Keeping an eye on your car all the time is the best thing you can do. Although classic routine service is supposed to keep your Chevrolet Cobalt running smoothly with time, some unforeseen breakdowns can add heavily to your annual motor vehicle budget. In this article we’re going to focus on your sense of smell, and the clues it can give you about a possible breakdown, that’s why our team has written this article to help you in the event you detect a burnt plastic smell caused by your Chevrolet Cobalt . To help you verify that it is nothing significant, first we will outline the different things that can create a burnt plastic smell on your motor vehicle, then, in a second step, how to discover the origin of this burnt plastic smell on your Chevrolet Cobalt? .

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

So we start our content with the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell on a Chevrolet Cobalt . Generally speaking, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is never a good indicator. In actual fact, recent vehicles are full of it and it could be the sign of a significant breakdown. Down below we will review the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell:

  • Transmission oil: This is the main possible origin of such an odor. In actual fact, 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 also has a second function as a temperature regulator. Nevertheless, over time, the oil will lose its efficiency and will not lubricate the parts and regulate the temperature as well, which will cause the oil to overheat and thus give off that burnt plastic smell on your Chevrolet Cobalt. 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 specifically made of rubber, will degrade and no longer rotate completely 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 Cobalt.
  • Defective hose wear: This circumstance arises specifically on Chevrolet Cobalt 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 cause the plastic parts to wear out more fairly quickly. Hoses are the first to be suffering from 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 basic, specifically present on Chevrolet Cobalt’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 also pre-wear out your tyres.

How to identify where the smell of burning plastic comes from on a Chevrolet Cobalt?

And now, to finish our article, we’re going to try to help you discover the origin of the smell of burnt plastic on your Chevrolet Cobalt . Now that you know the different possible origins of this smell, we’ll just have to do some checks to eliminate the tracks that don’t concern you and fix your problem quickly. If your Chevrolet Cobalt smells hot, don’t think twice to read our article on this topic.

  • Transmission oil: Nothing could be simpler, open your transmission oil cap (when cold) and verify 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 think twice to seek advice from our article to identify how to change the gearbox oil on a Chevrolet Cobalt.
  • 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 think twice to replace it.
  • Hoses: For hoses, you will need to visually verify 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 cause the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Chevrolet Cobalt, a body component, verify all wheel arches, that no component rubs against

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