Taking care of your car permanently is the best thing you can do. Although standard maintenance is designed to keep your Chevrolet Traverse running smoothly over time, some unpredicted 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 breakdown, that’s why our team has written this article to help you in case you notice a burnt plastic smell coming from your Chevrolet Traverse . To help you verify that it is nothing severe, first we will highlight the different things that can create a burnt plastic smell on your car, then, in a second step, how to locate the source of this burnt plastic smell on your Chevrolet Traverse? .

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The different possible roots and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Chevrolet Traverse

So we begin our content with the different possible roots of burnt plastic smell on a Chevrolet Traverse . Generally, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is hardly ever a good sign. Indeed, recent vehicles are full of it and it could be the sign of a major 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. Indeed, 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 effectiveness and will not lubricate the auto parts and control the temperature as well, which will bring about the oil to overheat and thus give off that burnt plastic smell on your Chevrolet Traverse. 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 done of rubber, will deteriorate and no longer rotate totally 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 Chevrolet Traverse.
  • Defective hose wear: This circumstance occurs especially on Chevrolet Traverse 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 bring about the plastic auto 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 might melt. The risk of this problem is the breakage of the accessory belt.
  • A body component: Less common, especially present on Chevrolet Traverse’s that have suffered a small shock. Following a front or rear impact, wheel arches, bumpers or other plastic body auto parts that might have been bent might 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 Traverse?

And now, to finish our article, we’re going to try to help you locate the origin of the smell of burnt plastic on your Chevrolet Traverse . 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 resolve your issue quickly. If your Chevrolet Traverse 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 find out debris inside, and it is darker, it’s time to change it. Do not think twice to consult our article to find out how to change the gearbox oil on a Chevrolet Traverse.
  • Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor condition, it might also make a whistling sound if it is in poor condition. Do not think twice to change it.
  • Hoses: For hoses, you will need to visually verify all your hoses to find out 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 bring about the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Chevrolet Traverse, a body component, verify all wheel arches, that no component rubs against

    Whenever you have any further questions about the Chevrolet Traverse, do not hesitate to consult our Chevrolet Traverse category.