Keeping an eye on your car permanently is the best thing you can do. Nevertheless conventional routine service is supposed to keep your Audi A1 running smoothly over time, some unexpected breakdowns can add heavily to your annual car budget. Today we’re going to focus on your sense of smell, and the clues it can give you about a possible breakdown, that’s why our team has written this content to help you in the event that you notice a burnt plastic smell caused by your Audi A1 . To help you verify that it is nothing serious, first we will outline the different things that can create a burnt plastic smell on your car, then, in a second step, how to discover the source of this burnt plastic smell on your Audi A1? .

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The different possible sources and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Audi A1

So we start our article with the different possible sources of burnt plastic smell on a Audi A1 . In general, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is never a good signal. In fact, recent vehicles are full of it and it could be the sign of a major breakdown. Below we will talk about the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell:

  • Transmission oil: This is the main possible origin of such an odor. In fact, the action of gear or transmission oil is to lubricate the different elements of your gearbox so that all the gears and pinions are not broken, it as well has a second action as a temperature regulator. However, with time, the oil will lose its effectiveness and will not lubricate the parts and regulate the temperature as well, which will trigger the oil to overheat and thus give off that burnt plastic smell on your Audi A1. You risk pre-wearing your gearbox if you don’t take care of it.
  • The accessory belt: Nevertheless rarer, it is possible with wear and tear that your belt, which is principally done of rubber, will decline and no longer rotate totally on its axis. With the friction that this will trigger the plastic will heat up and burn out, this reaction will produce a strong smell of burnt plastic or rubber in the engine block of your Audi A1.
  • Faulty hose wear: This case happens especially on Audi A1 that are starting to get a few years old or that have stayed a long time without rolling. In fact, storing your vehicle contrary to what you might believe will trigger the plastic parts to wear out more quickly. Hoses are the first to be impacted by this phenomenon. The rubber will disintegrate little by little and with the rise in heat of the fluid that circulates in it, it may melt. The risk of this problem is the breakage of the accessory belt.
  • A body component: Less basic, especially present on Audi A1’s that have suffered a small shock. Following a front or rear impact, wheel arches, bumpers or other plastic body parts that may have been bent may rub against one of your wheels and give off that burnt plastic smell. This may as well pre-wear out your tyres.

How to find out where the smell of burning plastic originates from on a Audi A1?

And now, to finish our content, we’re going to try to help you discover the origin of the smell of burnt plastic on your Audi A1 . Now that you know the different possible origins of this smell, we’ll just have to do some checks to eliminate the tracks that don’t concern you and resolve your issue quickly. If your Audi A1 smells hot, don’t hesitate to go through our content on this topic.

  • Transmission oil: Nothing could be easier, open your transmission oil cap (when cold) and verify that your oil is reddish in colour and fluid enough. If you find out debris inside, and it is darker, it’s time to replace it. Do not hesitate to consult our content to find out how to change the gearbox oil on a Audi A1.
  • Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor condition, it may also make a whistling sound if it is in poor condition. Do not hesitate to replace it.
  • Hoses: For hoses, you will need to visually verify all your hoses to find out if any are frayed or melted. If this is the case, replace them.
  • Body parts: Last but not least, the last element that can trigger the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Audi A1, a body component, verify all wheel arches, that no component rubs against

    If you wish more tutorials on the Audi A1, go to our Audi A1 category.