All going away..

[GTyankee]

It could all change & become the same as Rolls Royce, the Hood or Bonnet has a RR lock on it, you can't open the hood, without voiding all warranties

 

[mikeru]

As already mentioned, lots of European brands no longer include an engine oil dipstick. You generally check the level using the infotainment system. At least that's how it's done on all three Audi's we've owned.

But there is still a dipstick tube. Or should I say an oil extraction tube. Dealership service techs from most of the brands @Riccochet mentioned no longer get under the car to drain the oil. It is all done from above using an extraction pump pulling oil from the dipstick tube. Many of them also have the oil filter mounted up high so it can also be removed from above. I will also mention that there are aftermarket companies that make dipsticks for most of the cars that don't come with one, which allows you to add it yourself. It's really not a big deal.

 

[turkeybird56]

You still add oil and change the oil. You just can't read the oil level from under the hood - you have to read it from the EVIC now.

I have as much faith in a bs oil sensor to tell a level as I do with gas gauges and all such. Just IMHO I do not need my truck to tell me when to do stuff lol. But maybe I am showing my age but I will not change. I is a Boird after all lol

 

[Rbertalotto]

BMW, Audi, Porsche have not had dip sticks for years.....Most look at them anyways....Fill with gas...GO!

 

[Neomoritate]

I have as much faith in a bs oil sensor to tell a level as I do with gas gauges and all such. Just IMHO I do not need my truck to tell me when to do stuff lol. But maybe I am showing my age but I will not change. I is a Boird after all lol

If you don't need your truck to tell you when to do stuff, how do you know when to refuel?

 

[Docwagon1776]

As long as they don't go to one of those viewports with an internal wiper...

 

[turkeybird56]

If you don't need your truck to tell you when to do stuff, how do you know when to refuel?

Truck moves about 20 miles a week, think I be good, LOL. And, it still does not talk to me, LOL. I remember when the Toyota Supra's first came out in the 80's with the door alarm (your door is ajar). The running joke was my car door is a door, not a jar, lol.

 

[Dodge 1500 4X4]

The running joke was my car door is a door, not a jar, lol.

Thats why we Love the Boird!!! Now it's in a Candle.

 

[06 Dodge]

If you don't need your truck to tell you when to do stuff, how do you know when to refuel?

Its not hard to figure out by miles traveled if you use a low to mid mpg number, heck I drove a truck for 2 years without a fuel gauge and I never once ran out of fuel..

 

[huntergreen]

So, we are now going to depend on an oil level sensor built by the lowest bidder in Taiwan. What could go wrong ?

 

[Jimmy07]

So, we are now going to depend on an oil level sensor built by the lowest bidder in Taiwan. What could go wrong ?

Probably the same thing that always goes wrong with all of the other sensors on the truck (and other vehicles for that matter).

 

[PolarisCobra]

I know lots of family members and friends who NEVER pull out the dipstick. The assume that the engine doesn't use oil, no need. Just take it in for oil changes when the light comes on. This is probably done partly to protect the engine and warranty. Get a light on when it's a bit low, and maybe even shut the motor down before it burns up.

I my automotive classes in high school, our teacher, who was very good, and old school drilled into us that we needed to open the hood once a week, check the 'oil, water and battery'. Also top off the washer fluid as needed. I still do it as least once a month, but I know that most people don't, and probably could not figure out how to get the hood open.

 

[Hagar1]

The "no dipstick" thing is a cost saving idea. Probably about 10 to 25 cents per vehicle or perhaps even less. Think about 10 cents on a million vehicles....

 

[Riccochet]

The "no dipstick" thing is a cost saving idea. Probably about 10 to 25 cents per vehicle or perhaps even less. Think about 10 cents on a million vehicles....

Or they know that 95% of people never use the dipstick, or even know how to use it, regardless of it being there or not. And having a warning/level pop up on the EVIC gets people's attention. Sure the dipstick is cheap, but the sensor they're replacing it with costs more.

 

[Hagar1]

Or they know that 95% of people never use the dipstick, or even know how to use it, regardless of it being there or not. And having a warning/level pop up on the EVIC gets people's attention. Sure the dipstick is cheap, but the sensor they're replacing it with costs more.

If they are changing out the dipstick with an electronic device, I can guarantee that the electronics are in fact cheaper. Everything going into a vehicle is based on price.
There was a time when the decision to increase the cost by 1 cent to build a vehicle, was done at a very high level within the company.

 

[mikeru]

I doubt it was a cost savings measure. As mentioned, there is added complexity with the sensor, associated wiring, and coding. No way that costs less than a dipstick. I suspect the decision came from the Europeans at the top of Stellantis because people generally don't check their oil on a regular basis. With a dipstick only, there is no warning that the oil level is low until the oil pressure drops below a threshold. At that point it's almost too late, as damage can happen at that point. The oil light is a last resort. But the oil monitoring system informs you when the oil level is a quart down. Generally giving you time to drive someplace to get oil or have it looked at. Given a choice I'd much rather have the oil level monitor AND a dipstick.

Those of you complaining about a sensor that can fail must be ignoring the other hundreds of sensors these trucks have LOL.

 

[skates15]

BMW, Audi, Porsche have not had dip sticks for years.....Most look at them anyways....Fill with gas...GO!

Correct

 

[Marshall]

Some people would not know what the red light is either, a case yrs back, new Chev van lady had, she lost the filter some how, check eng. light came on, but she did not know what it was,
so she drove it till it stopped, next day , She did not get warranty on the motor.

 

[mikeru]

I could maybe see that back in the days when OBD was new. But there's no excuse for that now. IMO if someone doesn't know what a CEL is they should not be driving.

 

[Docwagon1776]

Some people would not know what the red light is either, a case yrs back, new Chev van lady had, she lost the filter some how, check eng. light came on, but she did not know what it was,
so she drove it till it stopped, next day , She did not get warranty on the motor.

If you make something idiot proof, someone will build a better idiot. That's simply the way of the world, but you can't cater to that demographic and remain relevant to everyone else.