Keeping an eye on your car on daily basis is the best thing you can do. Although classic maintenance is designed to keep your Audi Q7 running smoothly over time, some unexpected breakdowns can add heavily to your annual motor vehicle budget. In this article 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 to help you in the event that you identify a burnt plastic smell originating from your Audi Q7 . To help you check that it is nothing serious, first we will detail the different things that can create a burnt plastic smell on your motor vehicle, then, in a second step, how to find the origin of this burnt plastic smell on your Audi Q7? .

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The different possible roots and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Audi Q7

So we begin our content with the different possible roots of burnt plastic smell on a Audi Q7 . Generally speaking, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is hardly ever a good signal. Obviously, recent vehicles are full of it and it could be the sign of a major breakdown. Down below we will review the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell:

  • Transmission oil: This is the main possible origin of such an odor. Obviously, the action of gear or transmission oil is to lubricate the different components of your gearbox so that all the gears and pinions are not damaged, it as well has a second action as a temperature regulator. Nevertheless, as time passes, the oil will lose its efficiency and will not lubricate the auto parts and regulate the temperature as well, which will bring about the oil to overheat and thus give off that burnt plastic smell on your Audi Q7. You risk pre-wearing your gearbox if you don’t take care of it.
  • The accessory belt: Although 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 bring about the plastic will heat up and burn out, this reaction will generate a strong smell of burnt plastic or rubber in the engine block of your Audi Q7.
  • Defective hose wear: This case occurs especially on Audi Q7 that are starting to get a few years old or that have stayed a long time without rolling. In reality, storing your car contrary to what you might believe will bring about the plastic auto parts to wear out more fairly quickly. Hoses are the first to be troubled 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 Q7’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 as well pre-wear out your tyres.

How to identify where the smell of burning plastic comes from on a Audi Q7?

And now, to finish our content, we’re going to try to help you find the origin of the smell of burnt plastic on your Audi Q7 . Now that you know the different possible roots of this smell, we’ll just have to do some checks to eliminate the tracks that don’t concern you and solve your issue quickly. If your Audi Q7 smells hot, don’t think twice to go through our content 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 discover debris inside, and it is darker, it’s time to replace it. Do not think twice to seek advice from our content to identify how to change the gearbox oil on a Audi Q7.
  • Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor state, it may also make a whistling sound if it is in poor state. Do not think twice to replace it.
  • Hoses: For hoses, you will need to visually check all your hoses to discover 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 bring about the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Audi Q7, a body component, check all wheel arches, that no component rubs against

    If you want more guides on the Audi Q7, go to our Audi Q7 category.