Taking care of your car on a regular basis is the best thing you can do. Although conventional routine service is supposed to keep your GMC Terrain running smoothly over time, some unforeseen breakdowns can add heavily to your annual car budget. In this article 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 made this content page to help you in case you detect a burnt plastic smell originating from your GMC Terrain . To help you check that it is nothing serious, first we will outline the different things that can produce a burnt plastic smell on your car, then, in a second step, how to find the origin of this burnt plastic smell on your GMC Terrain? .
The different possible sources and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a GMC Terrain
So we commence our guideline with the different possible sources of burnt plastic smell on a GMC Terrain . Generally speaking, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is hardly ever a good indicator. In fact, recent vehicles 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 origin of such an odor. In fact, 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 damaged, it as well has a second function as a temperature regulator. Nevertheless, as time passes, the oil will lose its effectiveness and will not lubricate the auto parts and regulate the temperature as well, which will cause the oil to overheat and thus give off that burnt plastic smell on your GMC Terrain. 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 degrade 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 unit block of your GMC Terrain.
- Defective hose wear: This circumstance happens specifically on GMC Terrain 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 think will cause the plastic auto 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 common, specifically present on GMC Terrain’s that have suffered a small shock. Following a front or rear impact, wheel arches, bumpers or other plastic body auto 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 find out where the smell of burning plastic originates from on a GMC Terrain?
And now, to finish our content page, we’re going to try to help you find the origin of the smell of burnt plastic on your GMC Terrain . 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 resolve your problem quickly. If your GMC Terrain smells hot, don’t think twice to read our content page 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 content page to find out how to change the gearbox oil on a GMC Terrain.
- 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 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 circumstance, change them.
- Body auto parts: Last but not least, the last element that can cause the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your GMC Terrain, a body part, check all wheel arches, that no part rubs against
If you want more tutorials on the GMC Terrain, go to our GMC Terrain category.
