Keeping an eye on your car all the time is the best thing you can do. Nevertheless standard routine service is supposed to keep your BMW X1 running smoothly over time, some unexpected breakdowns can add heavily to your annual motor vehicle budget. In this article 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 created this content page to help you in the event that you identify a burnt plastic smell caused by your BMW X1 . To help you verify that it is nothing severe, first we will detail the different things that can generate a burnt plastic smell on your motor vehicle, then, in a second step, how to locate the cause of this burnt plastic smell on your BMW X1? .
The different possible origins and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a BMW X1
So we commence our content with the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell on a BMW X1 . In general, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is hardly ever a good sign. 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 most important possible source 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 broken, it also has a second action as a temperature regulator. However, over time, the oil will lose its performance and will not lubricate the 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 BMW X1. 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 made of rubber, will degrade 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 unit block of your BMW X1.
- Defective hose wear: This circumstance arises specifically on BMW X1 that are starting to get a few years old or that have stayed a long time without rolling. In reality, storing your vehicle contrary to what you might think will bring about the plastic parts to wear out more fairly 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 issue is the breakage of the accessory belt.
- A body component: Less basic, specifically present on BMW X1’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 BMW X1?
And now, to finish our content page, we’re going to try to help you locate the source of the smell of burnt plastic on your BMW X1 . 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 resolve your problem quickly. If your BMW X1 smells hot, don’t think twice to read our content page on this topic.
- Transmission oil: Nothing could be less complicated, 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 change it. Do not think twice to seek advice from our content page to identify how to change the gearbox oil on a BMW X1.
- 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 change 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 circumstance, replace them.
- Body parts: Last but not least, the last element that can bring about the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your BMW X1, a body part, verify all wheel arches, that no part rubs against
Whenever you have any additional questions about the BMW X1, do not hesitate to consult our BMW X1 category.
