Taking care of your car all the time is the best thing you can do. Although conventional maintenance is supposed to keep your Cadillac CTS running smoothly with time, some unpredicted 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 made this article to help you in the event that you identify a burnt plastic smell coming from your Cadillac CTS . To help you verify that it is nothing severe, 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 find the source of this burnt plastic smell on your Cadillac CTS? .
The different possible roots and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Cadillac CTS
So we commence our content with the different possible roots of burnt plastic smell on a Cadillac CTS . In general, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is never a good sign. In truth, recent vehicles are full of it and it could be the sign of a major breakdown. 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, as time passes, the oil will lose its performance and will not lubricate the parts and control the temperature as well, which will trigger the oil to overheat and thus give off that burnt plastic smell on your Cadillac CTS. 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 made of rubber, will decline and no longer rotate completely 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 unit block of your Cadillac CTS.
- Faulty hose wear: This case arises especially on Cadillac CTS 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 think will trigger the plastic parts to wear out more 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, especially present on Cadillac CTS’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 as well pre-wear out your tyres.
How to identify where the smell of burning plastic originates from on a Cadillac CTS?
And now, to finish our article, we’re going to try to help you find the origin of the smell of burnt plastic on your Cadillac CTS . 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 fix your issue quickly. If your Cadillac CTS smells hot, don’t hesitate to read our article on this topic.
- Transmission oil: Nothing could be easier, 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 change it. Do not hesitate to consult our article to identify how to change the gearbox oil on a Cadillac CTS.
- Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor state, it may also produce a whistling sound if it is in poor state. Do not hesitate to change 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 Cadillac CTS, a body part, verify all wheel arches, that no part rubs against
If perhaps you have any additional questions about the Cadillac CTS, do not hesitate to consult our Cadillac CTS category.
