pIt seems counterintuitive: Replacing a simple, trusty, low-tech part with costly sensors to measure oil. But this is why some automakers are going that route./p
Stellantis 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.
“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. “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.”
Because the Hurricane engine operates at higher temperatures, using oil with the proper viscosity and maintaining the correct level are crucial to the engine’s long-term reliability. Oil does more than lubricate fast-moving internal parts such as bearings, rings and camshafts. It also helps keep those parts cool.
Mercedes-Benz went dipstick-less in 2018. Most BMWs and all Minis 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. “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.”
“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 level sensor in there — and I stress the word reliable — I wouldn’t have any problem with them if they work correctly.
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