Keeping an eye on your car at all times is the best thing you can do. Although conventional routine service is designed to keep your Vauxkhall Astra 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 malfunction, that’s why our team has made this content to help you in case you identify a burnt plastic smell coming from your Vauxkhall Astra . To help you verify that it is nothing significant, first we will outline the different things that can generate a burnt plastic smell on your car, then, in a second step, how to discover the cause of this burnt plastic smell on your Vauxkhall Astra? .
The different possible origins and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Vauxkhall Astra
So we start our article with the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell on a Vauxkhall Astra . In general, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is hardly ever a good signal. In actual fact, recent vehicles are full of it and it could be the sign of a significant malfunction. 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. In actual fact, 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 broken, it also has a second function as a temperature regulator. However, 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 bring about the oil to overheat and thus give off that burnt plastic smell on your Vauxkhall Astra. 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 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 Vauxkhall Astra.
- Faulty hose wear: This case arises especially on Vauxkhall Astra 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 think will bring about 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 may possibly melt. The risk of this issue is the breakage of the accessory belt.
- A body component: Less common, especially present on Vauxkhall Astra’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 comes from on a Vauxkhall Astra?
And now, to finish our content, we’re going to try to help you discover the source of the smell of burnt plastic on your Vauxkhall Astra . 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 issue quickly. If your Vauxkhall Astra smells hot, don’t think twice to browse 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 see debris inside, and it is darker, it’s time to change it. Do not think twice to seek advice from our content to find out how to change the gearbox oil on a Vauxkhall Astra.
- Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor state, it may possibly also produce 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 see if any are frayed or melted. If this is the case, change them.
- Body auto parts: Last but not least, the last element that can bring about the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Vauxkhall Astra, a body part, verify all wheel arches, that no part rubs against
To discover more tips on the Vauxkhall Astra, take a look at the Vauxkhall Astra category.
