Keeping an eye on your car all the time is the best thing you can do. Nevertheless classic routine service is supposed to keep your Opel Zafira 3 running smoothly over time, some unexpected breakdowns can add heavily to your annual motor vehicle budget. Today 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 caused by your Opel Zafira 3 . To help you verify that it is nothing serious, first we will detail the different things that can produce a burnt plastic smell on your motor vehicle, then, in a second step, how to discover the source of this burnt plastic smell on your Opel Zafira 3? .
The different possible sources and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Opel Zafira 3
So we begin our content with the different possible sources of burnt plastic smell on a Opel Zafira 3 . Generally speaking, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is never a good signal. Obviously, modern cars are full of it and it could be the sign of a major 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. Obviously, 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 damaged, it also has a second objective as a temperature regulator. However, with time, the oil will lose its efficiency and will not lubricate the auto parts and regulate the temperature as well, which will trigger the oil to overheat and thus give off that burnt plastic smell on your Opel Zafira 3. 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 specifically done of rubber, will decline 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 unit block of your Opel Zafira 3.
- Defective hose wear: This case arises specifically on Opel Zafira 3 that are starting to get a few years old or that have stayed a long time without rolling. In reality, storing your vehicle contrary to what you might think will trigger the plastic auto parts to wear out more fairly quickly. Hoses are the first to be affected 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 possibly melt. The risk of this problem is the breakage of the accessory belt.
- A body component: Less basic, specifically present on Opel Zafira 3’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 also pre-wear out your tyres.
How to find out where the smell of burning plastic comes from on a Opel Zafira 3?
And now, to finish our content, we’re going to try to help you discover the source of the smell of burnt plastic on your Opel Zafira 3 . 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 issue quickly. If your Opel Zafira 3 smells hot, don’t think twice 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 change it. Do not think twice to consult our content to find out how to change the gearbox oil on a Opel Zafira 3.
- Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor state, it may possibly also produce a whistling sound if it is in poor state. Do not think twice to change 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, change them.
- Body auto parts: Last but not least, the last element that can trigger the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Opel Zafira 3, a body part, verify all wheel arches, that no part rubs against
If you need more guides on the Opel Zafira 3, go to our Opel Zafira 3 category.
