Why the reliable dipstick is sliding into obsolescence

[kscarbel2]

Automotive News  /  July 7, 2024

Call it the case of the disappearing dipstick.

Stellantis [FCA] customers with the new Hurricane twin-turbo six-cylinder engine in their Jeep SUVs and Ram pickups may be in for a surprise when they open the hood to check the oil.

The dipstick, an appendage poking out the side of the cylinder block of nearly every American automobile engine for a century, is gone.

It has been replaced by an oil level measuring system that uses a sensor mounted vertically in the oil pan. The sensor transmits data that can be accessed on the car’s touchscreen in the center of the dash — similar to the method used in many European luxury cars for more than a decade.

In an era when automakers are working to rein in ballooning costs, why would they replace a no-tech commodity such as a dipstick, essentially a thin, flat piece of flexible metal with a plastic grip that likely costs pennies to make, with a more expensive system that contains a sensor, wiring, lines of code and added computing power? 

“Today’s consumer does not prioritize manually checking the oil level. With a sensor, that info is presented to them every time they turn on the ignition. This is customer-focused engineering,” said Stellantis spokesperson Dale Jewett.

Mercedes-Benz makes no passenger vehicles with dipsticks. “With digital oil level measurement, customers can easily monitor their vehicle’s oil level in their vehicle’s driver display and receive timely alerts if oil level is outside normal limits. This proactive approach helps to avert potential engine damage,” says Mercedes-Benz USA spokesperson Andrew Brudnicki.

 “Moreover, the accuracy of the oil measurement is not reliant on a person’s expertise. Digital measurement eliminates the risk of human error as external factors that can result in misinterpretation of the oil level. For example, if the vehicle is not on a level surface, differences in cold and warm measurement, the angle at which the dipstick is viewed,” he added.

“Manufacturers don’t really want the driver, their customers, under the hood anymore. A lot of cars now are hybrid and have high voltage and there’s a higher safety concern,” said Michael Crossen at Consumer Reports.

“You also have the scenario where the customer does check the oil with the dipstick and maybe it is a little low,” he  said. “And they want to top it off. The customer could overfill it, which isn’t great. And a lot of cars are requiring very specific oil. Manufacturers don’t want someone just dumping in whatever they have laying around.”

Crossen said optics might also be playing a role in the dipstick’s dismissal. Except for the yellow plastic grip, which is meant to make the dipstick easy to locate in the engine bay, the flexible metal rod has not changed much in a century. A dipstick, he said, is archaic and out of context in modern cars loaded with electronics that present information about the health of a vehicle at the touch of a button or with a screen icon. 

“The customer has to pop the hood. They might get their hands dirty. It’s not the modern way of doing things,” he said. “So, there’s a perception of ‘Hey, look what I can do from my center screen.’ ”

Mercedes-Benz went dipstick-less in 2018. Most BMWs have dispensed with them. “The value in the tech is that it more accurately measures and monitors vehicle oil with appropriate warnings,” said Mini spokesperson Andrew Cutler. 

“Newer connected vehicles also provide alerts to customers via their vehicle app and can also assist with scheduling of service appointments. Dealers can also tailor service programs and activities based on the vehicle/customer needs with connected car data,” he added in an email. 

The 2025 Ram 1500 is the first internal combustion powered pickup without a dipstick. While computerized oil level monitoring technology might be valued by drivers of upscale import brand vehicles, it’s a different story based on early feedback from Ram truck drivers, said Tim Esterdahl, host of “Pickup Truck Talk” on YouTube and TikTok. A recent video focusing on the Ram’s dipstick disappearance garnered 3.3 million TikTok views. On YouTube, that same clip provoked 266 comments — nearly all negative.

“Even if most pickup guys don’t check and change their oil, they will want the opportunity to do it. They don’t trust technology and they don’t trust sensors. Even though BMW has done it for years, pickup drivers don’t care. And they are irate,” Esterdahl said.

“You always want to have a mechanical way to check the oil, which is what a dipstick basically does. There are so many trust factors involved in a computer system and they are so complex,” he said. “All the guys I am talking to can’t wait for an aftermarket dipstick to be added.”

But the dipstick dismissal in the Ram’s Hurricane engine may not be a bad thing, said Dave Bell, a master technician in Utah. “It’s amazing to me how many people actually don’t even know how to check their oil. I mean, they buy a $50,000 car or truck and they never even check their oil,” he told Automotive News.

Bell said many drivers have been lulled into ignoring their engine’s oil because manufacturers have extended oil change intervals to as much as 15,000 miles, and because oil quality monitors tell them when to change the oil. 

“People have this misconception in that they think, ‘I’ve got oil in there, I don’t have to check it.’ But engines burn oil. As long as there is a reliable [oil] level sensor in there — and I stress the word reliable — I wouldn’t have any problem with them if they work correctly. Maybe people would pay more attention to a warning that came on saying they’re a quart low,” said Bell, whose shop derives a significant amount of its revenue from rebuilding failed, worn-out, abused and neglected gasoline and diesel pickup engines.

In vehicles with dipsticks, no record of the oil level is kept in the car’s engine computer. Low oil pressure, often caused by low oil levels, triggers a trouble code that is stored in the car’s computer and a check-engine light to alert the driver to a potential problem. But an engine can have a crankcase with the proper amount of oil and also have low oil pressure. That can be caused by a failing oil pump, debris in the oil pickup tube, a stuck pressure relief valve or another problem that reduces the flow of oil through the engine.

Now the Hurricane engine has the electronic infrastructure in place to store oil level information. That could make a significant difference in determining the cause of engine failures and the expensive warranty claims that often accompany them. 

If Stellantis and the other automakers that have dispensed with the dipstick are retaining oil level data, they are not talking about it publicly. BMW and Mercedes-Benz refused to comment on how the data is tracked. Stellantis said oil level data for the Hurricane engine is not stored or tracked.

Typical leases run three years. But powertrain warranties are usually longer. The Hurricane engine, for example, has a five-year or 60,000-mile warranty. Ignoring oil change intervals or using the wrong oil could cause problems long after the vehicle is returned at the end of the lease. Closer oil monitoring, along with strong warnings might prevent damage, such as sludge buildup that can choke off the flow of oil and destroy an engine.

Some vehicles store lifetime fuel economy data. Bell said automakers could easily collect and retain a vehicle’s lifetime oil data, too: “They could gather that information for the life of the vehicle and store it on a chip.”

[The Heinz]

Anything made during and after Covid times has been exceptionally unreliable, it isn't just Volvo running things down, it's everywhere. Recalls have always been existed, but we're seeing a ton of warranty work everywhere. That being said, Chrysler never had a good reputation when it came to electrical systems, and I say that as a MOPAR fan. I've had sensors fail on my 2016 Ram 1500, so why would I trust my truck to tell me what my oil level was? Their spokespeople can say what they want, the main goal of removing the dipstick was to make people have it serviced at their dealerships. The 8HP70 transmission in my truck has been reliable for over 200k miles, but it is a sealed unit just like this new Hurricane engine, and is so much of a pain to service that it's best for me to have my transmission shop service it for me. This engine is also apparently really difficult to work on; I was told that replacing the thermostat was an absolute pain, and while I have no proof other than what I've heard online, I believe them. Looking up a picture of the engine, it's difficult to find any of the major parts I would look for while inspecting it at a car lot. I'll pass on this engine, not like I could afford anything newer than a 1996 Honda Civic at this point anyways. 

[Freightrain]

Like tire sensors, they are a pain in the ass when they constantly fail.  But, every tire still has a valve stem which allows a person to check the level(or put air in).

 

 

My GFs 2009 Liberty eats tire sensors like candy at $100 each.  We gave up years ago and just put up with the constant "tire light" on the dash.  Smdh.

[70mackMB]

kscarbel2 thank you for the info. So they have removed the dipstick from the motor. Because of the dipsh!t behind the wheel. Got it!   And Larry yes, 100% agree on the tire valve stem.    .....Hippy

[BOBWhite]

I swear dealers and shops are behind this and want to make it as hard as possible to change oil. I changed the oil in my Corolla yesterday and it has previously been to a shop, the filter and the plug were horribly tight! I get someone over tightening a plug, but why a filter?! 

Anyways I still prefer the petcock style lol

 

 

[kscarbel2]

19 hours ago, BOBWhite said:

I swear dealers and shops are behind this and want to make it as hard as possible to change oil. I changed the oil in my Corolla yesterday and it has previously been to a shop, the filter and the plug were horribly tight! I get someone over tightening a plug, but why a filter?! 

Anyways I still prefer the petcock style lol

 

 

I've been using Fumoto oil drain valves, in place of drain plugs, since 1983. I have them on all my vehicles, small and large, and my Deere tractors. One finger to open the valve lever. You can attach a hose to the valve. It eliminates all the mess........puts you in control.

[Freightrain]

I remember my new 96 F350.  I went to do the first oil change and I literally had to destroy the oil filter to get it off.  The factory puts them on dry and tight!!  No leaks allowed.

[Geoff Weeks]

51 minutes ago, Freightrain said:

I remember my new 96 F350.  I went to do the first oil change and I literally had to destroy the oil filter to get it off.  The factory puts them on dry and tight!!  No leaks allowed.

When I was working at a dealership, we all hated the 1st oil change. I think it was the factory installed the filter dry (no lube on the gasket) and the metal was clean, caused the rubber gasket to bond to the metal. In some cases it took stripping away the metal "can" and filter element to gain access to the filter base plate, sticking a blunt punch in an air hammer and beating the baseplate loose. Yeah, do that in book time" ! 

 If we saw a white painted filter with no markings, we knew we were in for a fight. 

[Freightrain]

Mine was painted grey like the engine.