Keeping an eye on your car permanently is the best thing you can do. Although standard maintenance is supposed to keep your Chevrolet Tahoe running smoothly over time, some unexpected 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 malfunction, that’s why our team has made this content to help you in case you notice a burnt plastic smell originating from your Chevrolet Tahoe . To help you verify that it is nothing serious, first we will highlight the different things that can create a burnt plastic smell on your motor vehicle, then, in a second step, how to discover the source of this burnt plastic smell on your Chevrolet Tahoe? .
The different possible origins and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Chevrolet Tahoe
So we start our content with the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell on a Chevrolet Tahoe . Generally speaking, 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 critical 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. In truth, the objective 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 objective as a temperature regulator. However, with time, 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 Tahoe. 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 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 Tahoe.
- Defective hose wear: This circumstance occurs especially on Chevrolet Tahoe that are starting to get a few years old or that have stayed a long time without rolling. In fact, storing your car contrary to what you might presume 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 possibly melt. The risk of this issue is the breakage of the accessory belt.
- A body component: Less general, especially present on Chevrolet Tahoe’s that have suffered a small shock. Following a front or rear impact, wheel arches, bumpers or other plastic body auto 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 originates from on a Chevrolet Tahoe?
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 Tahoe . 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 resolve your problem quickly. If your Chevrolet Tahoe smells hot, don’t think twice to read our content 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 discover debris inside, and it is darker, it’s time to replace it. Do not think twice to consult our content to find out how to change the gearbox oil on a Chevrolet Tahoe.
- Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor state, it may possibly also produce a whistling sound if it is in poor state. 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, 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 Tahoe, a body part, verify all wheel arches, that no part rubs against
In the event that you have any further questions about the Chevrolet Tahoe, do not hesitate to consult our Chevrolet Tahoe category.