This is not Monte Carlo related but I am wondering if this is a sign of things to come.Last night I went to check the transmission fluid on my wife's 2007 Chrysler Pacifica and there is NO DIPSTICK.There is a small cap that says "dealer use only".I took the cap off and that is it,no stick attached.I guess they think we are too ignorant to check things like that.

I read something a few years ago that eventually new cars will have a special lock on the hood that only the dealer can open,and if it is tampered with,it will void your warranty.There would be a small hatch that would only allow you to check the oil and add washer fluid.

 

my wife's 06 Equinox has no tranny dipstick either... and according to the manual, it's a sealed tranny that doesn't ever need to have the fluid changed.

 

My friend's Tundra has a sealed transmission that only uses synthetic Nissan brand fluid. He went for an oil change at Jiffy Lube and they talked him into a trans fluid change. Needless to say, the tranny blew up and Jiffy Lube had to pay $4500 for a new tranny.

 

first mistake was goin' to jiffy lube... I wouldn't trust those guys to change a light bulb...

 

Sealed transmissions are getting more and more common.

Mercedes doesn't even use an oil dipstick.

 

That would make me too nervous. But tells me I should switch to synth in my car transmission.

 

My old '993.4 Grand Am did not have a trans dipstick. Instead there was a little plug underneath that could be opened to check the fluid level. It's tiny though. I believe it was a 1/4" plug or something like that.

 

I've heard about the sealed tranny concept, but haven't bothered to read anything about usage on it.

I have mixed feelings regarding the void warranty on maintaining your own car. One side says that Americans will say NO WAY and not buy them, or if they do there will be master keys available on E-Bay in days. The other side of me says that concept isn't far from the truth... With more and more single soccer moms that don't have the knowlege/time to maintain their vehicle and I hate to admit it, but less guys knowing how to do it or taking the pride in it, I can see it coming shortly.

I don't mean to sound sexist here, just following the demographics.

Oh yeah, Jiffy Lube and other independent fluid service stations are pressed by management to offer fluid changes that don't need to be done, or in the Tundra's case shouldn't be done. The tech was probably just playing out of the field manual he was issued.