while a bitter smell usually means PVA. The important part is that if it is coming off on your clothing and items placed in the car, you need to be tested for chemical poisoning. Contact your local poison-control center and find out if there might be a local lab where you can send a sample of the plastic and/clothing and items that it 'sticks' to.

A neighbor of mine had this problem about 8 years ago with some carpet she had installed. Whenever it was damp, the stench would make them leave the house. Local center did testing and proved that the carpet backing was way over the limits.

 

No, "sickly sweet" is almost always is the result of a coolant, anti-freeze leak.

You'd be surprised how a little leak, replenish less than a quart/year, will dominate the cabin odor.

"..other Prius owners.."

Most common odor complaint in our cars these days is "dirty gym socks" odor arising from A/C use. These days many A/C evaporators come from the factory with an anti-microbial, fungicide chemical, embedded into the surfaces. Once the chemical washes away due to A/C use the odor returns.

"Sewer" smell is not uncommon but that is usually the result of battery overcharging.

 

I have noticed a strange smell in my 2009 that I THINK may be the electric motor smell OR perhaps the previous owner smoked in it.... Hard to describe... Best I can describe it is like a 'wet hay' or slight cow field smell. Smells inside and sometimes I can smell it at the rear of the Prius outside after extended EV mode... Dealer smells it, but shrugs shoulder.

I use the dollar tree odor eliminator spray and it works for a while, but the smelll comes back.... Might try lysol in the AC input...

 

I too have this problem. I have a 2009 Toyota Prius. Originally it smelled fine. I have leather seats and they smelled like leather. After a year the car started to smell like a rubbery, plastic, stale smell. The smell also gets into my clothes and on me. I have been told that after I get out of my car and I am in the house that I smell like the car. I have been trying to resolve this issue with Toyota. They have told me that it is the leather seats. They have replaced the air filter, now four times. The smell seems to be getting worse. I am trying this last filter change now, but so far it smells just as bad. My friends and I agree that this is not a leather smell, nor is it an dead animal and is not likely mold. Toyota agreed with the latter two as well. My other friends have leather seats in their Prius's and it does not smell this way. It seems to be a problem with other owners however, according to these forums. I am trying to get this resolved as the smell is even evident when I leave the windows open, when it is in the garage. If nyone wants to respond you can leave me a messge here.

 

I just purchased a 06 Prius with 19,500 kilometers on it and I too did not like the smell. I took it back in and they put a small canister that released a mist into the air while the car was running with climate control on full blast air circulation for 20 min. before anyone could re-enter the car.The smell is gone. I tried to find out what this product was , but it is not available for sale. The canister was about 5 oz. in size. Your Dealer may have it? H

 

HMMMMMM.......... I Wonder.....
Perhaps the smell is due to the humidity in this new system... If there were to be mold in the system...

I think I am going to turn on the climate control to full and spray a SMALL bit of the freshener in the intake and see if it makes a difference...
I suspect LYSOL or other product would kill the mold spores?

 

They called it Ozone or Ionizer's, something like that. H

 

Found the source of the smell...
Open the back door on the right (passenger) side. Look for the HV battery vent. Smell it... Stinko!

 

OMG... you are right.. I smelled the battery vent and it is real strong in there. I think you have figured out the source... Now what will Toyota do about it is the question. Thanks!