Keeping an eye on your car permanently is the best thing you can do. Although conventional routine service is designed to keep your Jeep Grand Cherokee running smoothly over time, some unexpected breakdowns can add heavily to your annual car budget. In this article we’re going to focus on 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 the event that you detect a burnt plastic smell caused by your Jeep Grand Cherokee . To help you verify that it is nothing significant, first we will highlight the different things that can create a burnt plastic smell on your car, then, in a second step, how to discover the source of this burnt plastic smell on your Jeep Grand Cherokee? .

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The different possible roots and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Jeep Grand Cherokee

So we commence our guideline with the different possible roots of burnt plastic smell on a Jeep Grand Cherokee . Generally, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is hardly ever a good indicator. Obviously, recent vehicles are full of it and it could be the sign of a critical malfunction. Below we will talk about the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell:

  • Transmission oil: This is the main possible origin of such an odor. Obviously, 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 as well has a second function as a temperature regulator. However, over 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 Jeep Grand Cherokee. 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 totally 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 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
  • Defective hose wear: This circumstance happens especially on Jeep Grand Cherokee that are starting to get a few years old or that have stayed a long time without rolling. In reality, storing your vehicle unlike what you might believe will cause 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 might melt. The risk of this issue is the breakage of the accessory belt.
  • A body component: Less general, especially present on Jeep Grand Cherokee’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 as well pre-wear out your tyres.

How to find out where the smell of burning plastic comes from on a Jeep Grand Cherokee?

And now, to finish our content page, we’re going to try to help you discover the origin of the smell of burnt plastic on your Jeep Grand Cherokee . Now that you know the different possible origins of this smell, we’ll just have to do some checks to eliminate the tracks that don’t concern you and solve your issue quickly. If your Jeep Grand Cherokee smells hot, don’t hesitate to read our content page 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 discover debris inside, and it is darker, it’s time to replace it. Do not hesitate to consult our content page to find out how to change the gearbox oil on a Jeep Grand Cherokee.
  • Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor condition, it might also produce a whistling sound if it is in poor condition. Do not hesitate to replace it.
  • Hoses: For hoses, you will need to visually verify all your hoses to discover 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 Jeep Grand Cherokee, a body component, verify all wheel arches, that no component rubs against

    To discover more tips on the Jeep Grand Cherokee, take a look at the Jeep Grand Cherokee category.