Keeping an eye on your car permanently is the best thing you can do. Although conventional routine service is designed to keep your Nissan Maxima 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 page to help you in the event that you detect a burnt plastic smell coming from your Nissan Maxima . To help you check that it is nothing significant, first we will outline the different things that can create a burnt plastic smell on your motor vehicle, then, in a second step, how to discover the origin of this burnt plastic smell on your Nissan Maxima? .
The different possible origins and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Nissan Maxima
So we begin our content page with the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell on a Nissan Maxima . Generally speaking, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is hardly ever a good sign. In 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 main possible source of such an odor. In fact, 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. However, in the long run, the oil will lose its performance and will not lubricate the auto parts and control the temperature as well, which will trigger the oil to overheat and thus give off that burnt plastic smell on your Nissan Maxima. 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 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 Nissan Maxima.
- Faulty hose wear: This circumstance arises specifically on Nissan Maxima 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 trigger the plastic auto 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 melt. The risk of this issue is the breakage of the accessory belt.
- A body component: Less basic, specifically present on Nissan Maxima’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 comes from on a Nissan Maxima?
And now, to finish our content page, we’re going to try to help you discover the source of the smell of burnt plastic on your Nissan Maxima . 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 problem quickly. If your Nissan Maxima smells hot, don’t think twice to browse our content page 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 find out debris inside, and it is darker, it’s time to change it. Do not think twice to seek advice from our content page to find out how to change the gearbox oil on a Nissan Maxima.
- Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor state, it may also make a whistling sound if it is in poor state. Do not think twice to change 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 circumstance, replace them.
- Body auto parts: Last but not least, the last element that can trigger the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Nissan Maxima, a body component, check all wheel arches, that no component rubs against
In the event that you have any further questions about the Nissan Maxima, do not hesitate to consult our Nissan Maxima category.
