Just thinking aloud. The dip stick in the crossfire just sucks......You can hardly ready the stupid thing. Maybe its just me getting old....LOL It seems you really can't tell were the oil is on the thing.

 

Yeah, I get your dismay! Try checking the transmission! Now thats a mess!

 

Winers. They are not bad and the tranny is easy with a zip tie as I have posted earlier. Woody

 

Woody, some of us have a lifetime powertrain warranty. Tampering with that tranny fill cover and 'zip tying' it just might be extremely costly. Personally, I would prefer to check the level on occasion (before it becomes extremely expensive for both me and Chrysler). I'm 'old school' inasmuch as I like to make sure things are within tolerances about every other month. Its not 'whining', its pointing out the design could have been a little more owner friendly. Not everyone can or does all the tinkering you have done and do. What, did you have a bad day or something?

 

I think that checking the transmission fluid was designed to be tricky. Mercedes did not want the "average" owner to check their own transmission fluid and wants them to bring it to the dealer. If everything was extremely simple, their service department would have much less business.

 

series4phaeton, how do you define 'extremely simple'? To some, finding an engine under the hood would be a challenge. If it has a dipstick tube, they should have put one in it. Not seal it up so owners have to come to them to check/service it. Its just plain dumb especially for such a critical part (transmission). Also, given the problem with that 'leak' many owners post about, they should have put a dipstick in so the level wouldn't drop to the point of transmission failure. Hell I even pull the differential plug once a year on my Camaro and pickup to see if I lost any. That would be taking checking fluid levels a tad bit further than the average but if its got fluid in it, I want to be sure its ok and at the right level.

I have looked up some of the posts about this missing dipstick and how people check their levels themselves, but having the lifetime powertrain warranty prevents me from actually opening it up without the proper cap to put back on it. I also hear there is a part you can use (dipstick) to check that level but I don't think its supposed to stay in the tube after you check the level. From the first year of this leaking gasket at the switch problem, they should have put a dipstick in. That alone has real potential for saving at least a few fried transmissions, I believe. Just my $0.02 cents worth.

 

I'm a certified old fart and I can read the dipstick. I think your problem is the oil is too clean. Let it get just a little dirty and it's easier to read. As far as a tranny dipstick, never had the need for one in the MT6.

 

Check your owner's manual.
There is a process of pushing buttons that will tell you if your oil is okay or low and the manual says it is more accurate than the dipstick.

Not an easy process. Had to try several times before it worked.

 

Why not just check the oil via the FSS function....

 

Certified Old Fart, that would be COF, however, the wifeperson calls me a GOF, Grouchy Old Fart. I wonder if red food dye would help see the oil level?

By the time I save enough money to pay for all the oil this thing takes and the oil filter, the oil will be so dirty it’ll be easily to read the dip stick.

 

The FSS (oil life monitor) must have more to it than a simple countdown / RPM levels / temps , etc. I just changed my oil ....before the change the FSS still said there was 1400 miles left....drove about 30 miles & when I got home & went to reset the FSS.....it already had changed to read 2200 miles left...before I reset it back to 7000.

I'm thinking there must be a device in the system that also checks oil viscosity or electrical resistance.

Anyway, I always change it at about the 7000 mile mark & the FSS always has from 1400 to 2000 still showing.

Bought the oil & proper filter cheap & found a garage that does the labor for <$13......total runs about $75 every 7000 miles.....

Fred's all happy after he gets fresh oil!!


While he was up on the rack I took a look at the steering stabilizer...(40,300 miles) ....no leaks/complaints yet....looks like a real snap to change yourself when the time comes....

 

Change your steering stabalizer.
You will be glad you did. I changed mine at 30k and noticed a difference. Couldn't see anything wrong with the old one, but the new one sure made a difference. Good $30 investment.

 

What were your symptoms before you changed the stabilizer? Wilma still has the OEM tires & only <5000 miles....whereas Fred has >40000 & the tires are >20000 & Fred's seems so much louder & although there's no real jiggle in the steering wheel ( I had the tires rebalanced last week...I still have this sense that something is very slightly out of balance between 65-75 mph.....I'm pretty convinced it's the Coopers I have on front or the 30 series 275 Exclaim UHPs I have on back. I've already bought new tires ...but I was waiting till end of summer to put them on.

I suppose I could swap wheels/tires on the 2 cars & confirm if the noise & perception of balance is just related to the tires.....but that would be a pain in the ***.....