The New General Motors V8 Truck Engines Do Not Have A Dipstick

This isn't the first time in recent memory that General Motors has made a questionable decision like this. With the debut of the third-generation Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon a few years back, GM ditched the physical lighting/headlight controls and instead made them a "permanent" toggle via the infotainment screen. Naturally, GM defended the decision amidst effectively unanimous backlash, but it was clear that this was just a way for the brand to save a few pennies on each truck they built (fewer buttons means less cost). It wasn't the end of the world, but it wasn't a great call on their part.

This transition with the new 5.7 and 6.6 engines feels like it follows a similar path. What if the sensor fails? Or the battery is dead, and you need to check it before cranking the engine over? GM isn't alone in this transition — BMW, Audi and Porsche have been doing this for decades — and it wouldn't be a shock to see other engines in the brand's catalog follow suit upon their next revision.

GM tells AutoGuide it should help people who aren't quite tall enough to reach the engine oil dipstick on the larger, factory-lifted half-ton trucks, but that feels more like a PR spun response crafted after the fact rather than the driving force behind the choice. It's not quite clear yet if the sensor will provide instant readouts for owners who do their own oil changes or if you will have to wait a standard 10-15 minute cycle for the computer to provide a reading.

Fortunately, the 2.7-liter TurboMax four-cylinder engine will still have a dipstick, but that's not the engine most will crave in their new GM half-ton truck, is it?

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