Keeping an eye on your car at all times is the best thing you can do. Although classic routine service is supposed to keep your Mercedes Classe B running smoothly over time, some unpredicted breakdowns can add heavily to your annual car budget. In this article 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 written this content page to help you in the event that you detect a burnt plastic smell coming from your Mercedes Classe B . To help you verify that it is nothing severe, first we will highlight the different things that can produce a burnt plastic smell on your car, then, in a second step, how to find the origin of this burnt plastic smell on your Mercedes Classe B? .
The different possible sources and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Mercedes Classe B
So we begin our article with the different possible sources of burnt plastic smell on a Mercedes Classe B . In general, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is hardly ever a good sign. Indeed, recent cars are full of it and it could be the sign of a important 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 broken, it as well has a second function as a temperature regulator. Nevertheless, over time, the oil will lose its performance 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 Mercedes Classe B. 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 degrade and no longer rotate completely on its axis. With the friction that this will cause the plastic will heat up and burn out, this reaction will produce a strong smell of burnt plastic or rubber in the engine block of your Mercedes Classe B.
- Defective hose wear: This circumstance happens specifically on Mercedes Classe B that are starting to get a few years old or that have stayed a long time without rolling. In fact, storing your vehicle unlike what you might think 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 may possibly melt. The risk of this problem is the breakage of the accessory belt.
- A body component: Less common, specifically present on Mercedes Classe B’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 originates from on a Mercedes Classe B?
And now, to finish our content page, we’re going to try to help you find the origin of the smell of burnt plastic on your Mercedes Classe B . Now that you know the different possible origins 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 issue quickly. If your Mercedes Classe B smells hot, don’t think twice to read 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 discover debris inside, and it is darker, it’s time to replace it. Do not think twice to consult our content page to identify how to change the gearbox oil on a Mercedes Classe B.
- Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor condition, it may possibly also produce a whistling sound if it is in poor condition. Do not think twice to replace 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 circumstance, replace them.
- Body parts: Last but not least, the last element that can cause the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Mercedes Classe B, a body component, verify all wheel arches, that no component rubs against
If you wish more guides on the Mercedes Classe B, go to our Mercedes Classe B category.
