Dipsticks: High-Tech Cars Are Making DIY Maintenance a Thing of the Past

With the presence of sleek dashboards, AI-assisted driving, and touch-sensitive controls, one of the oldest tools in basic car maintenance is quietly disappearing: the oil dipstick.

Once a simple, reliable feature of every vehicle’s engine, the humble dipstick is being phased out by automakers like BMW and Mercedes-Benz. In its place? Digital oil monitoring systems designed to give real-time feedback to drivers with the swipe of a screen or the ping of an alert.

Gone are the days of wiping off the metal rod, dipping it in, and checking if the oil reaches the line. Now, your car’s infotainment system tells you exactly how much oil is needed—and even warns you when it’s time to refill.

What’s New?

Manufacturers argue this evolution is more about convenience than cost-cutting. According to them, modern car owners are less inclined to open the hood and more reliant on smart systems. “It’s a shift in consumer behavior,” one auto engineer explained. “People want precision, automation, and no guesswork.”

Indeed, the new systems offer a level of accuracy dipsticks never could. Instead of estimating how much oil to add, the vehicle now tells you: Add exactly 0.5 liters. That’s a win for those wary of DIY car care.

But not everyone is thrilled.

Peter Nelson of The Drive recently tested the oil monitoring system in a 2021 Toyota GR Supra 3.0 and found it “vague and slow.” After adding just enough oil to meet the minimum threshold, the system overestimated the new oil level. Even worse, he had to wait several minutes for the system to finalize its reading—an inconvenience that could frustrate any driver in a rush.

While experienced motorists might roll their eyes, the bigger concern lies with less savvy car owners. Without a dipstick as backup, they may be forced to visit a mechanic just to double-check oil levels. And that means more time, more money, and potentially unnecessary service visits.

Then there’s the issue of reliability. Sensors—especially those exposed to the engine’s harsh environment—are prone to wear. Many seasoned drivers know that once sensors start to fail, they can give false readings or stop working altogether. Replacing them isn’t cheap, and some argue that keeping a manual dipstick as a backup would save a lot of stress.

More importantly, the disappearing dipstick reflects a larger trend in auto manufacturing: technology replacing touch. Spare tires have been replaced by sealant kits. Handbrakes have gone electric. And now, the DIY oil check is fading into memory.

While innovation often makes driving easier, it’s also stripping away the little rituals that made car ownership feel personal—and accessible. Checking your oil with a dipstick wasn’t just routine, it was empowering. It gave everyday drivers a direct link to their vehicle’s health.

So while dashboards may be smarter and cleaner without it, the question remains: In trying to make everything easier, are we actually making car care harder?