Taking care of your car on a regular basis is the best thing you can do. Nevertheless standard routine service is designed to keep your Volkswagen Golf 2 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 case you identify a burnt plastic smell caused by your Volkswagen Golf 2 . To help you check that it is nothing serious, 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 origin of this burnt plastic smell on your Volkswagen Golf 2? .

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The different possible origins and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Volkswagen Golf 2

So we begin our content page with the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell on a Volkswagen Golf 2 . In general, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is hardly ever a good indicator. In truth, modern cars are full of it and it could be the sign of a significant breakdown. Down below we will talk about the different possible origins of burnt plastic smell:

  • Transmission oil: This is the most important possible origin of such an odor. In truth, 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. However, in the long run, the oil will lose its performance and will not lubricate the 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 Volkswagen Golf 2. 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 mainly made 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 generate a strong smell of burnt plastic or rubber in the engine unit block of your Volkswagen Golf 2.
  • Faulty hose wear: This case occurs especially on Volkswagen Golf 2 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 presume will bring about 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 basic, especially present on Volkswagen Golf 2’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 Volkswagen Golf 2?

And now, to finish our content, we’re going to try to help you locate the origin of the smell of burnt plastic on your Volkswagen Golf 2 . Now that you know the different possible roots of this smell, we’ll just have to do some checks to get rid of the tracks that don’t concern you and fix your issue quickly. If your Volkswagen Golf 2 smells hot, don’t think twice to read our content on this topic.

  • Transmission oil: Nothing could be easier, 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 content to find out how to change the gearbox oil on a Volkswagen Golf 2.
  • 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 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 Volkswagen Golf 2, a body part, check all wheel arches, that no part rubs against

    If you have any further questions about the Volkswagen Golf 2, do not hesitate to consult our Volkswagen Golf 2 category.