GM’s New V8 Trucks Ditch Oil Dipstick for Digital Gauge

General Motors won the hearts of truck people when it announced that the 2027 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra will come with not one but two new V8 engines: a 5.7-liter and a 6.6-liter. Traditionalists lauded it as a step in the right direction as other manufacturers push for turbo six-cylinders in their full-size pickups. However, I don’t suspect GM will get many pats on the back for this one: Chevrolet and GMC’s V8-powered half-ton trucks will not feature a physical oil dipstick. Instead, drivers must consult a digital oil level gauge.

The Verge included this detail in a story focusing on the 2027 Silverado’s infotainment. That report mentioned GM’s decision to switch from a physical dipstick to a digital measurement in passing, although it wasn’t crystal clear. The Drive reached out to GM for comment, and a spokesperson confirmed that the 5.7-liter and 6.6-liter V8s will not feature a dipstick from the factory. Meanwhile, the 2.7-liter TurboMax four-cylinder and 3.0-liter Duramax diesel will still include a dipstick.

It’s important to note that many new vehicles do not have oil dipsticks anymore. Even Ram, one of GM’s top truck competitors, doesn’t include a dipstick with its 3.0-liter Hurricane inline-six. It feels especially egregious not to offer a simple check tool on a pickup, given their (sometimes inaccurate) reputation for simplicity and easy DIY maintenance.

This isn’t the first time GM has taken what once was physical and made it digital. The current-gen Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon don’t have a button or knob to control the headlights; rather, drivers must toggle them via a touchscreen. Although I can only speculate, I imagine the reasoning behind both decisions is the same: Cost.

While I doubt this will make a difference to most people buying a new pickup, it’s sure to upset some folks. And I can understand why. Maybe the digital oil level gauge will work just fine for forever, but you can pretty much bet on a dipstick doing its job. And if it falls apart, you can easily (and cheaply) replace it.

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