Keeping an eye on your car all the time is the best thing you can do. Nevertheless conventional routine service is supposed to keep your Ford Expedition running smoothly with time, some unexpected breakdowns can add heavily to your annual motor vehicle budget. Today we’re going to speak about your sense of smell, and the clues it can give you about a possible breakdown, that’s why our team has created this content page to help you in case you detect a burnt plastic smell coming from your Ford Expedition . To help you check that it is nothing serious, 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 locate the source of this burnt plastic smell on your Ford Expedition? .

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The different possible origins and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Ford Expedition

So we begin our guideline with the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell on a Ford Expedition . Generally speaking, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is never a good signal. In truth, modern cars are full of it and it could be the sign of a significant breakdown. 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 action 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 action as a temperature regulator. Nevertheless, with time, the oil will lose its performance and will not lubricate the parts and control the temperature as well, which will trigger the oil to overheat and thus give off that burnt plastic smell on your Ford Expedition. You risk pre-wearing your gearbox if you don’t take care of it.
  • The accessory belt: Nevertheless rarer, it is possible with wear and tear that your belt, which is mainly done of rubber, will decline and no longer rotate totally on its axis. With the friction that this will trigger 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 Ford Expedition.
  • Faulty hose wear: This case occurs especially on Ford Expedition that are starting to get a few years old or that have stayed a long time without rolling. In reality, storing your car unlike 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 problem is the breakage of the accessory belt.
  • A body component: Less common, especially present on Ford Expedition’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 as well pre-wear out your tyres.

How to identify where the smell of burning plastic comes from on a Ford Expedition?

And now, to finish our content page, we’re going to try to help you locate the source of the smell of burnt plastic on your Ford Expedition . 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 Ford Expedition smells hot, don’t hesitate to go through our content page on this topic.

  • Transmission oil: Nothing could be easier, open your transmission oil cap (when cold) and check 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 seek advice from our content page to identify how to change the gearbox oil on a Ford Expedition.
  • 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 check all your hoses to find out if any are frayed or melted. If this is the case, replace them.
  • Body parts: Last but not least, the last element that can trigger the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Ford Expedition, a body part, check all wheel arches, that no part rubs against

    Whenever you have any additional questions about the Ford Expedition, do not hesitate to consult our Ford Expedition category.