Yesterday I popped the hood and pulled the engine oil dipstick. When I used the old T-shirt I keep under the seat for a rag to wipe it, the bullet on the end came off!
Was in a hurry, as I had to take my sister to the airport, so I dropped the bullet in the console tray and reinserted the dipstick minus the bullet.
Examination of the bullet reveals that the cable is inserted for only a short ways (maybe 3/16") into the bullet and then crimped.
Dealer says they will have a new dipstick Friday for me under warranty (20k).
Just glad it came off in my hand instead of in the engine. I'm sure they would have been extremely reluctant to pull the oil pan under warranty to fish out that little bullett, and I sure would have been uncomfortable with it down in the pan.
Might be a good idea to examine yours to check security of what appears to be a potential trouble spot.:ro)

Hi DOM, did it look like the the bullet just pulled off of the cable as in possible bad crimp or fatigue....thanks

I'm' sure this oil pump (like every other i have seen) has a strainer on it that would not allow something that large to be picked up.

I had the head gaskets done on my DMax about a month ago and they replaced the dip stick. I was wondering why, now I know.

My end has been floating around in there for awhile.

It won't float, and the pump won't pick it up. I would not be concerned.

it would sit in the bottom of the pan and go nowhere

Kind of hard to check the oil level, unless you replaced it.

I personally would still pull the pan and get it out of there. It's just the way I do things.

I will agree with that. I would not like it ether. I think I would try to fish it out with a magnet when I changed my oil. It may be aluminum though.