Keeping an eye on your car at all times is the best thing you can do. Nevertheless standard maintenance is supposed to keep your Renault Trafic running smoothly with time, some unpredicted breakdowns can add heavily to your annual car budget. Today we’re going to look at your sense of smell, and the clues it can give you about a possible malfunction, that’s why our team has created this article to help you in case you identify a burnt plastic smell originating from your Renault Trafic . 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 car, then, in a second step, how to locate the source of this burnt plastic smell on your Renault Trafic? .
The different possible sources and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Renault Trafic
So we commence our content page with the different possible sources of burnt plastic smell on a Renault Trafic . In general, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is never a good signal. In truth, 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 source of such an odor. In truth, 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 as well has a second function as a temperature regulator. Nevertheless, with time, the oil will lose its performance and will not lubricate the parts and regulate the temperature as well, which will bring about the oil to overheat and thus give off that burnt plastic smell on your Renault Trafic. 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 principally done of rubber, will deteriorate 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 block of your Renault Trafic.
- Defective hose wear: This case arises specifically on Renault Trafic that are starting to get a few years old or that have stayed a long time without rolling. In reality, storing your car contrary to what you might presume will bring about the plastic 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 might melt. The risk of this issue is the breakage of the accessory belt.
- A body component: Less common, specifically present on Renault Trafic’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 comes from on a Renault Trafic?
And now, to finish our article, we’re going to try to help you locate the source of the smell of burnt plastic on your Renault Trafic . 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 solve your problem quickly. If your Renault Trafic smells hot, don’t think twice to browse 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 discover debris inside, and it is darker, it’s time to change it. Do not think twice to consult our article to find out how to change the gearbox oil on a Renault Trafic.
- Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor condition, it might also produce a whistling sound if it is in poor condition. Do not think twice 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 parts: Last but not least, the last element that can bring about the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Renault Trafic, a body part, check all wheel arches, that no part rubs against
If you have any further questions about the Renault Trafic, do not hesitate to consult our Renault Trafic category.
