Keeping an eye on your car on a regular basis is the best thing you can do. Although conventional maintenance is designed to keep your Opel Corsa running smoothly over time, some unexpected 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 malfunction, that’s why our team has written this content page to help you in case you notice a burnt plastic smell originating from your Opel Corsa . To help you verify that it is nothing serious, first we will highlight the different things that can produce a burnt plastic smell on your car, then, in a second step, how to locate the origin of this burnt plastic smell on your Opel Corsa? .

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The different possible sources and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Opel Corsa

So we start our guideline with the different possible sources of burnt plastic smell on a Opel Corsa . Generally speaking, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is hardly ever a good indicator. In truth, modern cars are full of it and it could be the sign of a important 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 truth, the objective 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 also has a second objective as a temperature regulator. Nevertheless, in the long run, the oil will lose its performance and will not lubricate the auto 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 Opel Corsa. 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 decline and no longer rotate completely on its axis. With the friction that this will bring about the plastic will heat up and burn out, this reaction will create a strong smell of burnt plastic or rubber in the engine unit block of your Opel Corsa.
  • Faulty hose wear: This circumstance arises specifically on Opel Corsa that are starting to get a few years old or that have stayed a long time without rolling. In reality, storing your car unlike what you might think will bring about the plastic auto parts to wear out more 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 common, specifically present on Opel Corsa’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 also pre-wear out your tyres.

How to identify where the smell of burning plastic comes from on a Opel Corsa?

And now, to finish our content page, we’re going to try to help you locate the origin of the smell of burnt plastic on your Opel Corsa . 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 resolve your problem quickly. If your Opel Corsa smells hot, don’t hesitate to browse our content page on this topic.

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

    If you need more tutorials on the Opel Corsa, go to our Opel Corsa category.