Taking care of your car at all times is the best thing you can do. Although conventional maintenance is designed to keep your Volkswagen Beetle running smoothly over time, some unpredicted breakdowns can add heavily to your annual motor vehicle budget. Today 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 made this article to help you in case you detect a burnt plastic smell caused by your Volkswagen Beetle . To help you check that it is nothing serious, first we will detail the different things that can create a burnt plastic smell on your motor vehicle, then, in a second step, how to find the source of this burnt plastic smell on your Volkswagen Beetle? .
The different possible roots and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Volkswagen Beetle
So we commence our content with the different possible roots of burnt plastic smell on a Volkswagen Beetle . In general, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is hardly ever a good sign. In truth, modern vehicles are full of it and it could be the sign of a important breakdown. Down 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 truth, 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 broken, it also has a second function as a temperature regulator. However, in the long run, the oil will lose its effectiveness and will not lubricate the auto parts and regulate the temperature as well, which will cause the oil to overheat and thus give off that burnt plastic smell on your Volkswagen Beetle. 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 degrade and no longer rotate completely 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 block of your Volkswagen Beetle.
- Faulty hose wear: This case arises especially on Volkswagen Beetle that are starting to get a few years old or that have stayed a long time without rolling. In reality, storing your car unlike what you might believe will cause the plastic auto parts to wear out more 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, especially present on Volkswagen Beetle’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 find out where the smell of burning plastic originates from on a Volkswagen Beetle?
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 Volkswagen Beetle . 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 resolve your problem quickly. If your Volkswagen Beetle smells hot, don’t hesitate to read 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 hesitate to seek advice from our article to find out how to change the gearbox oil on a Volkswagen Beetle.
- Accessory Belt: Visually check that your accessory belt is not in poor state, it might also produce a whistling sound if it is in poor state. Do not hesitate 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 auto parts: Last but not least, the last element that can cause the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Volkswagen Beetle, a body component, check all wheel arches, that no component rubs against
To find more tips on the Volkswagen Beetle, take a look at the Volkswagen Beetle category.
