Taking care of your car on daily basis is the best thing you can do. Although conventional routine service is designed to keep your Kia Picanto running smoothly over time, some unexpected 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 breakdown, that’s why our team has made this content page to help you in the event you identify a burnt plastic smell coming from your Kia Picanto . To help you verify that it is nothing serious, 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 origin of this burnt plastic smell on your Kia Picanto? .
The different possible roots and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Kia Picanto
So we commence our article content with the different possible roots of burnt plastic smell on a Kia Picanto . Generally speaking, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is hardly ever a good sign. Indeed, modern cars are full of it and it could be the sign of a important breakdown. Down below we will talk about 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 components of your gearbox so that all the gears and pinions are not broken, it also has a second function as a temperature regulator. However, in the long run, the oil will lose its effectiveness 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 Kia Picanto. 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 done of rubber, will deteriorate and no longer rotate completely on its axis. With the friction that this will bring about 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.
- Faulty hose wear: This circumstance arises specifically on Kia Picanto that are starting to get a few years old or that have stayed a long time without rolling. In reality, storing your vehicle contrary to what you might think will bring about the plastic parts to wear out more 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 basic, specifically present on Kia Picanto’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 also pre-wear out your tyres.
How to find out where the smell of burning plastic comes from on a Kia Picanto?
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 Kia Picanto . 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 solve your issue quickly. If your Kia Picanto smells hot, don’t hesitate to browse 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 find out debris inside, and it is darker, it’s time to change it. Do not hesitate to consult our content page to find out how to change the gearbox oil on a Kia Picanto.
- Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor condition, it might also make a whistling sound if it is in poor condition. Do not hesitate to change it.
- Hoses: For hoses, you will need to visually verify all your hoses to find out 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 Kia Picanto, a body part, verify all wheel arches, that no part rubs against
If you have any further questions about the Kia Picanto, do not hesitate to consult our Kia Picanto category.
