Keeping an eye on your car at all times is the best thing you can do. Although standard maintenance is designed to keep your Renault Koleos running smoothly with time, some unpredicted breakdowns can add heavily to your annual car budget. Today we’re going to talk about your sense of smell, and the clues it can give you about a possible breakdown, that’s why our team has created this content to help you in the event that you detect a burnt plastic smell caused by your Renault Koleos . To help you check that it is nothing significant, first we will outline the different things that can produce a burnt plastic smell on your car, then, in a second step, how to find the source of this burnt plastic smell on your Renault Koleos? .

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The different possible sources and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Renault Koleos

So we start our guideline with the different possible sources of burnt plastic smell on a Renault Koleos . In general, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is hardly ever a good sign. In truth, modern vehicles are full of it and it could be the sign of a significant breakdown. 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 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 also has a second action as a temperature regulator. However, over time, the oil will lose its efficiency and will not lubricate the auto parts and control the temperature as well, which will bring about the oil to overheat and thus give off that burnt plastic smell on your Renault Koleos. 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 done of rubber, will decline and no longer rotate totally on its axis. With the friction that this will bring about 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 Renault Koleos.
  • Faulty hose wear: This case arises especially on Renault Koleos 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 bring about the plastic auto 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 may possibly melt. The risk of this problem is the breakage of the accessory belt.
  • A body component: Less general, especially present on Renault Koleos’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 originates from on a Renault Koleos?

And now, to finish our content, we’re going to try to help you find the origin of the smell of burnt plastic on your Renault Koleos . 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 issue quickly. If your Renault Koleos smells hot, don’t hesitate to read our content on this topic.

  • Transmission oil: Nothing could be easier, 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 replace it. Do not hesitate to seek advice from our content to find out how to change the gearbox oil on a Renault Koleos.
  • Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor condition, it may possibly also produce a whistling sound if it is in poor condition. Do not hesitate to replace 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, replace them.
  • Body auto parts: Last but not least, the last element that can bring about the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Renault Koleos, a body component, check all wheel arches, that no component rubs against

    If you have any further questions about the Renault Koleos, do not hesitate to consult our Renault Koleos category.