Keeping an eye on your car at all times is the best thing you can do. Nevertheless standard maintenance is supposed to keep your Mazda CX 7 running smoothly over time, some unpredicted breakdowns can add heavily to your annual motor vehicle budget. Today 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 content page to help you in case you detect a burnt plastic smell originating from your Mazda CX 7 . To help you verify that it is nothing serious, first we will detail the different things that can produce a burnt plastic smell on your motor vehicle, then, in a second step, how to locate the source of this burnt plastic smell on your Mazda CX 7? .

smell-burnt-plastic-mazda-cx-7

The different possible origins and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Mazda CX 7

So we commence our article content with the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell on a Mazda CX 7 . Generally speaking, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is hardly ever a good indicator. In actual fact, modern cars are full of it and it could be the sign of a major 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 objective of gear or transmission oil is to lubricate the different components of your gearbox so that all the gears and pinions are not damaged, it as well has a second objective 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 trigger the oil to overheat and thus give off that burnt plastic smell on your Mazda CX 7. You risk pre-wearing your gearbox if you don’t take care of it.
  • The accessory belt: Nevertheless rarer, it is possible with wear and tear that your belt, which is principally made of rubber, will decline and no longer rotate totally on its axis. With the friction that this will trigger 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 Mazda CX 7.
  • Faulty hose wear: This circumstance occurs especially on Mazda CX 7 that are starting to get a few years old or that have stayed a long time without rolling. In reality, storing your car unlike what you might believe will trigger the plastic parts to wear out more fairly quickly. Hoses are the first to be affected 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 general, especially present on Mazda CX 7’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 identify where the smell of burning plastic comes from on a Mazda CX 7?

And now, to finish our content page, we’re going to try to help you locate the source of the smell of burnt plastic on your Mazda CX 7 . 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 resolve your problem quickly. If your Mazda CX 7 smells hot, don’t hesitate to read our content page 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 see debris inside, and it is darker, it’s time to change it. Do not hesitate to seek advice from our content page to identify how to change the gearbox oil on a Mazda CX 7.
  • 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 change it.
  • Hoses: For hoses, you will need to visually verify 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 trigger the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Mazda CX 7, a body part, verify all wheel arches, that no part rubs against

    If you have any further questions about the Mazda CX 7, do not hesitate to consult our Mazda CX 7 category.