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Author Topic: Why are car makers removing the transmission dipstick?  (Read 387 times)

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Online Kamaji

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Why are car makers removing the transmission dipstick?
« on: January 04, 2026, 09:45:05 pm »
Why are car makers removing the transmission dipstick?

Story by Kiran Menon

There are two schools of thought behind cars no longer including a dipstick. Removing it helps to deter less mechanically-inclined owners from using the wrong transmission fluid and ruining their entire transmission. Plus, by not having to incorporate a dipstick, manufacturers can create transmissions with tighter tolerances, significantly reducing the chances of a leak — which is a big reason as to why new cars don't come with dipsticks. That's not to say those transmissions are fully immune to leaks, but they're less likely to be a common occurrence.

Proponents of the idea also argue that by removing the transmission dipstick, you're preventing the transmission from accumulating dust and moisture during overly-frequent checks. Granted, this argument could just as easily apply to an unkempt service center as it does to a modest driveway. Something that seems more convincing is how manufacturers, by removing the dipstick, save a few pennies on the production line. It might seem like corporate greed, but for mass-market items, those pennies add up to a lot of extra cash in the bank.

The omission of dipsticks might not sit well with folks who enjoy working on their cars. Although it can mean more dealer visits, the sealed transmission (as it's commonly called) is not necessarily anti-DIY – provided you have the right diagnostic equipment and the knowledge to use it correctly.

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Source:  https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/why-are-car-makers-removing-the-transmission-dipstick/ar-AA1TwbjT
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Offline DB

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Re: Why are car makers removing the transmission dipstick?
« Reply #1 on: January 04, 2026, 09:57:31 pm »
Like a sealed battery?

Technology marches on...
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Online cato potatoe

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Re: Why are car makers removing the transmission dipstick?
« Reply #2 on: January 04, 2026, 09:58:23 pm »
Because they are making cars out of plastic, with hideous and unreliable touch screens, and they expect you to trade at 100,000 miles.  I had to search for an independent shop to change the oil in a "sealed" transmission.  Evidently Lexus is not the company it was 20 years ago.
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Online Kamaji

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Re: Why are car makers removing the transmission dipstick?
« Reply #3 on: January 04, 2026, 10:01:13 pm »
Quote
The advancements of modern transmissions have helped eliminate the need for dipsticks, with sensors and software constantly communicating with the vehicle's ECU to keep everything under check. The fluids themselves have also come a long way, as advanced synthetic fluids can tolerate higher temperatures while offering improved oxidation and wear resistance. This translates to better longevity, which is evidenced by fluids in most modern transmissions lasting over 100,000 miles without any problems.
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Online cato potatoe

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Re: Why are car makers removing the transmission dipstick?
« Reply #4 on: January 04, 2026, 10:19:07 pm »
^ They tell me to wait 10,000 miles between engine oil changes, but I saw the black goop last time and it can't be good for the moving parts.  As for the transmission fluid, whatever they put in there is going to degrade over a few years.  Sealed for life means sealed for death, planned obsolescence.  Nobody wants to spend $7,000 on a new transmission when their car has 120,000 miles.

I just get the impression that everyone is building cheap garbage now.  I rode in a new S class the other day.  Every interior panel was plasticky and made squeaking noises when pressed.  Ugly touch screen protruding from the center console. The 2025 Lexus LS isn't nearly as comfortable or refined was what they were selling in 2006.
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Offline DB

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Re: Why are car makers removing the transmission dipstick?
« Reply #5 on: January 04, 2026, 11:12:45 pm »
How many dipsticks does a man need?
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Offline Smokin Joe

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Re: Why are car makers removing the transmission dipstick?
« Reply #6 on: January 04, 2026, 11:15:00 pm »
Because with many new cars, the dipstick is behind the steering wheel.
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Offline Wingnut

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Re: Why are car makers removing the transmission dipstick?
« Reply #7 on: January 04, 2026, 11:22:21 pm »
Quote from: Smokin Joe on January 04, 2026, 11:15:00 pm
Because with many new cars, the dipstick is behind the steering wheel.

 car's weakest part is the nut holding the steering wheel.
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Offline roamer_1

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Re: Why are car makers removing the transmission dipstick?
« Reply #8 on: January 04, 2026, 11:40:21 pm »
Quote from: DB on January 04, 2026, 09:57:31 pm
Like a sealed battery?


EXACTLY like that.

Quote
Technology marches on...


Yup. And it ain't where I want to go...
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Offline Smokin Joe

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Re: Why are car makers removing the transmission dipstick?
« Reply #9 on: January 05, 2026, 09:57:13 pm »
Quote from: roamer_1 on January 04, 2026, 11:40:21 pm
EXACTLY like that.

Yup. And it ain't where I want to go...
:beer:
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How God must weep at humans' folly! Stand fast! God knows what he is doing!
Seventeen Techniques for Truth Suppression

Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.

C S Lewis

Offline Wingnut

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Re: Why are car makers removing the transmission dipstick?
« Reply #10 on: January 05, 2026, 09:58:49 pm »
Quote from: DB on January 04, 2026, 11:12:45 pm
How many dipsticks does a man need?

Depends on the Tranny.
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Offline roamer_1

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Re: Why are car makers removing the transmission dipstick?
« Reply #11 on: January 05, 2026, 10:29:46 pm »
Quote from: Wingnut on January 05, 2026, 09:58:49 pm
Depends on the Tranny.

You're makin it weird again, Wings.
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Offline Wingnut

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Re: Why are car makers removing the transmission dipstick?
« Reply #12 on: January 05, 2026, 10:38:39 pm »
Quote from: roamer_1 on January 05, 2026, 10:29:46 pm
You're makin it weird again, Wings.

My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives.
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Offline DB

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Re: Why are car makers removing the transmission dipstick?
« Reply #13 on: January 05, 2026, 10:39:28 pm »
Quote from: Wingnut on January 05, 2026, 10:38:39 pm
My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives.

In other words, you are a leaky valve...
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Offline Wingnut

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Re: Why are car makers removing the transmission dipstick?
« Reply #14 on: January 05, 2026, 10:42:33 pm »
Quote from: DB on January 05, 2026, 10:39:28 pm
In other words, you are a leaky valve...

I do have to pee like Dr. Pepper. 10 2 and 4. AM
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Offline roamer_1

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Re: Why are car makers removing the transmission dipstick?
« Reply #15 on: January 06, 2026, 12:10:50 am »
Quote from: Wingnut on January 05, 2026, 10:38:39 pm
My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives.

That's all alright. But nobody wants to think about Depends on a tranny.
I won't get that pic out of my head for a while.
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Offline berdie

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Re: Why are car makers removing the transmission dipstick?
« Reply #16 on: January 06, 2026, 05:00:01 pm »
Just a question that there was no reason to start a new topic over...

Has anyone else noticed a BIG jump in prices for an oil change?  I had mine changed yesterday and it was $96!! I looked back and that was $25 higher than last year. I use a synthetic and I know that is more expensive. But good grief. I called around to see if it was just the facility I used. It seems to be the going price. :shrug:

Since I've retired I only drive about 2000 miles a year. To be fair, the manager of the oil change place told me the oil was clean and really didn't need to be changed. It hadn't outlived it's life. But I change it once a year just to be safe. I can't believe that hot/cold weather doesn't have an affect.
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