Taking care of your car all the time is the best thing you can do. Nevertheless conventional maintenance is designed to keep your Mercedes Classe S running smoothly with time, some unpredicted 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 malfunction, that’s why our team has created this article to help you in case you notice a burnt plastic smell originating from your Mercedes Classe S . To help you verify that it is nothing significant, first we will detail the different things that can generate a burnt plastic smell on your motor vehicle, then, in a second step, how to find the source of this burnt plastic smell on your Mercedes Classe S? .

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The different possible sources and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Mercedes Classe S

So we begin our content with the different possible sources of burnt plastic smell on a Mercedes Classe S . Generally, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is never a good sign. In actual fact, modern cars are full of it and it could be the sign of a critical malfunction. 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. In actual fact, 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 as well has a second function as a temperature regulator. However, as time passes, 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 Mercedes Classe S. 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 done of rubber, will decline and no longer rotate entirely 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 S.
  • Defective hose wear: This case happens specifically on Mercedes Classe S that are starting to get a few years old or that have stayed a long time without rolling. In fact, storing your vehicle contrary to what you might presume will trigger the plastic parts to wear out more quickly. Hoses are the first to be suffering from 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 issue is the breakage of the accessory belt.
  • A body component: Less general, specifically present on Mercedes Classe S’s that have suffered a small shock. Following a front or rear impact, wheel arches, bumpers or other plastic body 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 identify where the smell of burning plastic originates from on a Mercedes Classe S?

And now, to finish our article, we’re going to try to help you find the origin of the smell of burnt plastic on your Mercedes Classe S . Now that you know the different possible roots of this smell, we’ll just have to do some checks to eliminate the tracks that don’t concern you and resolve your issue quickly. If your Mercedes Classe S smells hot, don’t think twice 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 discover debris inside, and it is darker, it’s time to replace it. Do not think twice to consult our article to identify how to change the gearbox oil on a Mercedes Classe S.
  • Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor state, it may also produce a whistling sound if it is in poor state. 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 case, replace them.
  • Body parts: Last but not least, the last element that can trigger the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Mercedes Classe S, a body part, verify all wheel arches, that no part rubs against

    Whenever you have any additional questions about the Mercedes Classe S, do not hesitate to consult our Mercedes Classe S category.