Keeping an eye on your car permanently is the best thing you can do. Nevertheless conventional maintenance is supposed to keep your Cadillac SRX running smoothly with time, some unexpected breakdowns can add heavily to your annual car budget. In this article 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 case you identify a burnt plastic smell caused by your Cadillac SRX . To help you check that it is nothing significant, first we will outline the different things that can produce a burnt plastic smell on your car, then, in a second step, how to find the origin of this burnt plastic smell on your Cadillac SRX? .

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The different possible sources and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Cadillac SRX

So we commence our guideline with the different possible sources of burnt plastic smell on a Cadillac SRX . In general, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is never a good sign. In fact, modern vehicles are full of it and it could be the sign of a critical malfunction. 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. In fact, 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 damaged, it as well has a second action as a temperature regulator. Nevertheless, in the long run, the oil will lose its efficiency 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 Cadillac SRX. 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 done 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 generate a strong smell of burnt plastic or rubber in the engine unit block of your Cadillac SRX.
  • Defective hose wear: This circumstance happens specifically on Cadillac SRX 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 presume will bring about the plastic parts to wear out more fairly 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 may possibly melt. The risk of this issue is the breakage of the accessory belt.
  • A body component: Less basic, specifically present on Cadillac SRX’s that have suffered a small shock. Following a front or rear impact, wheel arches, bumpers or other plastic body 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 find out where the smell of burning plastic comes from on a Cadillac SRX?

And now, to finish our content, we’re going to try to help you find the source of the smell of burnt plastic on your Cadillac SRX . 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 problem quickly. If your Cadillac SRX smells hot, don’t hesitate to go through 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 discover debris inside, and it is darker, it’s time to replace it. Do not hesitate to seek advice from our content to find out how to change the gearbox oil on a Cadillac SRX.
  • 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 replace it.
  • Hoses: For hoses, you will need to visually check all your hoses to discover if any are frayed or melted. If this is the circumstance, change them.
  • Body parts: Last but not least, the last element that can bring about the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Cadillac SRX, a body component, check all wheel arches, that no component rubs against

    If you wish more tutorials on the Cadillac SRX, go to our Cadillac SRX category.