Keeping an eye on your car at all times is the best thing you can do. Nevertheless standard maintenance is designed to keep your BMW X3 running smoothly over time, some unexpected breakdowns can add heavily to your annual motor vehicle budget. Today we’re going to focus on your sense of smell, and the clues it can give you about a possible malfunction, that’s why our team has written this content to help you in the event you identify a burnt plastic smell originating from your BMW X3 . To help you check that it is nothing serious, first we will outline the different things that can generate a burnt plastic smell on your motor vehicle, then, in a second step, how to find the source of this burnt plastic smell on your BMW X3? .
The different possible origins and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a BMW X3
So we commence our content page with the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell on a BMW X3 . In general, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is never a good signal. In truth, recent cars are full of it and it could be the sign of a critical malfunction. 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 truth, 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 as well has a second function as a temperature regulator. Nevertheless, with time, the oil will lose its performance and will not lubricate the auto parts and control the temperature as well, which will bring about the oil to overheat and thus give off that burnt plastic smell on your BMW X3. 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 deteriorate 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 produce a strong smell of burnt plastic or rubber in the engine block of your BMW X3.
- Faulty hose wear: This circumstance happens specifically on BMW X3 that are starting to get a few years old or that have stayed a long time without rolling. In reality, storing your vehicle unlike what you might think will bring about the plastic auto 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 possibly melt. The risk of this issue is the breakage of the accessory belt.
- A body component: Less common, specifically present on BMW X3’s that have suffered a small shock. Following a front or rear impact, wheel arches, bumpers or other plastic body auto parts that may possibly have been bent may possibly 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 BMW X3?
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 BMW X3 . Now that you know the different possible roots of this smell, we’ll just have to do some checks to get rid of the tracks that don’t concern you and solve your problem quickly. If your BMW X3 smells hot, don’t hesitate to browse our content on this topic.
- Transmission oil: Nothing could be easier, 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 to identify how to change the gearbox oil on a BMW X3.
- Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor state, it may possibly also make 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 circumstance, 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 BMW X3, a body part, check all wheel arches, that no part rubs against
If you wish more guides on the BMW X3, go to our BMW X3 category.
