Keeping an eye on your car on a regular basis is the best thing you can do. Although classic maintenance is supposed to keep your Renault Clio 3 running smoothly with time, some unexpected breakdowns can add heavily to your annual motor vehicle 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 made this content to help you in the event you detect a burnt plastic smell caused by your Renault Clio 3 . To help you check that it is nothing severe, first we will highlight the different things that can generate 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 Renault Clio 3? .
The different possible sources and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Renault Clio 3
So we commence our content with the different possible sources of burnt plastic smell on a Renault Clio 3 . Generally speaking, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is never a good sign. In fact, recent 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 main possible origin of such an odor. In fact, the action 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 action as a temperature regulator. However, as time passes, 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 Renault Clio 3. 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 decline and no longer rotate completely 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 unit block of your Renault Clio 3.
- Faulty hose wear: This case occurs especially on Renault Clio 3 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 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 problem is the breakage of the accessory belt.
- A body component: Less general, especially present on Renault Clio 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 as well pre-wear out your tyres.
How to identify where the smell of burning plastic originates from on a Renault Clio 3?
And now, to finish our content, we’re going to try to help you discover the origin of the smell of burnt plastic on your Renault Clio 3 . 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 Renault Clio 3 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 check that your oil is reddish in colour and fluid enough. If you discover debris inside, and it is darker, it’s time to change it. Do not hesitate to seek advice from our content to identify how to change the gearbox oil on a Renault Clio 3.
- 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 change it.
- Hoses: For hoses, you will need to visually check all your hoses to discover 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 cause the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Renault Clio 3, a body part, check all wheel arches, that no part rubs against
If you wish more tutorials on the Renault Clio 3, go to our Renault Clio 3 category.
