Keeping an eye on your car at all times is the best thing you can do. Although standard routine service is designed to keep your Renault Zoe running smoothly with time, some unpredicted breakdowns can add heavily to your annual car budget. Today we’re going to speak about your sense of smell, and the clues it can give you about a possible malfunction, that’s why our team has written this content page to help you in the event you identify a burnt plastic smell caused by your Renault Zoe . To help you verify that it is nothing severe, first we will outline the different things that can create 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 Zoe? .
The different possible sources and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Renault Zoe
So we start our guideline with the different possible sources of burnt plastic smell on a Renault Zoe . In general, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is hardly ever a good signal. In fact, modern vehicles are full of it and it could be the sign of a significant malfunction. Down below we will review the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell:
- Transmission oil: This is the most important possible source of such an odor. In fact, the function 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 also has a second function as a temperature regulator. However, as time passes, the oil will lose its performance and will not lubricate the parts and regulate the temperature as well, which will cause the oil to overheat and thus give off that burnt plastic smell on your Renault Zoe. 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 specifically done of rubber, will deteriorate and no longer rotate entirely 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 Zoe.
- Faulty hose wear: This case arises specifically on Renault Zoe 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 cause the plastic parts to wear out more fairly quickly. Hoses are the first to be impacted 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 Zoe’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 comes from on a Renault Zoe?
And now, to finish our content page, we’re going to try to help you locate the source of the smell of burnt plastic on your Renault Zoe . Now that you know the different possible roots of this smell, we’ll just have to do some checks to eliminate the tracks that don’t concern you and solve your issue quickly. If your Renault Zoe smells hot, don’t think twice to read 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 find out 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 Renault Zoe.
- 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 find out if any are frayed or melted. If this is the case, change them.
- Body parts: Last but not least, the last element that can cause the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Renault Zoe, a body component, verify all wheel arches, that no component rubs against
In the event that you have any additional questions about the Renault Zoe, do not hesitate to consult our Renault Zoe category.
