Keeping an eye on your car on daily basis is the best thing you can do. Although standard routine service is supposed to keep your Buick LaCrosse running smoothly with time, some unpredicted 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 created this content page to help you in the event you detect a burnt plastic smell coming from your Buick LaCrosse . To help you check that it is nothing severe, first we will outline the different things that can create a burnt plastic smell on your car, then, in a second step, how to locate the origin of this burnt plastic smell on your Buick LaCrosse? .

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The different possible origins and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Buick LaCrosse

So we commence our content page with the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell on a Buick LaCrosse . Generally, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is hardly ever a good sign. Indeed, modern cars 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 source of such an odor. Indeed, the objective of gear or transmission oil is to lubricate the different elements of your gearbox so that all the gears and pinions are not broken, it also has a second objective as a temperature regulator. However, in the long run, the oil will lose its effectiveness and will not lubricate the 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 Buick LaCrosse. 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 mainly done of rubber, will deteriorate and no longer rotate completely 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 Buick LaCrosse.
  • Defective hose wear: This case arises specifically on Buick LaCrosse 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 think will bring about the plastic parts to wear out more 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 might melt. The risk of this issue is the breakage of the accessory belt.
  • A body component: Less basic, specifically present on Buick LaCrosse’s that have suffered a small shock. Following a front or rear impact, wheel arches, bumpers or other plastic body parts that might have been bent might rub against one of your wheels and give off that burnt plastic smell. This may also pre-wear out your tyres.

How to find out where the smell of burning plastic comes from on a Buick LaCrosse?

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 Buick LaCrosse . 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 fix your issue quickly. If your Buick LaCrosse smells hot, don’t think twice to go through 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 see debris inside, and it is darker, it’s time to replace it. Do not think twice to seek advice from our content page to find out how to change the gearbox oil on a Buick LaCrosse.
  • Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor state, it might 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 see if any are frayed or melted. If this is the case, replace them.
  • Body parts: Last but not least, the last element that can bring about the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Buick LaCrosse, a body part, check all wheel arches, that no part rubs against

    In the event that you have any additional questions about the Buick LaCrosse, do not hesitate to consult our Buick LaCrosse category.