Taking care of your car on a regular basis is the best thing you can do. Although conventional maintenance is supposed to keep your Mercedes Classe A running smoothly with time, some unexpected 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 created this article to help you in the event that you notice a burnt plastic smell originating from your Mercedes Classe A . To help you check that it is nothing serious, first we will highlight the different things that can create a burnt plastic smell on your motor vehicle, then, in a second step, how to locate the origin of this burnt plastic smell on your Mercedes Classe A? .
The different possible sources and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Mercedes Classe A
So we begin our content page with the different possible sources of burnt plastic smell on a Mercedes Classe A . Generally, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is never a good indicator. Indeed, recent cars are full of it and it could be the sign of a major breakdown. Down 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. Nevertheless, with time, the oil will lose its efficiency and will not lubricate the auto parts and control the temperature as well, which will trigger the oil to overheat and thus give off that burnt plastic smell on your Mercedes Classe A. 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 made of rubber, will decline and no longer rotate completely on its axis. With the friction that this will trigger the plastic will heat up and burn out, this reaction will generate a strong smell of burnt plastic or rubber in the engine block of your Mercedes Classe A.
- Defective hose wear: This case happens especially on Mercedes Classe A that are starting to get a few years old or that have stayed a long time without rolling. In reality, storing your car contrary to what you might believe will trigger the plastic auto parts to wear out more 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 might melt. The risk of this issue is the breakage of the accessory belt.
- A body component: Less common, especially present on Mercedes Classe A’s that have suffered a small shock. Following a front or rear impact, wheel arches, bumpers or other plastic body auto 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 Mercedes Classe A?
And now, to finish our article, we’re going to try to help you locate the origin of the smell of burnt plastic on your Mercedes Classe A . 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 fix your problem quickly. If your Mercedes Classe A 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 discover 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 Mercedes Classe A.
- 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 check all your hoses to discover if any are frayed or melted. If this is the case, replace them.
- Body auto parts: Last but not least, the last element that can trigger the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Mercedes Classe A, a body part, check all wheel arches, that no part rubs against
If you have any further questions about the Mercedes Classe A, do not hesitate to consult our Mercedes Classe A category.
