Keeping an eye on your car on daily basis is the best thing you can do. Nevertheless conventional maintenance is supposed to keep your Opel Agila running smoothly over time, some unforeseen breakdowns can add heavily to your annual car 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 written this content to help you in case you identify a burnt plastic smell originating from your Opel Agila . To help you verify that it is nothing severe, first we will highlight the different things that can produce a burnt plastic smell on your car, then, in a second step, how to find the cause of this burnt plastic smell on your Opel Agila? .

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The different possible origins and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Opel Agila

So we start our article content with the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell on a Opel Agila . Generally speaking, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is hardly ever a good sign. Indeed, modern vehicles are full of it and it could be the sign of a critical breakdown. Down below we will review the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell:

  • Transmission oil: This is the main possible source of such an odor. Indeed, 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 damaged, it as well has a second function as a temperature regulator. Nevertheless, in the long run, the oil will lose its effectiveness and will not lubricate the auto parts and control the temperature as well, which will cause the oil to overheat and thus give off that burnt plastic smell on your Opel Agila. 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 mainly made of rubber, will deteriorate and no longer rotate entirely on its axis. With the friction that this will cause 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 Opel Agila.
  • Defective hose wear: This case arises specifically on Opel Agila that are starting to get a few years old or that have stayed a long time without rolling. In fact, storing your vehicle unlike what you might presume will cause 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 may possibly melt. The risk of this issue is the breakage of the accessory belt.
  • A body component: Less general, specifically present on Opel Agila’s that have suffered a small shock. Following a front or rear impact, wheel arches, bumpers or other plastic body auto parts that may possibly have been bent may possibly 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 comes from on a Opel Agila?

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 Opel Agila . 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 Opel Agila smells hot, don’t hesitate to read our content 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 find out debris inside, and it is darker, it’s time to replace it. Do not hesitate to seek advice from our content to identify how to change the gearbox oil on a Opel Agila.
  • Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor condition, it may possibly 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 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 cause the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Opel Agila, a body component, verify all wheel arches, that no component rubs against

    In the event that you have any additional questions about the Opel Agila, do not hesitate to consult our Opel Agila category.