[JustinP]

I absolutely hate the Fiesta's engine oil dipstick. Whoever thought a bright colored ribbed piece of aluminum was a good idea to read a fresh oil level should be punched in the face. I wish someone would come up with a replacement that's easier to read. Does anyone have an idea of why Ford did this.

Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk

 

[D1JL]

You could use Ray Lube reclaimed oil, it is darker in color and therefore easier to see.


Dave

 

[Methane Herder]

Get a clean towel and briefly lay the end of the dipstick on it. It's not the most accurate method (Ford screwed that one up) but it will give you an approximation of high, low or in between.
MH

 

[MasterPooBaa]

Sadly the days of the majority of the driving population regularly checking the oil/fluid levels is long gone... Thus the dipstick oversight.

 

[Methane Herder]

The dipstick on my 09 GTI was not much better. The swaged on scale at the tip had a dull finish which was a little better than the bright finish that my ST has on its dipstick.
MH

 

[AlanBDahl]

I think it's s German thing. My wife's Mercedes has a similar design except its red plastic which is even harder to read. One advantage of the Brazilian engine in my old Fiesta was a normal dip stick.

+1 on the suggestion of a paper towel, it's the only way that works.

 

[FORDTOUGH]

After years of working on cars I can say that the dipstick has always been and oversight on behalf of Ford. Damn things are next to impossible to read on most models.

 

[reddog99]

Too bad there isn't some way to use a sight glass like so many motorcycles use. They're so easy to read, but I guess viewing it would be nearly impossible on a car.

 

[JustinP]

Get a clean towel and briefly lay the end of the dipstick on it. It's not the most accurate method (Ford screwed that one up) but it will give you an approximation of high, low or in between.
MH

This is what I've been doing. I'm glad I'm not the only one that has trouble reading it.

Sent from my HTCONE using Tapatalk

 

[jimclark]

When I complained to my wife about difficulty reading the dipstick, she looked at me for a moment, then said, "That's funny, I never have any trouble with that." I still don't get it.

 

[ryst]

I miss the dip sticks with little round holes in them, and the oil would fill the holes up to the point where it was filled... on the other hand my wife's Audi Q5 doesn't even have a dip stick.....

 

[TaylorFade]

Ugh. I'm glad I'm not the only one.

I must have dipped it 20 times on the first oil change. I thought I was crazy. Am I doing this right? Lol.

 

[vixenlotus]

How about drilling a few holes through the bit that hangs into the oil. The holes when full will tell you where the oil level is.

 

[reddog99]

Unfortunately, that's not foolproof either. Many times, the difficulty in reading the dipstick comes because oil inside the dipstick tube will get scraped off onto the stick as you insert or withdraw the stick. Twelve inches of oil showing on parts of the stick can make judgement difficult.

My Ranger has the holes in the stick and it will still get oil in the top hole when it's a half quart low.