Keeping an eye on your car on daily basis is the best thing you can do. Although standard maintenance is designed to keep your Citroen C15 running smoothly with time, some unpredicted breakdowns can add heavily to your annual motor vehicle budget. Today 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 made this article to help you in case you notice a burnt plastic smell coming from your Citroen C15 . To help you check that it is nothing severe, first we will detail 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 Citroen C15? .

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The different possible origins and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Citroen C15

So we begin our guideline with the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell on a Citroen C15 . Generally speaking, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is never a good sign. In truth, modern vehicles are full of it and it could be the sign of a significant breakdown. Below we will talk about the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell:

  • Transmission oil: This is the main possible origin of such an odor. In truth, the function of gear or transmission oil is to lubricate the different components of your gearbox so that all the gears and pinions are not broken, it also has a second function as a temperature regulator. However, with time, 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 Citroen C15. 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 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 block of your Citroen C15.
  • Defective hose wear: This case arises especially on Citroen C15 that are starting to get a few years old or that have stayed a long time without rolling. In reality, storing your car contrary to what you might presume will bring about the plastic parts to wear out more fairly 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 may possibly melt. The risk of this problem is the breakage of the accessory belt.
  • A body component: Less common, especially present on Citroen C15’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 also pre-wear out your tyres.

How to identify where the smell of burning plastic comes from on a Citroen C15?

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 Citroen C15 . 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 issue quickly. If your Citroen C15 smells hot, don’t think twice to browse our article on this topic.

  • Transmission oil: Nothing could be less complicated, 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 change it. Do not think twice to seek advice from our article to identify how to change the gearbox oil on a Citroen C15.
  • 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 think twice to change 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 case, change them.
  • Body parts: Last but not least, the last element that can bring about the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Citroen C15, a body part, check all wheel arches, that no part rubs against

    Whenever you have any further questions about the Citroen C15, do not hesitate to consult our Citroen C15 category.