# Rav4 Odor question

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/rav4-odor-question/78411>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [April 2, 2013, 6:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rav4-odor-question/78411 "2013-04-02T06:40:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![booms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/58f4c7/32.png) [@booms](https://community.cartalk.com/u/booms)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2013, 6:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rav4-odor-question/78411/1 "2013-04-02T06:40:33Z")

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Just lately I’ve noticed a kind of horse manure/hay smell when driving – not strong and not noticeable if there’s any air from outside.  
I haven’t driven near a pasture or anything. anyone have a thought??

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**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2013, 7:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rav4-odor-question/78411/2 "2013-04-02T07:10:21Z")

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At the base of the windshield is a section called the wiper trough. This is the area where the windshield wiper linkage is able to operate. Over time debis can collect in this area and begin to decompose and you start getting this odor.

Have someone remove the wiper arms, remove the coweling under the windshield to expose what’s growing in the trough.

Tester

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**Author:** ![WesternRoadtripper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a698b9/32.png) [@WesternRoadtripper](https://community.cartalk.com/u/WesternRoadtripper)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2013, 7:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rav4-odor-question/78411/3 "2013-04-02T07:30:34Z")

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Do you have any familiarity with the smell of coolant? I don’t know if you’d interpret that as the smell you are getting, but you might sniff the coolant in your overflow tank and judge if there is any similarity.

Otherwise, Tester may have the right source. Does your car get parked underneath trees on a regular basis? If yes, then that windshield wiper well might accumulate woody or leafy debris which I suppose could smell like a pasture.