Taking care of your car at all times is the best thing you can do. Nevertheless classic maintenance is supposed to keep your Ford Mondeo running smoothly with time, some unexpected breakdowns can add heavily to your annual car budget. Today we’re going to talk about your sense of smell, and the clues it can give you about a possible breakdown, that’s why our team has created this article to help you in case you notice a burnt plastic smell caused by your Ford Mondeo . To help you check that it is nothing severe, 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 Ford Mondeo? .

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

So we start our guideline with the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell on a Ford Mondeo . In general, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is never a good indicator. Indeed, modern cars are full of it and it could be the sign of a critical breakdown. Down 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. Indeed, 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 control the temperature as well, which will cause the oil to overheat and thus give off that burnt plastic smell on your Ford Mondeo. 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 specifically made of rubber, will decline and no longer rotate totally on its axis. With the friction that this will cause 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 Ford Mondeo.
  • Defective hose wear: This circumstance happens especially on Ford Mondeo 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 presume will cause the plastic parts to wear out more fairly quickly. Hoses are the first to be suffering from 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 Ford Mondeo’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 find out where the smell of burning plastic comes from on a Ford Mondeo?

And now, to finish our article, we’re going to try to help you discover the source of the smell of burnt plastic on your Ford Mondeo . 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 solve your issue quickly. If your Ford Mondeo 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 find out debris inside, and it is darker, it’s time to replace it. Do not think twice to consult our article to find out how to change the gearbox oil on a Ford Mondeo.
  • Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor condition, it may possibly also produce a whistling sound if it is in poor condition. Do not think twice 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 circumstance, replace them.
  • Body parts: Last but not least, the last element that can cause the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Ford Mondeo, a body component, check all wheel arches, that no component rubs against

    If you wish more tutorials on the Ford Mondeo, go to our Ford Mondeo category.