Those who already have grey hair (or don’t even have grey hair) and are followers of the motor world, will surely know what the rod of theoil. This is a mythical element housed in the engine compartment that has a specific function and was very important a few years ago. This dipstick, when removed, allows us to see the level of engine oil and know if it is necessary to put more. You could also see by the color of the oil if there was something wrong or if it needed replacing. And we speak in the past tense because this could be coming to an end.
The days of exposed mechanics that allowed the user to make all kinds of modifications without having to disassemble anything are long gone. However, now the engines are much more covered and less accessibleit is difficult for a private individual to carry out maintenance. Everything is relegated to the official service, which has the necessary tools to carry out any operation. All this has reached the point where some cars no longer have the mythical oil dipstick, which You can’t even see that.
In the United States some models of Jeep and Ram that mount the Hurricane enginea 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline six-cylinder engine that replaced the HEMI, do not have the dipstick. Instead of using that traditional, mechanical method, they have a crankcase mounted sensor which allows you to see the oil level precisely. However, not visually as until now, but from the car’s touch screen. Something a bit contradictory considering the cost reduction, since this sensor will be more expensive than the metal dipstick.
The manufacturer claims that few people check the oil manually these days and that it is a useful solution. Mercedes and BMW do the same, as they have advantages in this regard. alert when levels are not adequateThe fact is that manufacturers don’t seem to want users to touch the engine at all. With the arrival of hybrids and electric cars, it’s not so necessary, but it was a possibility. Now they even separate the place where you pour the windshield washer fluid so that you don’t even have to open the hood. Should we rely so much on electronics or is the old way better?
Because there is also the debate about whether manufacturers have removed the oil dipstick retain level data and the problem of data protection. Other users even do not trust and believe that cars with sensors will recommend that they change the oil earlier than necessary. At a legal level, the brands could void the warranty in the event of misuse and that data could also be used. Many unknowns in the face of a decision that will bring controversy.
