Taking care of your car at all times is the best thing you can do. Nevertheless classic maintenance is supposed to keep your Audi Q3 running smoothly over time, some unexpected breakdowns can add heavily to your annual car budget. Today we’re going to look at your sense of smell, and the clues it can give you about a possible breakdown, that’s why our team has written this content page to help you in case you detect a burnt plastic smell originating from your Audi Q3 . To help you check that it is nothing serious, first we will highlight 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 Q3? .
The different possible sources and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Audi Q3
So we commence our content with the different possible sources of burnt plastic smell on a Audi Q3 . Generally, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is never a good indicator. In actual fact, recent vehicles are full of it and it could be the sign of a significant breakdown. Below we will talk about the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell:
- Transmission oil: This is the main possible source of such an odor. In actual 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 damaged, it also has a second action as a temperature regulator. Nevertheless, in the long run, the oil will lose its performance and will not lubricate the auto parts and control the temperature as well, which will trigger the oil to overheat and thus give off that burnt plastic smell on your Audi Q3. 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 entirely on its axis. With the friction that this will trigger the plastic will heat up and burn out, this reaction will create a strong smell of burnt plastic or rubber in the engine unit block of your Audi Q3.
- Defective hose wear: This case arises specifically on Audi Q3 that are starting to get a few years old or that have stayed a long time without rolling. In fact, storing your car unlike what you might believe will trigger the plastic auto parts to wear out more fairly quickly. Hoses are the first to be suffering from 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 general, specifically present on Audi Q3’s that have suffered a small shock. Following a front or rear impact, wheel arches, bumpers or other plastic body auto parts that may have been bent may rub against one of your wheels and give off that burnt plastic smell. This may also pre-wear out your tyres.
How to identify where the smell of burning plastic comes from on a Audi Q3?
And now, to finish our content page, we’re going to try to help you discover the source of the smell of burnt plastic on your Audi Q3 . Now that you know the different possible origins of this smell, we’ll just have to do some checks to get rid of the tracks that don’t concern you and fix your problem quickly. If your Audi Q3 smells hot, don’t hesitate to read our content page on this topic.
- Transmission oil: Nothing could be simpler, open your transmission oil cap (when cold) and check that your oil is reddish in colour and fluid enough. If you find out debris inside, and it is darker, it’s time to change it. Do not hesitate to consult our content page to identify how to change the gearbox oil on a Audi Q3.
- Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor state, it may also produce a whistling sound if it is in poor state. Do not hesitate to change it.
- Hoses: For hoses, you will need to visually check all your hoses to find out if any are frayed or melted. If this is the case, replace them.
- Body auto parts: Last but not least, the last element that can trigger the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Audi Q3, a body component, check all wheel arches, that no component rubs against
If perhaps you have any further questions about the Audi Q3, do not hesitate to consult our Audi Q3 category.
