# 2010 Toyota Highlander Hybrid stale urine smell

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/2010-toyota-highlander-hybrid-stale-urine-smell/120804>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** highlanderhybrid, toyota\
**Created:** [July 11, 2018, 2:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2010-toyota-highlander-hybrid-stale-urine-smell/120804 "2018-07-11T02:28:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jude15](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Jude15](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Jude15)\
**Post date:** [July 11, 2018, 2:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2010-toyota-highlander-hybrid-stale-urine-smell/120804/1 "2018-07-11T02:28:17Z")

</div>

My clean car sat for 6 weeks in the garage, attached to a trickle charger.  
Today, I started her up and suddenly I was transported back through time into old phone booth. The unforgettable smell of stale urine was pouring through the air vents and there I was, standing, dime in hand, overcome. It was rough!  
Any ideas?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\
**Post date:** [July 11, 2018, 4:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2010-toyota-highlander-hybrid-stale-urine-smell/120804/2 "2018-07-11T04:24:19Z")

</div>

Dirty air conditioner? Check the cabin air filter, I have found a number of mice nests on them.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![GorehamJ](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/gorehamj/32/24103_2.png) [@GorehamJ](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GorehamJ)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2018, 2:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2010-toyota-highlander-hybrid-stale-urine-smell/120804/3 "2018-07-13T02:25:14Z")

</div>

Mice. Nevada’s right.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![edb1961](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/edb1961/32/122_2.png) [@edb1961](https://community.cartalk.com/u/edb1961)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2018, 3:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2010-toyota-highlander-hybrid-stale-urine-smell/120804/4 "2018-07-13T03:55:58Z")

</div>

I agree, a few years back my 2013 Equinox had that smell after being left at dealer over the weekend. I found a nest on top of the cabin filter, didn’t find any critters though. I replaced the cabin filter after spraying a 1/2 can of Lysol into the windshield cowl with the blower on max. This took care of the smell.