We purchased a 2003 Saturn L200 new from a dealer in 2003. Since then I noticed there is no dip stick to check the auto transmissions fluid. Visited with dealers service manager and was told there is no way to check the fluid. That the fluid should last as long as I drive the car. I have never heard of this before. Comments?
It’s unfortunately becoming common to not provide dipsticks for tranny fluid. The new Malibu (04+) also doesn’t have a transmission diptick - it may be the same transmission.
Apparently, BMW is doing away with oil dipsticks as well. They claim they don’t want owners messing with and damaging the cars, so the only way to check the oil is to take it to a BMW dealer, they’ll drain the oil, measure it, then put it back in.
Some people think automatic transmission fluid should NEVER be touched. Apparently the engineers at Saturn are among them. It seems to me there is nothing you can do about it, so why worry?
Drive and enjoy the car, and forget about the transmission fluid. Unless there is a leak, which you should be able to detect, the fluid level won’t change.