Why is there no transmission dipstick to check the fluid level??

Chevyguy273 · March 3, 2021

Greetings fellow members. Please pardon my stupid question. This is my first truck in 20 years. But I am blown away how there is no dipstick to check the tranny fluid level. What is the GM corporate thinking behind this? They want it to blow so you go buy a new truck? They saved maybe a couple of dollars to exclude a long cheap steel tube with a dipstick? This is almost as head scratching as their over head led lights. Which are absolutely useless because they are aimed at your private parts.

gemarsh · March 3, 2021

11 minutes ago, Chevyguy273 said:

Greetings fellow members. Please pardon my stupid question. This is my first truck in 20 years. But I am blown away how there is no dipstick to check the tranny fluid level. What is the GM corporate thinking behind this? They want it to blow so you go buy a new truck? They saved maybe a couple of dollars to exclude a long cheap steel tube with a dipstick? This is almost as head scratching as their over head led lights. Which are absolutely useless because they are aimed at your private parts.

GM must think everyone has a lift to check the fluid. But it's really no different than a manual tranny.

Or GM thinks every truck will be parked on concrete, which will show a leak.

TNTSierra · March 3, 2021

The new Fords don’t have them either. Unreal in my book.

Dunn · March 3, 2021

yeah pretty stupid......maybe its to increase visit to service center

JimCost2014 · March 3, 2021

over head led lights. Which are absolutely useless because they are aimed at your private parts.

Now I have another thing to check in my truck

RAYS B4U · March 3, 2021

We had a Dodge Charger police car that did not have one either, it was about a 2005 model year. I went and talked to the service manager and he ordered us one, free of charge. Didn't seem very logical to place a needed police unit out of service for a weekend if it showed low fluid at the start of a shift on a Friday night.

elcamino · March 3, 2021

The oem's believe that getting rid of the dipstick was one way to prevent premature, owner-induced transmission failure in new vehicles so they claim but its probably because they want to force the consumer to go back to the dealer for everything so the dealer can profit more. IMO its only a matter of time before you won't even be able to add or change your own oil providing you new vehicle even has oil.

tbarn · March 3, 2021

GM filled it. If it ain't leakin', it's still full. That is the theory. They could give a rats ass about the dealer.

Tahoe02 · March 5, 2021

^ Or the consumer.

Grumpy Bear · March 5, 2021

There is huge pressure from the Government to limit the amount of waste oil. They don't seem to understand that building a new vehicle causes more toxic waste and carbon foot print than a few fluid changes. Very short sighted.

2016 Sierra Owner · March 5, 2021

According to GM from the research I did before getting the 10 speed transmission. The 10 speed is filled to capacity during the manufacturing process and is filled for the life of the transmission. There are people that are getting dipsticks for the Camaro I believe and installing them. The Camaro had the 10 speed starting in 2017.

RWTJR · March 5, 2021

On 3/3/2021 at 4:38 PM, elcamino said:

The oem's believe that getting rid of the dipstick was one way to prevent premature, owner-induced transmission failure in new vehicles...

This^^^

I have a relative who is an engineer for one of the big 3, (not GM), and she said this is the primary reason manufacturers have moved to sealed transmissions. Overfilling the transmission was/is the main owner induced issue followed by improper fluid usage. Modern transmission complexity requires a more strict compliance with proper fluid and levels.

She also said, the engineers never consider dealership service department profits when engineering vehicles. Sometime the complexity/intricacy of a part or system engineered with improved function/performance as the goal, i.e., 8, 9, or 10 speed transmissions, consequentially requires trained personnel to properly maintain or repair that part or system.

JMHO

No expertise implied or expressed

Grumpy Bear · March 5, 2021

6 hours ago, 2016 Sierra Owner said:

According to GM from the research I did before getting the 10 speed transmission. The 10 speed is filled to capacity during the manufacturing process and is filled for the life of the transmission. There are people that are getting dipsticks for the Camaro I believe and installing them. The Camaro had the 10 speed starting in 2017.

Briggs and Stratton now has a lifetime motor oil fill. The problem with these strategies is in the word "lifetime". Recent lawsuits brought against OEM's for this and that tend to favor 150K miles (240 km) as a life time. Follow that with this warranty:

For most new 2019-2020 Chevrolet vehicles, coverage is for the first 5 years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first, see dealer for details.

The 2020 1500 Series Light Duty (LD) pickups equipped with a 3.0L Duramax Turbo-Diesel Engine and 2500 and 3500 Series Heavy Duty (HD) pickups equipped with a Duramax^® 6.6L Turbo-Diesel V8 engine are covered for 5 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first, see dealer for details. Qualified commercial fleet/government vehicles purchased are covered for 5 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first, see dealer for details. Please refer to the Limited Warranty Owner Assistance Information or a Chevrolet Dealership for additional details.

Gas motors are now buried in the fine print. Talk about hedging your bets!

2020 Owners manual page 339 states:

Automatic Transmission Fluid When to Check and Change Automatic Transmission Fluid It is usually not necessary to check the transmission fluid level. The only reason for fluid loss is a transmission leak or overheated transmission. This vehicle is not equipped with a transmission fluid level dipstick. There is a special procedure for checking and changing the transmission fluid in these vehicles. Because this procedure is difficult, this should be done at the dealer. Contact the dealer for additional information or the procedure can be found in the service manual. See Publication Ordering Information 0 467.

On page 443 of same said manual in the severe service tables it list 45,000 mile transmission fluid OCI's

https://my.chevrolet.com/content/dam/gmownercenter/gmna/dynamic/manuals/2020/chevrolet/silverado-1500/2020-chevrolet-silverado-owners-manual.pdf

Link above provided as the PDF would not allow me to copy and paste a table. TIP...every mile you drive is all severe service. Have a trans failure between 45,000 and 60,000 with out a fluid change and you WILL find out the hard way.

One further interesting note if found on page 437 related to motor oil. Made me laugh out loud.

Engine Oil Change When the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message displays, have the engine oil and filter changed within the next 1 000 km/600 mi. If driven under the best conditions, the engine oil life system may not indicate the need for vehicle service for up to a year. The engine oil and filter must be changed at least once a year and the oil life system must be reset. Your trained dealer technician can perform this work. If the engine oil life system is reset accidentally, service the vehicle within 5 000 km/3,000 mi since the last service. Reset the oil life system when the oil is changed. See Engine Oil Life System 0 337.

Here's a real simple fact. There is no such thing as a lifetime fluid unless you expect the thing to need rebuilding every 100,000 - 150,000 miles totally worn out.

So it isn't about GM worrying that a routine maintenance procedure people have done for the last 120 years is all the sudden to difficult for the owner to do. :bs:

OEM's CONTIUE to attempt to control the narrative of something YOU OWN to their best interest.

Edited March 5, 2021 by Grumpy Bear

2016 Sierra Owner · March 5, 2021

16 minutes ago, Grumpy Bear said:

Briggs and Stratton now has a lifetime motor oil fill. The problem with these strategies is in the word "lifetime". Recent lawsuits brought against OEM's for this and that tend to favor 150K miles (240 km) as a life time. Follow that with this warranty:

For most new 2019-2020 Chevrolet vehicles, coverage is for the first 5 years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first, see dealer for details.

The 2020 1500 Series Light Duty (LD) pickups equipped with a 3.0L Duramax Turbo-Diesel Engine and 2500 and 3500 Series Heavy Duty (HD) pickups equipped with a Duramax^® 6.6L Turbo-Diesel V8 engine are covered for 5 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first, see dealer for details. Qualified commercial fleet/government vehicles purchased are covered for 5 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first, see dealer for details. Please refer to the Limited Warranty Owner Assistance Information or a Chevrolet Dealership for additional details.

Gas motors are now buried in the fine print. Talk about hedging your bets!

2020 Owners manual page 339 states:

Automatic Transmission Fluid When to Check and Change Automatic Transmission Fluid It is usually not necessary to check the transmission fluid level. The only reason for fluid loss is a transmission leak or overheated transmission. This vehicle is not equipped with a transmission fluid level dipstick. There is a special procedure for checking and changing the transmission fluid in these vehicles. Because this procedure is difficult, this should be done at the dealer. Contact the dealer for additional information or the procedure can be found in the service manual. See Publication Ordering Information 0 467.

On page 443 of same said manual in the severe service tables it list 45,000 mile transmission fluid OCI's

https://my.chevrolet.com/content/dam/gmownercenter/gmna/dynamic/manuals/2020/chevrolet/silverado-1500/2020-chevrolet-silverado-owners-manual.pdf

Link above provided as the PDF would not allow me to copy and paste a table. TIP...every mile you drive is all severe service. Have a trans failure between 45,000 and 60,000 with out a fluid change and you WILL find out the hard way.

One further interesting note if found on page 437 related to motor oil. Made me laugh out loud.

Engine Oil Change When the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message displays, have the engine oil and filter changed within the next 1 000 km/600 mi. If driven under the best conditions, the engine oil life system may not indicate the need for vehicle service for up to a year. The engine oil and filter must be changed at least once a year and the oil life system must be reset. Your trained dealer technician can perform this work. If the engine oil life system is reset accidentally, service the vehicle within 5 000 km/3,000 mi since the last service. Reset the oil life system when the oil is changed. See Engine Oil Life System 0 337.

Here's a real simple fact. There is no such thing as a lifetime fluid unless you expect the thing to need rebuilding every 100,000 - 150,000 miles totally worn out.

So it isn't about GM worrying that a routine maintenance procedure people have done for the last 120 years is all the sudden to difficult for the owner to do.

OEM's CONTIUE to attempt to control the narrative of something YOU OWN to their best interest.

Yeah while I totally get what you are saying. I'm just posting what I saw before I got my truck. I know there is no "lifetime" oil or "permanently lubed" bearings for that matter. I did lease this truck so if anything does happen it won't be my problem in about 2 years anyway.

Grumpy Bear · March 5, 2021

16 minutes ago, 2016 Sierra Owner said:

Yeah while I totally get what you are saying. I'm just posting what I saw before I got my truck. I know there is no "lifetime" oil or "permanently lubed" bearings for that matter. I did lease this truck so if anything does happen it won't be my problem in about 2 years anyway.

Understood.