Taking care of your car on a regular basis is the best thing you can do. Although conventional routine service is designed to keep your Volkswagen Polo running smoothly with time, some unforeseen breakdowns can add heavily to your annual car budget. In this article we’re going to speak about your sense of smell, and the clues it can give you about a possible breakdown, that’s why our team has created this content to help you in case you notice a burnt plastic smell caused by your Volkswagen Polo . To help you check that it is nothing significant, 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 cause of this burnt plastic smell on your Volkswagen Polo? .

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The different possible sources and risks of smell of burnt plastic on a Volkswagen Polo

So we start our article content with the different possible sources of burnt plastic smell on a Volkswagen Polo . Generally, noticing a plastic or rubber smell is hardly ever a good signal. 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 main possible source 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. Nevertheless, as time passes, 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 Volkswagen Polo. 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 decline 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 generate a strong smell of burnt plastic or rubber in the engine block of your Volkswagen Polo.
  • Faulty hose wear: This circumstance happens specifically on Volkswagen Polo that are starting to get a few years old or that have stayed a long time without rolling. In fact, storing your car contrary to what you might believe will trigger 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 problem is the breakage of the accessory belt.
  • A body component: Less common, specifically present on Volkswagen Polo’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 Volkswagen Polo?

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 Volkswagen Polo . 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 Volkswagen Polo smells hot, don’t hesitate to go through 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 find out debris inside, and it is darker, it’s time to replace it. Do not hesitate to consult our content to identify how to change the gearbox oil on a Volkswagen Polo.
  • 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 replace it.
  • Hoses: For hoses, you will need to visually check all your hoses to find out if any are frayed or melted. If this is the circumstance, change them.
  • Body auto parts: Last but not least, the last element that can trigger the smell of plastic or burnt rubber on your Volkswagen Polo, a body component, check all wheel arches, that no component rubs against

    To find more tips on the Volkswagen Polo, take a look at the Volkswagen Polo category.