Keeping an eye on your car permanently is the best thing you can do. Although conventional routine service is supposed to keep your Kia Optima running smoothly with time, some unforeseen breakdowns can add heavily to your annual motor vehicle 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 written this article to help you in case you identify a burnt plastic smell caused by your Kia Optima . To help you check that it is nothing serious, first we will outline the different things that can generate 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 Kia Optima? .

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The different possible roots and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Kia Optima

So we start our article with the different possible roots of burnt plastic smell on a Kia Optima . In general, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is never a good signal. In actual fact, modern 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 main possible source of such an odor. In actual fact, the action 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 as well has a second action as a temperature regulator. Nevertheless, over time, the oil will lose its efficiency 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 Kia Optima. 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 entirely 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 unit block of your Kia Optima.
  • Defective hose wear: This circumstance happens specifically on Kia Optima 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 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 problem is the breakage of the accessory belt.
  • A body component: Less common, specifically present on Kia Optima’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 originates from on a Kia Optima?

And now, to finish our article, we’re going to try to help you find the source of the smell of burnt plastic on your Kia Optima . Now that you know the different possible roots of this smell, we’ll just have to do some checks to eliminate the tracks that don’t concern you and resolve your problem quickly. If your Kia Optima smells hot, don’t hesitate to read 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 see debris inside, and it is darker, it’s time to replace it. Do not hesitate to consult our article to find out how to change the gearbox oil on a Kia Optima.
  • Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor state, it might 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, change them.
  • Body parts: Last but not least, the last element that can cause the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Kia Optima, a body component, check all wheel arches, that no component rubs against

    Whenever you have any additional questions about the Kia Optima, do not hesitate to consult our Kia Optima category.