Keeping an eye on your car at all times is the best thing you can do. Although conventional maintenance is supposed to keep your Infiniti QX50 running smoothly with time, some unforeseen breakdowns can add heavily to your annual motor vehicle budget. Today 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 created this content page to help you in case you notice a burnt plastic smell coming from your Infiniti QX50 . To help you check that it is nothing significant, first we will outline the different things that can create a burnt plastic smell on your motor vehicle, then, in a second step, how to find the cause of this burnt plastic smell on your Infiniti QX50? .

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The different possible roots and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Infiniti QX50

So we commence our article content with the different possible roots of burnt plastic smell on a Infiniti QX50 . Generally speaking, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is never a good indicator. Indeed, recent cars are full of it and it could be the sign of a significant malfunction. Down below we will review the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell:

  • Transmission oil: This is the main possible source of such an odor. Indeed, the function 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 function as a temperature regulator. Nevertheless, in the long run, the oil will lose its performance and will not lubricate the parts and control the temperature as well, which will bring about the oil to overheat and thus give off that burnt plastic smell on your Infiniti QX50. 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 mainly made of rubber, will deteriorate and no longer rotate totally on its axis. With the friction that this will bring about 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 Infiniti QX50.
  • Faulty hose wear: This circumstance occurs especially on Infiniti QX50 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 believe will bring about the plastic parts to wear out more fairly quickly. Hoses are the first to be troubled 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 possibly melt. The risk of this problem is the breakage of the accessory belt.
  • A body component: Less common, especially present on Infiniti QX50’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 identify where the smell of burning plastic comes from on a Infiniti QX50?

And now, to finish our content page, we’re going to try to help you find the source of the smell of burnt plastic on your Infiniti QX50 . 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 fix your problem quickly. If your Infiniti QX50 smells hot, don’t hesitate 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 see 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 Infiniti QX50.
  • Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor state, it may possibly also produce 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 see if any are frayed or melted. If this is the circumstance, replace them.
  • Body parts: Last but not least, the last element that can bring about the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Infiniti QX50, a body component, check all wheel arches, that no component rubs against

    If you wish more tutorials on the Infiniti QX50, go to our Infiniti QX50 category.