Went to check my oil tonight, about 3-4 weeks since last did it. Had noticed a faint "paint thinner" like smell when driving it home, which made me think that I should probably check. I pull out the dipstick, and it's totally covered in some dirty-looking, viscous, yellow junk! What the crap is this? I smelled it, and it did in fact put off that "paint thinner" smell I had detected today. Now I am even afraid to drive it into the dealer for fear I'll do terrible damage to it.

Here's a thumbnail pic, couldn't get my camera to focus on the stick any better than this.

 

Search - dipstick.

S

 

Read stickies.

 

Yep, saw those right after I typed mine in, sorry that I didn't see it mentioned in the stickies.

I have been babying it quite a lot lately, IE, not going over abour 4000 rpm for days in an effort to save gas $$$.

I'll try the common remedies. Thanks everyone!

 

its normal, don't worry. I am going into my fourth winter of dipstick goo and 109,000 miles later all is still well.