Keeping an eye on your car on a regular basis is the best thing you can do. Although standard routine service is designed to keep your Kia Picanto 3 running smoothly with time, some unpredicted breakdowns can add heavily to your annual motor vehicle budget. Today we’re going to speak about your sense of smell, and the clues it can give you about a possible breakdown, that’s why our team has created this content to help you in case you identify a burnt plastic smell caused by your Kia Picanto 3 . To help you verify that it is nothing significant, 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 Picanto 3? .
The different possible origins and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Kia Picanto 3
So we begin our content with the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell on a Kia Picanto 3 . Generally, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is never a good signal. Indeed, modern vehicles are full of it and it could be the sign of a significant breakdown. Below we will talk about the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell:
- Transmission oil: This is the most important possible origin 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 damaged, it as well has a second function as a temperature regulator. However, with time, the oil will lose its effectiveness 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 Kia Picanto 3. 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 deteriorate 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 Kia Picanto 3.
- Defective hose wear: This case happens especially on Kia Picanto 3 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 quickly. Hoses are the first to be suffering from 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 issue is the breakage of the accessory belt.
- A body component: Less common, especially present on Kia Picanto 3’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 as well pre-wear out your tyres.
How to find out where the smell of burning plastic comes from on a Kia Picanto 3?
And now, to finish our content, we’re going to try to help you find the origin of the smell of burnt plastic on your Kia Picanto 3 . 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 issue quickly. If your Kia Picanto 3 smells hot, don’t think twice to browse our content on this topic.
- Transmission oil: Nothing could be simpler, 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 change it. Do not think twice to seek advice from our content to find out how to change the gearbox oil on a Kia Picanto 3.
- 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 think twice to change 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 case, replace them.
- Body parts: Last but not least, the last element that can cause the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Kia Picanto 3, a body part, verify all wheel arches, that no part rubs against
Whenever you have any additional questions about the Kia Picanto 3, do not hesitate to consult our Kia Picanto 3 category.
