Keeping an eye on your car all the time is the best thing you can do. Although classic routine service is designed to keep your Nissan Altima running smoothly over time, some unexpected 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 you notice a burnt plastic smell caused by your Nissan Altima . 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 car, then, in a second step, how to find the cause of this burnt plastic smell on your Nissan Altima? .
The different possible sources and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Nissan Altima
So we commence our content page with the different possible sources of burnt plastic smell on a Nissan Altima . In general, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is never a good sign. In truth, recent cars 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 main possible source of such an odor. In truth, the action 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 action as a temperature regulator. However, over time, the oil will lose its efficiency 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 Nissan Altima. 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 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 generate a strong smell of burnt plastic or rubber in the engine unit block of your Nissan Altima.
- Faulty hose wear: This case arises specifically on Nissan Altima 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 presume will bring about the plastic auto parts to wear out more fairly 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 common, specifically present on Nissan Altima’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 Nissan Altima?
And now, to finish our content page, we’re going to try to help you find the source of the smell of burnt plastic on your Nissan Altima . 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 solve your issue quickly. If your Nissan Altima smells hot, don’t think twice to browse our content page on this topic.
- Transmission oil: Nothing could be easier, open your transmission oil cap (when cold) and check that your oil is reddish in colour and fluid enough. If you find out debris inside, and it is darker, it’s time to replace it. Do not think twice to seek advice from our content page to find out how to change the gearbox oil on a Nissan Altima.
- Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor condition, it might also make a whistling sound if it is in poor condition. Do not think twice to replace it.
- Hoses: For hoses, you will need to visually check all your hoses to find out 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 bring about the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Nissan Altima, a body part, check all wheel arches, that no part rubs against
If you want more guides on the Nissan Altima, go to our Nissan Altima category.
