Keeping an eye on your car permanently is the best thing you can do. Although standard routine service is designed to keep your Mercedes Classe C running smoothly over time, some unpredicted breakdowns can add heavily to your annual motor vehicle budget. In this article we’re going to focus on your sense of smell, and the clues it can give you about a possible breakdown, that’s why our team has made this article to help you in case you notice a burnt plastic smell coming from your Mercedes Classe C . 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 locate the origin of this burnt plastic smell on your Mercedes Classe C? .

smell-burnt-plastic-mercedes-classe-c

The different possible roots and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Mercedes Classe C

So we start our content with the different possible roots of burnt plastic smell on a Mercedes Classe C . Generally, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is hardly ever a good sign. In truth, modern vehicles 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 most important possible source of such an odor. In truth, the objective 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 objective as a temperature regulator. Nevertheless, as time passes, the oil will lose its effectiveness and will not lubricate the auto 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 Mercedes Classe C. 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 mainly made of rubber, will deteriorate and no longer rotate entirely on its axis. With the friction that this will bring about the plastic will heat up and burn out, this reaction will produce a strong smell of burnt plastic or rubber in the engine unit block of your Mercedes Classe C.
  • Defective hose wear: This case occurs specifically on Mercedes Classe C that are starting to get a few years old or that have stayed a long time without rolling. In fact, storing your car unlike what you might presume will bring about the plastic auto 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 melt. The risk of this problem is the breakage of the accessory belt.
  • A body component: Less common, specifically present on Mercedes Classe C’s that have suffered a small shock. Following a front or rear impact, wheel arches, bumpers or other plastic body auto parts that may have been bent may 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 C?

And now, to finish our article, we’re going to try to help you locate the source of the smell of burnt plastic on your Mercedes Classe C . 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 problem quickly. If your Mercedes Classe C smells hot, don’t hesitate to browse our article on this topic.

  • Transmission oil: Nothing could be less complicated, 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 replace it. Do not hesitate to seek advice from our article to find out how to change the gearbox oil on a Mercedes Classe C.
  • Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor condition, it may also make a whistling sound if it is in poor condition. Do not hesitate to replace 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 case, change them.
  • Body auto parts: Last but not least, the last element that can bring about the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Mercedes Classe C, a body component, verify all wheel arches, that no component rubs against

    If you wish more tutorials on the Mercedes Classe C, go to our Mercedes Classe C category.