Keeping an eye on your car at all times is the best thing you can do. Although conventional maintenance is designed to keep your Chevrolet Bolt running smoothly with time, some unpredicted breakdowns can add heavily to your annual car budget. Today we’re going to talk about 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 detect a burnt plastic smell originating from your Chevrolet Bolt . To help you verify that it is nothing severe, first we will detail the different things that can create a burnt plastic smell on your car, then, in a second step, how to discover the cause of this burnt plastic smell on your Chevrolet Bolt? .

smell-burnt-plastic-chevrolet-bolt

The different possible origins and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Chevrolet Bolt

So we start our content with the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell on a Chevrolet Bolt . Generally speaking, 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 significant malfunction. 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. 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. Nevertheless, in the long run, the oil will lose its effectiveness and will not lubricate the auto parts and control the temperature as well, which will cause the oil to overheat and thus give off that burnt plastic smell on your Chevrolet Bolt. 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 principally made of rubber, will degrade and no longer rotate entirely on its axis. With the friction that this will cause the plastic will heat up and burn out, this reaction will create a strong smell of burnt plastic or rubber in the engine unit block of your Chevrolet Bolt.
  • Faulty hose wear: This case arises especially on Chevrolet Bolt 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 cause 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 melt. The risk of this problem is the breakage of the accessory belt.
  • A body component: Less common, especially present on Chevrolet Bolt’s that have suffered a small shock. Following a front or rear impact, wheel arches, bumpers or other plastic body auto 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 find out where the smell of burning plastic originates from on a Chevrolet Bolt?

And now, to finish our content, we’re going to try to help you discover the source of the smell of burnt plastic on your Chevrolet Bolt . Now that you know the different possible origins 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 issue quickly. If your Chevrolet Bolt smells hot, don’t hesitate to read our content 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 see debris inside, and it is darker, it’s time to change it. Do not hesitate to consult our content to find out how to change the gearbox oil on a Chevrolet Bolt.
  • 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 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, replace them.
  • Body auto parts: Last but not least, the last element that can cause the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Chevrolet Bolt, a body part, verify all wheel arches, that no part rubs against

    To find more tips on the Chevrolet Bolt, take a look at the Chevrolet Bolt category.