Taking care of your car on a regular basis is the best thing you can do. Although conventional maintenance is designed to keep your Subaru Outback running smoothly over time, some unexpected breakdowns can add heavily to your annual car budget. In this article 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 written this content to help you in the event that you identify a burnt plastic smell originating from your Subaru Outback . To help you verify that it is nothing severe, first we will detail 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 Subaru Outback? .

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The different possible roots and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Subaru Outback

So we start our content with the different possible roots of burnt plastic smell on a Subaru Outback . Generally, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is hardly ever a good signal. Obviously, modern cars are full of it and it could be the sign of a major breakdown. Below we will talk about the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell:

  • Transmission oil: This is the most important possible source of such an odor. Obviously, 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. Nevertheless, in the long run, the oil will lose its performance and will not lubricate the auto parts and control the temperature as well, which will trigger the oil to overheat and thus give off that burnt plastic smell on your Subaru Outback. 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 made of rubber, will deteriorate and no longer rotate entirely on its axis. With the friction that this will trigger 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 Subaru Outback.
  • Defective hose wear: This circumstance happens specifically on Subaru Outback 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 believe will trigger the plastic auto 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 Subaru Outback’s that have suffered a small shock. Following a front or rear impact, wheel arches, bumpers or other plastic body auto 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 identify where the smell of burning plastic comes from on a Subaru Outback?

And now, to finish our content, we’re going to try to help you find the source of the smell of burnt plastic on your Subaru Outback . 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 problem quickly. If your Subaru Outback smells hot, don’t think twice to read our content on this topic.

  • Transmission oil: Nothing could be simpler, open your transmission oil cap (when cold) and verify 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 content to identify how to change the gearbox oil on a Subaru Outback.
  • 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 verify all your hoses to discover if any are frayed or melted. If this is the circumstance, replace them.
  • Body auto parts: Last but not least, the last element that can trigger the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Subaru Outback, a body part, verify all wheel arches, that no part rubs against

    To find more tips on the Subaru Outback, take a look at the Subaru Outback category.