Keeping an eye on your car at all times is the best thing you can do. Although classic routine service is designed to keep your Mercedes Slk 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 malfunction, that’s why our team has written this content to help you in the event that you notice a burnt plastic smell coming from your Mercedes Slk . To help you check that it is nothing serious, first we will detail the different things that can create a burnt plastic smell on your motor vehicle, then, in a second step, how to find the origin of this burnt plastic smell on your Mercedes Slk? .

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

So we commence our article content with the different possible roots of burnt plastic smell on a Mercedes Slk . Generally speaking, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is hardly ever a good signal. In truth, modern vehicles are full of it and it could be the sign of a significant malfunction. Below we will review the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell:

  • Transmission oil: This is the most important possible source of such an odor. In truth, 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, with time, the oil will lose its performance and will not lubricate the parts and regulate the temperature as well, which will bring about the oil to overheat and thus give off that burnt plastic smell on your Mercedes Slk. 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 deteriorate and no longer rotate totally on its axis. With the friction that this will bring about the plastic will heat up and burn out, this reaction will generate a strong smell of burnt plastic or rubber in the engine unit block of your Mercedes Slk.
  • Faulty hose wear: This circumstance occurs especially on Mercedes Slk 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 bring about 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 might melt. The risk of this problem is the breakage of the accessory belt.
  • A body component: Less basic, especially present on Mercedes Slk’s that have suffered a small shock. Following a front or rear impact, wheel arches, bumpers or other plastic body 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 comes from on a Mercedes Slk?

And now, to finish our content, we’re going to try to help you find the source of the smell of burnt plastic on your Mercedes Slk . 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 issue quickly. If your Mercedes Slk smells hot, don’t hesitate to browse our content on this topic.

  • Transmission oil: Nothing could be simpler, open your transmission oil cap (when cold) and check 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 to find out how to change the gearbox oil on a Mercedes Slk.
  • Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor state, it might also make a whistling sound if it is in poor state. Do not hesitate to change it.
  • Hoses: For hoses, you will need to visually check all your hoses to see if any are frayed or melted. If this is the circumstance, change them.
  • Body parts: Last but not least, the last element that can bring about the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Mercedes Slk, a body component, check all wheel arches, that no component rubs against

    If you want more tutorials on the Mercedes Slk, go to our Mercedes Slk category.