# Rubbing Alcohol Smell

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/rubbing-alcohol-smell/53378>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** corolla, toyota, leaks\
**Created:** [August 12, 2010, 12:56am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rubbing-alcohol-smell/53378 "2010-08-12T00:56:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Calamity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Calamity](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Calamity)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 12:56am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rubbing-alcohol-smell/53378/1 "2010-08-12T00:56:00Z")

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Over the past few days, I’ve noticed a strong rubbing alcohol smell coming from the air conditioner vents after the car has been stopped - at a red light, or parked for a while. What could this be?

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**Author:** ![tardis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@tardis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tardis)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 1:12am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rubbing-alcohol-smell/53378/2 "2010-08-12T01:12:29Z")

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Your heater core is leaking anti-freeze.  
You need to attend to this right away. It’s not healthy for you at all. Eventually, it won’t be healthy for the car either.

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**Author:** ![Calamity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Calamity](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Calamity)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2010, 2:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rubbing-alcohol-smell/53378/3 "2010-08-12T02:27:49Z")

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Thanks very much! I’ll take care of it tomorrow.