Taking care of your car permanently is the best thing you can do. Nevertheless conventional routine service is supposed to keep your Porsche 911 running smoothly over time, some unforeseen breakdowns can add heavily to your annual motor vehicle 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 made this content page to help you in the event you detect a burnt plastic smell caused by your Porsche 911 . 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 motor vehicle, then, in a second step, how to find the source of this burnt plastic smell on your Porsche 911? .

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The different possible roots and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Porsche 911

So we commence our article content with the different possible roots of burnt plastic smell on a Porsche 911 . In general, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is hardly ever a good indicator. In fact, recent cars are full of it and it could be the sign of a important breakdown. Below we will review 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 components of your gearbox so that all the gears and pinions are not damaged, it also has a second function as a temperature regulator. However, in the long run, the oil will lose its efficiency and will not lubricate the parts and regulate the temperature as well, which will trigger the oil to overheat and thus give off that burnt plastic smell on your Porsche 911. 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 done 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 produce a strong smell of burnt plastic or rubber in the engine unit block of your Porsche 911.
  • Defective hose wear: This circumstance happens specifically on Porsche 911 that are starting to get a few years old or that have stayed a long time without rolling. In fact, storing your car contrary to what you might think will trigger the plastic parts to wear out more 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 might melt. The risk of this problem is the breakage of the accessory belt.
  • A body component: Less general, specifically present on Porsche 911’s that have suffered a small shock. Following a front or rear impact, wheel arches, bumpers or other plastic body parts that might have been bent might 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 originates from on a Porsche 911?

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 Porsche 911 . 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 solve your issue quickly. If your Porsche 911 smells hot, don’t think twice to browse our content page 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 see 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 Porsche 911.
  • Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor state, it might 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 verify all your hoses to see if any are frayed or melted. If this is the circumstance, change them.
  • Body parts: Last but not least, the last element that can trigger the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Porsche 911, a body part, verify all wheel arches, that no part rubs against

    In the event that you have any additional questions about the Porsche 911, do not hesitate to consult our Porsche 911 category.