S-Class (W222) 2014-2020

S550/560 add dipstick?

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Old 10-15-2018, 08:28 AM
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S550/560 add dipstick?

Is it possible to add a dipstick to the S550/560?

Thanks
Old 10-15-2018, 09:23 AM
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My MY 2015 has a dipstick for the oil.
Old 10-15-2018, 10:15 AM
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Originally Posted by superpop
My MY 2015 has a dipstick for the oil.
Wait, seriously? I thought all 550/560s had no dipstick for the engine oil?
Old 10-18-2018, 08:18 AM
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my 15 has one too.
Old 10-19-2018, 12:04 AM
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I think they didn't get rid of the stick until the 4.0 motor came out 2018 models. My 2018 AMG 4.0 does not have a stick, my 2015 4.7 does. No way to read oil level on display on the 2015, the 2018 AMG, reads out oil level on display screen.
Old 10-19-2018, 08:18 AM
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The vast majority of owners, I’d bet 99%, never use the dipsticks. Newer engines do not burn or leak oil like their earlier predecessors. Do folks still dip a wooden stick into the gas tank to read the level like they did on the Model T? Do you open the radiator cap once a week to see if the antifreeze is at the correct level? No, there are gauges now that tell you what is going on.
Dip sticks are old technology and not needed.

Last edited by Utopia Texas; 10-19-2018 at 08:23 AM.
Old 10-19-2018, 10:35 AM
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Originally Posted by Utopia Texas
The vast majority of owners, I’d bet 99%, never use the dipsticks. Newer engines do not burn or leak oil like their earlier predecessors. Do folks still dip a wooden stick into the gas tank to read the level like they did on the Model T? Do you open the radiator cap once a week to see if the antifreeze is at the correct level? No, there are gauges now that tell you what is going on.
Dip sticks are old technology and not needed.
This same logic applies to RFTs. Just because the vast majority of owners are ignorant doesn't mean all of us are.
Old 10-19-2018, 10:35 AM
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Originally Posted by 2012 merc amg
I think they didn't get rid of the stick until the 4.0 motor came out 2018 models. My 2018 AMG 4.0 does not have a stick, my 2015 4.7 does. No way to read oil level on display on the 2015, the 2018 AMG, reads out oil level on display screen.
Unsure why as per the MY19 S class manual that the S450 has a dipstick and the S550 doesn't.
Old 10-19-2018, 11:24 AM
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Originally Posted by superangrypenguin
This same logic applies to RFTs. Just because the vast majority of owners are ignorant doesn't mean all of us are.
No one said anything about anyone being ignorant. It is just useless antiquated technology. I suppose some would like to go back to black and white tube tv’s, no airconditioning, AM only radios in their autos, manual typewriters instead of PC’s, human elevator operators etc. New technology will happen whether one likes it or not and whining about it will make no diffrerence. You always have the option of buying a vehicle with dip sticks and there are still many out there until the liberals take over and then there will only be one brand of car in one color with no options that everyone will be forced to love.




Last edited by Utopia Texas; 10-19-2018 at 12:34 PM.
Old 10-19-2018, 01:21 PM
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Originally Posted by Utopia Texas


No one said anything about anyone being ignorant. It is just useless antiquated technology. I suppose some would like to go back to black and white tube tv’s, no airconditioning, AM only radios in their autos, manual typewriters instead of PC’s, human elevator operators etc. New technology will happen whether one likes it or not and whining about it will make no diffrerence. You always have the option of buying a vehicle with dip sticks and there are still many out there until the liberals take over and then there will only be one brand of car in one color with no options that everyone will be forced to love.



You had mentioned about checking coolant levels and that most people don't do it. You're right, it makes them ignorant. I wasn't even aware of the ability to check coolant level in the car. Should it be done? Yes, absolutely. Do people do it? No, and for that I concur. Why do they not do that? Because they're ignorant. It flat out says in our car manuals to check tire pressure once a month. People don't do it. Under your logic, maybe we should just not even give people the ability to take a manual PSI reading (not that that's possible).

I don't know why MB got rid of dipsticks on the 550, but that $10 item at best probably represents massive cost savings, although unsure why they kept it in the 450. That said, just because you don't use the dipstick doesn't mean other people don't. -and as someone who has owned a car without a dipstick, it was infuriating - just like as someone who has owned a car with RFTs, I will never have RFTs on my car.

Not sure how this became a political discussion about liberals, but the above is just my opinion on this matter. By saying that one doesn't need item A because folks never use it - all you are implying is that they are ignorant to a particular car maintenance option. I remember how wildly inaccurate the W220's engine oil dipstick was, btw.
Old 10-19-2018, 02:01 PM
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To each his own. When I was a teenager there were no maintence free batteries so once a month or so you opened the caps on top and added distilled water to the proper mark and every so often used a hygrometer to check the acid/water ratio in the battery. Every 2,000 Miles or so you would adjust the valves, change the oil and filter and adjust the carburetor. Every 25,000 Miles one would repack the front wheel bearings and change out the transmission fluid. Every other year anti freeze was changed out in the cooling system. Many handy car owners spent a Saturday once a month doing all this if they had multiple cars.
Due to technology, better design and better fluids these procedures have been greatly extended or eliminated altogether and the use of dipsticks is just another change to this system. In the last 15 years, and with 12-15 different cars and trucks in my garage I have never added any oil to any of them between oil changes. If this was a huge problem you would see hundreds of vehicles on the side of the road every week broken because the oil level was a few ounces too low. It is a non issue with modern iron. My oldest car will be 100 years old in 2019, 1919 Model T, and yes I have to check the oil every time it is driven because of the really old technology. Most modern cars are mass produced and nothing special. If they break you just go buy another one. If you can’t afford a major break down maybe one should consider a 12k entry level car for transportation.
Old 10-19-2018, 02:13 PM
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The new 177 series engines don't have a dipstick in most cars. Same with most of the other new engines coming out. The S450 still has the old 276.8 V6 from 5 years ago, so it has a dipstick. The replacement 256 I6 engine will not have a dipstick.

Yes, it's cost cutting and simplification, but the cars have a level sensor anyway if they have a dipstick, why be redundant?
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Old 10-19-2018, 02:58 PM
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This will all be a mute point soon as new cars come out with no hood release. They will only be able to be opened by the dealership....
Old 10-19-2018, 11:24 PM
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Originally Posted by Utopia Texas
To each his own. When I was a teenager there were no maintence free batteries so once a month or so you opened the caps on top and added distilled water to the proper mark and every so often used a hygrometer to check the acid/water ratio in the battery. Every 2,000 Miles or so you would adjust the valves, change the oil and filter and adjust the carburetor. Every 25,000 Miles one would repack the front wheel bearings and change out the transmission fluid. Every other year anti freeze was changed out in the cooling system. Many handy car owners spent a Saturday once a month doing all this if they had multiple cars.
Due to technology, better design and better fluids these procedures have been greatly extended or eliminated altogether and the use of dipsticks is just another change to this system. In the last 15 years, and with 12-15 different cars and trucks in my garage I have never added any oil to any of them between oil changes. If this was a huge problem you would see hundreds of vehicles on the side of the road every week broken because the oil level was a few ounces too low. It is a non issue with modern iron. My oldest car will be 100 years old in 2019, 1919 Model T, and yes I have to check the oil every time it is driven because of the really old technology. Most modern cars are mass produced and nothing special. If they break you just go buy another one. If you can’t afford a major break down maybe one should consider a 12k entry level car for transportation.
You forgot to adjust the ignition breaker points.
Old 10-20-2018, 07:28 AM
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No wonder she’s been running so rough!
Old 10-20-2018, 11:51 AM
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Originally Posted by Utopia Texas
This will all be a mute point soon as new cars come out with no hood release. They will only be able to be opened by the dealership....
Ford transit connect vans use the vehicle key in the front emblem to release the hood, there isn't even a release in the car. they say cost cutting, the real reason is that most of them are fleet and nobody will check **** so it's better if they don't mess with it until it gets back to the dealer. It's not a stretch to have that release use a different key and only open for the dealership, would be simple.
Old 10-20-2018, 11:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Utopia Texas
This will all be a mute point soon as new cars come out with no hood release. They will only be able to be opened by the dealership....
You know what? I don't think my 2019 S450 has a hood release. If it does, I sure can't find it anywhere underneath the steering wheel or anywhere else. The manual does say that it has a dipstick but if I can read the oil level by the computer, who cares. I'll call the dealer Monday to make sure that the hood release is not hiding somewhere.
Old 10-21-2018, 12:07 AM
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Originally Posted by BeanTrader
You know what? I don't think my 2019 S450 has a hood release. If it does, I sure can't find it anywhere underneath the steering wheel or anywhere else. The manual does say that it has a dipstick but if I can read the oil level by the computer, who cares. I'll call the dealer Monday to make sure that the hood release is not hiding somewhere.
Lol it has a hood release, left side under your wheel, on the top surface, it's a recessed handle but it's there.
Old 10-21-2018, 12:26 AM
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Originally Posted by ItalianJoe1
Lol it has a hood release, left side under your wheel, on the top surface, it's a recessed handle but it's there.
I guess I'm blind. I don't see it. I looked and felt the surface everywhere.There is the parking break underneath and to the left of the steering wheel but that's it.
Old 10-21-2018, 12:31 AM
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The parking brake release is a button, this is a red lever way under the dash. On the plastic underpanel above your pedals.
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Old 10-21-2018, 12:44 AM
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Originally Posted by ItalianJoe1
The parking brake release is a button, this is a red lever way under the dash. On the plastic underpanel above your pedals.
Holy cowabunga! Thanks for spelling this out for me. I finally found it and looked at the engine, etc. under the hood for the first time.
Old 10-21-2018, 04:48 PM
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Originally Posted by BeanTrader
Holy cowabunga! Thanks for spelling this out for me. I finally found it and looked at the engine, etc. under the hood for the first time.
Glad you got it
Old 10-21-2018, 07:30 PM
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The only time I miss my oil dipstick is after an oil change. It'd be nice to check the level from outside after the fill.
Old 10-21-2018, 08:26 PM
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Dipstick is also useful for changing oil. Using a Topsider or Mityvac, you can suction all the oil out and not deal with lying on the ground to drain oil. Guess the future holds more time lying on the floor for those of us that change our oil.
Old 10-21-2018, 08:34 PM
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Originally Posted by blackbullit
Dipstick is also useful for changing oil. Using a Topsider or Mityvac, you can suction all the oil out and not deal with lying on the ground to drain oil. Guess the future holds more time lying on the floor for those of us that change our oil.
This is one of the main reasons I am annoyed at this change. I do ALL of my oil changes myself. I enjoy doing it, and I don't trust the dealer. 3 dealers all around me have done an oil change on my existing car, and ALL of them, EVERY time, have overfilled it or underfilled it by a LITER. I don't trust dealers.

So on this new engine, can one ADD a dipstick manually? I presume that's not an issue, right?

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