Drive-E 4 cyl - electronic dipstick?

boybees · Feb 19, 2014

I'm thrilled with my new 2015 V60 in Caspian Blue. This is the first vehicle I've ever owned that lacks a physical dipstick for checking engine oil level (or at least one that's accessible from the top with the hood opened). As far as I can tell from the owner's manual, the only symbol related to engine oil on the instrument panel is the oil pressure warning light. Am I to assume that this light will come on if/when the engine oil level is too low, as well as when there is an actual problem with oil pressure? Am I missing something here - is there an electronic dipstick on the instrument panel somewhere?

Thanks, Dave

s6013t5 · Feb 19, 2014

Congratulations on the car and welcome to SS. I pulled up your owners manual online and on page 352 it shows that you are supposed to have a dipstick, and gives instructions for checking with one. I didn't see a mention of an electronic oil level. It may be I can only see US versions, or the manual online is for the old engines (still in AWD V60's), but I cant find it. What does your manual say?

tolian2 · Feb 19, 2014

curious to see pictures of the real thing (V60).
Surely, there's google images and such, but it would be nice to see the real thing owned by a member.

boybees · Feb 19, 2014

s6013t5 said:
Congratulations on the car and welcome to SS. I pulled up your owners manual online and on page 352 it shows that you are supposed to have a dipstick, and gives instructions for checking with one. I didn't see a mention of an electronic oil level. It may be I can only see US versions, or the manual online is for the old engines (still in AWD V60's), but I cant find it. What does your manual say?

If you look at p. 350 of the same manual, you'll see there is separate view of the engine compartment for the 4 cylinder engines. And there is no indication of an engine oil dipstick in the diagram. In the other engine compartment diagram on the the same page, the dipstick is clearly called out. And I have looked through every nook and cranny of the engine itself, from the top, and there is no dipstick that I can see.

The owner's manual is confusing because it gives instructions for checking oil on p. 352, but only for the older 5- and 6-cylinder engines that do have dipsticks.

boybees · Feb 19, 2014

tolian2 said:
curious to see pictures of the real thing (V60).
Surely, there's google images and such, but it would be nice to see the real thing owned by a member.

I will post some pictures soon.

cs057 · Feb 19, 2014

Though I haven't worked on any Volvos, I have worked on several cars without dipsticks. Usually the dealers will just pull out a plug and check the oil with the dipstick that only they have. Really annoying but it's how they corner people into going to the dealership. I've also seen mini dipsticks as well that sit underneath a screw off cap in the dipstick hole.

itwontstopsnowin · Feb 20, 2014

cs057 said:
Though I haven't worked on any Volvos, I have worked on several cars without dipsticks. Usually the dealers will just pull out a plug and check the oil with the dipstick that only they have. Really annoying but it's how they corner people into going to the dealership. I've also seen mini dipsticks as well that sit underneath a screw off cap in the dipstick hole.

There will eventually be "dip stick tools" available for sale on ebay and amazon once these cars have been out long enough. Most cars that don't have dip sticks have these available for the end user to purchase from aftermarket companies.

T501 · Feb 20, 2014

^I'd rather have a good 'ol dipstick.

boybees · Feb 20, 2014

tolian2 said:
curious to see pictures of the real thing (V60).
Surely, there's google images and such, but it would be nice to see the real thing owned by a member.

boybees · Feb 20, 2014

That's my son in the pictures, by the way, he can't drive yet!

T501 · Feb 20, 2014

^Beautiful wagon. Congrats!

Calhon · Feb 20, 2014

boybees said:
I'm thrilled with my new 2015 V60 in Caspian Blue. This is the first vehicle I've ever owned that lacks a physical dipstick for checking engine oil level (or at least one that's accessible from the top with the hood opened). As far as I can tell from the owner's manual, the only symbol related to engine oil on the instrument panel is the oil pressure warning light. Am I to assume that this light will come on if/when the engine oil level is too low, as well as when there is an actual problem with oil pressure? Am I missing something here - is there an electronic dipstick on the instrument panel somewhere?

Thanks, Dave

It would appear there's a section missing from the U.S manual. The T5 and T6 Drive-E engines have an oil level sensor. Oil level is checked via a menu. See page 347 of the UK manual:

http://esd.volvocars.com/site/owner...e/owners-information/MY14/V60/OM_1346/V60_owners_manual_MY14_en-GB_TP_16674.pdf

kevinG · Feb 20, 2014

Seems the new Volvo engines are like Jaguar, which replaced the physical dipstick with a digital dipstick that you can check from drivers seat a couple years ago.

On a Jag you can access a maint menu on the dash when the car is off and stationary. After 10 minutes with engine off you get an accurate oil level measurement. I usually check when getting in the car on a Saturday morning.

Kind of nice really. But yes you no longer get to pop the hood and pull a hot dirty dipstick.

Definitely better get the Volvo manual updated.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

boybees · Feb 20, 2014

Calhon said:
It would appear there's a section missing from the U.S manual. The T5 and T6 Drive-E engines have an oil level sensor. Oil level is checked via a menu. See page 347 of the UK manual:

http://esd.volvocars.com/site/owner...e/owners-information/MY14/V60/OM_1346/V60_owners_manual_MY14_en-GB_TP_16674.pdf

Absolutely brilliant find, and it works like a charm! A major omission from the US manual. What a great community this is!

Adrian-C30R · Feb 20, 2014

boybees said:
That's my son in the pictures, by the way, he can't drive yet!

Great photos! Hopefully he likes wagons and becomes part of the clan!

boybees · Feb 20, 2014

Adrian-C30R said:
Great photos! Hopefully he likes wagons and becomes part of the clan!

We drive only Volvo wagons in our family - our new V60 is now paired with the family workhorse: a 2004 XC70 in Champagne!

Rhys · Jul 5, 2014

Who's got the dip stick ???

boybees said:
Absolutely brilliant find, and it works like a charm! A major omission from the US manual. What a great community this is!

Came up with the same problem. (Duh, Which way did it go)
Felt kind of weird asking such a dumb question but I guess not so dumb after all.
Will we get any info from Volvo N.A. ?

TonyJag · Jul 7, 2014

In post #84 of this forum:
http://forums.swedespeed.com/showth...ed.com/showthread.php?212620-Volvo-s-new-Drive-E-and-oil-change-intervals/page3
I posted the service manual supplement on how to check the electronic dipstick. Your dealer should be able to give you a copy.

I hope you are right that there will be aftermarket kits to add a conventional dip stick, but it won't be at the oil filler; there is a cam lobe directly under it.

TonyJag · Mar 6, 2015

Despite no progress with Volvo NA on this issue, there is hope...see:
http://forums.swedespeed.com/showth...howthread.php?215383-Drive-E-Electronic-Dipstick-Question&p=2479292#post2479292
Post#45: Question Drive-E Dipstick Tube Found?

ecoDrive · Mar 6, 2015

Sounds to me like you'll get nowhere with Volvo on this issue. It might be worth contacting one the Tuners instead to see if they might be interesting in designing a dip stick kit if that plug in your pictures was intended for a dipstick tube.

Drive-E 4 cyl - electronic dipstick?

boybees

s6013t5

tolian2

boybees

boybees

cs057

itwontstopsnowin

T501

boybees

boybees

T501

Calhon

kevinG

boybees

Adrian-C30R

boybees

Rhys

TonyJag

TonyJag

ecoDrive

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