Taking care of your car on daily basis is the best thing you can do. Nevertheless conventional routine service is supposed to keep your Renault Scenic running smoothly with time, some unexpected breakdowns can add heavily to your annual motor vehicle budget. Today we’re going to speak about your sense of smell, and the clues it can give you about a possible breakdown, that’s why our team has made this article to help you in case you identify a burnt plastic smell coming from your Renault Scenic . To help you check that it is nothing severe, 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 find the origin of this burnt plastic smell on your Renault Scenic? .

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

So we commence our content page with the different possible sources of burnt plastic smell on a Renault Scenic . In general, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is never a good sign. In fact, modern cars are full of it and it could be the sign of a important breakdown. 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 elements of your gearbox so that all the gears and pinions are not damaged, it as well has a second action as a temperature regulator. Nevertheless, as time passes, the oil will lose its performance and will not lubricate the 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 Scenic. 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 degrade and no longer rotate entirely 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 block of your Renault Scenic.
  • Faulty hose wear: This case happens specifically on Renault Scenic that are starting to get a few years old or that have stayed a long time without rolling. In fact, storing your car unlike what you might believe will bring about the plastic 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 might melt. The risk of this issue is the breakage of the accessory belt.
  • A body component: Less general, specifically present on Renault Scenic’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 as well pre-wear out your tyres.

How to find out where the smell of burning plastic originates from on a Renault Scenic?

And now, to finish our article, we’re going to try to help you find the origin of the smell of burnt plastic on your Renault Scenic . Now that you know the different possible origins of this smell, we’ll just have to do some checks to eliminate the tracks that don’t concern you and fix your issue quickly. If your Renault Scenic smells hot, don’t hesitate to go through our article on this topic.

  • Transmission oil: Nothing could be simpler, open your transmission oil cap (when cold) and check that your oil is reddish in colour and fluid enough. If you find out debris inside, and it is darker, it’s time to replace it. Do not hesitate to seek advice from our article to find out how to change the gearbox oil on a Renault Scenic.
  • Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor condition, it might also make 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 find out if any are frayed or melted. If this is the case, replace them.
  • Body parts: Last but not least, the last element that can bring about the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Renault Scenic, a body component, check all wheel arches, that no component rubs against

    If you wish more tutorials on the Renault Scenic, go to our Renault Scenic category.