Goodbye Engine Oil Dipsticks

MouldyOldDough

Who would have thought that engine oil dipsticks would go the way of transmission dipsticks ??

Mercedes, BMW, Audi, and some Ford, Cadillac, Lincoln, Chevrolet, Chrysler, and Mazda models, plus others, have eliminated the dipsticks from their vehicles......

Why would they do this - except for financial reasons - ie) To ensure that we, as customers are forced to take our vehicles to dealers/garages to get oil levels checked ?

Mark_d

Yes.  New cars are so full of electronics and computers that you need to go to a dealer when something goes wrong.  Gone are the days when you could sort problems yourself with a bit of know-how and a toolbox.

Typhoon2000

A Mercedes I had over 20 years ago didnt have a dip stick. You checked the oils level from inside the car on the dashboard board. Don’t think it’s anything new.

Car_54

Typhoon2000 said:

A Mercedes I had over 20 years ago didnt have a dip stick. You checked the oils level from inside the car on the dashboard board. Don’t think it’s anything new.

Indeed. And I don't think anything Cadillac, Lincoln, Chevrolet and Chrysler do will have much effect on the UK motorist.

400ixl

I can read the oil level from dashboard which is far more convenient than having to open the bonnet. I can if I so wish buy a dipstick and fit it, the ability to do this is still there for many cars.

But why would I want to stay in the 90's?

As they now read it with sensors so that it can be read in real time and relayed to the mothership as needed, there is little point in adding an analogue system as well.

The world moves on, some people don't.

MouldyOldDough

400ixl said:

I can read the oil level from dashboard which is far more convenient than having to open the bonnet. I can if I so wish buy a dipstick and fit it, the ability to do this is still there for many cars.

But why would I want to stay in the 90's?

As they now read it with sensors so that it can be read in real time and relayed to the mothership as needed, there is little point in adding an analogue system as well.

The world moves on, some people don't.

Where would you fit your aftermarket stick?

molerat

My current car tells me "Oil level OK" every time I start from cold (not sure how it figures out when to display that message, just know it is not every start) but still has a dip stick.

My 1985 car had a sensor on the end of the dip stick.

WellKnownSid

Makes sense. 99.9% of customers never check their oil level. Why fit something that only the 0.1% of customers will use?

Rob5342

I had a 2006 car that displayed oil ok on the dashboard so it's nothing new. Cars have had petrol gauges and brake fluid sensors for decades so an oil level sensor isn't much different really. Having said that I still like to have a nose under the bonnet every week or so, there's no fan belt looks a little bit frayed or radiator cap has.a slight leak sensor. 

Grumpy_chap

MouldyOldDough said:

Mercedes, BMW, Audi, and some Ford, Cadillac, Lincoln, Chevrolet, Chrysler, and Mazda models, plus others, have eliminated the dipsticks from their vehicles......

Have you copied that from a US based article?

EssexExile

It's great, I haven't opened the bonnet in years.