Taking care of your car on daily basis is the best thing you can do. Nevertheless classic maintenance is designed to keep your Audi Rs5 running smoothly over time, some unexpected breakdowns can add heavily to your annual motor vehicle budget. Today we’re going to talk about your sense of smell, and the clues it can give you about a possible breakdown, that’s why our team has created this article to help you in case you detect a burnt plastic smell coming from your Audi Rs5 . To help you verify that it is nothing significant, first we will highlight the different things that can generate a burnt plastic smell on your motor vehicle, then, in a second step, how to discover the origin of this burnt plastic smell on your Audi Rs5? .

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The different possible sources and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Audi Rs5

So we begin our content page with the different possible sources of burnt plastic smell on a Audi Rs5 . In general, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is hardly ever a good signal. Indeed, modern cars are full of it and it could be the sign of a major breakdown. Below we will review the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell:

  • Transmission oil: This is the main possible origin of such an odor. Indeed, the function 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 function as a temperature regulator. Nevertheless, as time passes, the oil will lose its efficiency 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 Rs5. 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 mainly 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 generate a strong smell of burnt plastic or rubber in the engine block of your Audi Rs5.
  • Defective hose wear: This case arises specifically on Audi Rs5 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 fairly quickly. Hoses are the first to be affected 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 common, specifically present on Audi Rs5’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 also pre-wear out your tyres.

How to identify where the smell of burning plastic originates from on a Audi Rs5?

And now, to finish our article, we’re going to try to help you discover the origin of the smell of burnt plastic on your Audi Rs5 . 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 fix your problem quickly. If your Audi Rs5 smells hot, don’t think twice to read our article on this topic.

  • Transmission oil: Nothing could be simpler, open your transmission oil cap (when cold) and verify that your oil is reddish in colour and fluid enough. If you see debris inside, and it is darker, it’s time to replace it. Do not think twice to consult our article to identify how to change the gearbox oil on a Audi Rs5.
  • Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor condition, it may also produce a whistling sound if it is in poor condition. Do not think twice to replace it.
  • Hoses: For hoses, you will need to visually verify all your hoses to see if any are frayed or melted. If this is the case, change them.
  • Body parts: Last but not least, the last element that can trigger the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Audi Rs5, a body component, verify all wheel arches, that no component rubs against

    To discover more tips on the Audi Rs5, take a look at the Audi Rs5 category.