Keeping an eye on your car on a regular basis is the best thing you can do. Although conventional maintenance is supposed to keep your Ford Transit running smoothly with time, some unforeseen breakdowns can add heavily to your annual car budget. In this article we’re going to speak about your sense of smell, and the clues it can give you about a possible malfunction, that’s why our team has created this content to help you in the event you identify a burnt plastic smell originating from your Ford Transit . To help you verify that it is nothing severe, first we will detail the different things that can create a burnt plastic smell on your car, then, in a second step, how to find the source of this burnt plastic smell on your Ford Transit? .
The different possible roots and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Ford Transit
So we commence our article content with the different possible roots of burnt plastic smell on a Ford Transit . Generally speaking, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is hardly ever a good signal. Obviously, modern cars are full of it and it could be the sign of a significant malfunction. Down below we will talk about the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell:
- Transmission oil: This is the most important possible source of such an odor. Obviously, 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 broken, it also has a second objective as a temperature regulator. Nevertheless, over time, the oil will lose its performance and will not lubricate the parts and regulate the temperature as well, which will cause the oil to overheat and thus give off that burnt plastic smell on your Ford Transit. 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 decline and no longer rotate completely on its axis. With the friction that this will cause the plastic will heat up and burn out, this reaction will create a strong smell of burnt plastic or rubber in the engine block of your Ford Transit.
- Faulty hose wear: This circumstance arises specifically on Ford Transit that are starting to get a few years old or that have stayed a long time without rolling. In fact, storing your car contrary to what you might think will cause the plastic parts to wear out more fairly quickly. Hoses are the first to be affected 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 issue is the breakage of the accessory belt.
- A body component: Less basic, specifically present on Ford Transit’s that have suffered a small shock. Following a front or rear impact, wheel arches, bumpers or other plastic body 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 comes from on a Ford Transit?
And now, to finish our content, we’re going to try to help you find the source of the smell of burnt plastic on your Ford Transit . 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 solve your issue quickly. If your Ford Transit smells hot, don’t hesitate to go through our content on this topic.
- Transmission oil: Nothing could be easier, open your transmission oil cap (when cold) and verify that your oil is reddish in colour and fluid enough. If you see debris inside, and it is darker, it’s time to change it. Do not hesitate to consult our content to find out how to change the gearbox oil on a Ford Transit.
- Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor state, it might also make a whistling sound if it is in poor state. Do not hesitate to change it.
- Hoses: For hoses, you will need to visually verify all your hoses to see if any are frayed or melted. If this is the circumstance, change them.
- Body parts: Last but not least, the last element that can cause the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Ford Transit, a body part, verify all wheel arches, that no part rubs against
If you have any further questions about the Ford Transit, do not hesitate to consult our Ford Transit category.
