Keeping an eye on your car permanently is the best thing you can do. Although standard maintenance is designed to keep your Fiat Ducato 2 running smoothly over time, some unforeseen breakdowns can add heavily to your annual car 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 written this article to help you in the event you detect a burnt plastic smell originating from your Fiat Ducato 2 . 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 car, then, in a second step, how to discover the origin of this burnt plastic smell on your Fiat Ducato 2? .

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The different possible origins and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Fiat Ducato 2

So we begin our guideline with the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell on a Fiat Ducato 2 . Generally speaking, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is hardly ever a good sign. In fact, recent 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 main possible origin of such an odor. In fact, 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 damaged, 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 parts and regulate the temperature as well, which will trigger the oil to overheat and thus give off that burnt plastic smell on your Fiat Ducato 2. 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 done of rubber, will deteriorate and no longer rotate entirely on its axis. With the friction that this will trigger the plastic will heat up and burn out, this reaction will produce a strong smell of burnt plastic or rubber in the engine unit block of your Fiat Ducato 2.
  • Defective hose wear: This circumstance happens especially on Fiat Ducato 2 that are starting to get a few years old or that have stayed a long time without rolling. In reality, storing your vehicle contrary to what you might believe will trigger the plastic 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 may melt. The risk of this issue is the breakage of the accessory belt.
  • A body component: Less basic, especially present on Fiat Ducato 2’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 Fiat Ducato 2?

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 Fiat Ducato 2 . 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 Fiat Ducato 2 smells hot, don’t hesitate to go through 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 replace it. Do not hesitate to consult our article to identify how to change the gearbox oil on a Fiat Ducato 2.
  • Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor state, it may also make a whistling sound if it is in poor state. Do not hesitate to replace 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, change them.
  • Body parts: Last but not least, the last element that can trigger the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Fiat Ducato 2, a body component, verify all wheel arches, that no component rubs against

    Whenever you have any further questions about the Fiat Ducato 2, do not hesitate to consult our Fiat Ducato 2 category.