The golden wrench lights up on your Civic’s dashboard. You begin to sweat bullets. An expensive trip to your Joplin mechanic seems to be in your future. Or is it?
We’re here to tell you that this seemingly bad dashboard warning light in your Civic is actually your friend, and its name is Honda Maintenance Minder! When you start seeing those car dashboard symbols, that’s just your vehicle's way of telling you that it needs some TLC—and not necessarily from an auto service technician, either. In fact, several Honda car light symbols and dashboard signs can be solved with some DIY car maintenance at home.
So, how do you know what your Honda Maintenance Minder codes mean? A look in your owner’s manual will help you solve the mystery. Or, if you’d rather not risk getting a papercut, simply find your specific Honda model below to download a PDF version of your manual’s Maintenance Minder section.
How Maintenance Minder Works
Various sensors inside your Honda monitor the health of your vehicle. Every so often—and by that, we mean virtually every nanosecond—these sensors report back to your Maintenance Minder system, which acts as your car’s brain. Based on the information provided, Maintenance Minder identifies your car’s needs. This could mean anything from routine maintenance to transmission fluid to oil changes. Most new Honda models include an engine oil warning that indicates your oil’s “life.”
Once Maintenance Minder assesses the situation, it will display those symbols in your car’s dashboard. A wrench, oil can or exclamation point in a car dashboard might seem scary, but it’s important to identify the car light meanings before jumping to conclusions. Here’s a simple breakdown of what those Honda Maintenance minder codes and symbols mean.
Honda Oil Life Percentages
When your engine oil reaches a certain density, as identified by Maintenance Minder and its sensors, your dashboard will display an “oil life %” light. This is what those percentages mean:Oil Life 15%
The engine oil life indicator starts to appear along with other due-soon maintenance item codes when the remaining oil life drops to 15%. You will need to change your oil and oil filter soon, usually within the next 1,000 miles.Oil Life 5%
The engine oil has almost reached the end of its service life, and the maintenance items should be inspected and serviced as soon as possible.Oil Life 0%
The engine oil has passed its service life, and a negative distance appears after driving over 10 miles. Every time you turn on your engine, you’re potentially damaging its internal components irreparably. Please schedule an oil change in Joplin at Roper Honda, or visit a Honda dealer near you.
Maintenance Minder Codes
Unfortunately, Maintenance Minder car dashboard symbols and meanings aren’t as cut and dry as the oil life percentages. If you notice any of these Honda service code or sub-code in your dashboard, you’ll want to have a professional Honda service technician investigate the issue more thoroughly.Honda Service Codes – Main
|
CODE |
Car Warning Light Meaning |
|
A |
Replace engine oil |
|
B |
Replace engine oil and oil filter Inspect front and rear brakes Check expiration date for temporary tire repair kit bottle (if equipped) Inspect these items:
|
Honda Service Codes – Sub
|
CODE |
Car Warning Light Meaning |
|
1 |
Rotate tires |
|
2 |
Replace air cleaner element Replace dust and pollen filter Inspect drive belt |
|
3 |
Replace transmission fluid |
|
4 |
Replace spark plugs Inspect valve clearance |
|
5 |
Replace engine coolant |
|
6 |
Replace rear differential fluid |
|
7 |
Replace brake fluid |
Maintenance Minder codes vary slightly by model, so it’s important to identify any visible Honda dashboard codes in your model’s owner’s manual.
How to Reset Maintenance Minder Display
So, you’ve changed your own oil? Nice. Now you’ve got to reset your Maintenance Minder system so that it stops displaying the dashboard in-car warning icon. Here are the steps to reset your Maintenance Minder display, per Honda model:2020-2021 Accord/Accord Hybrid
- Start the engine
- Press the “Home” button
- Roll left selector wheel until the WRENCH icon is displayed
- Press left selector wheel to go to “Maintenance Minder” screen
- Press left selector wheel to enter reset mode
- Roll left selector wheel to select a maintenance item to reset or select “All Due Items”
- Press left selector wheel to reset selected item
2020-2021 Civic Sedan/Coupe/Hatchback
- Start the engine
- Press the “Home” button until the WRENCH icon appears
- Press the “Enter” button
- Hold the “Enter” button for 10 seconds
- Use arrow buttons to select a maintenance item or select “All Due Items”
- Press the “Enter” button to reset selected item
2020-2021 CR-V/CR-V Hybrid
- Start the engine
- Press the “Home” button until the WRENCH icon appears
- Press the “Enter” button
- Hold the “Enter” button for 10 seconds
- Use arrow buttons to select a maintenance item or select “All Due Items”
- Press the “Enter” button to reset selected item
2020-2021 HR-V
- Start the engine
- Use arrow buttons to select “Maintenance Info.”
- Press “SEL/RESET” button
- Use arrow buttons to select “Reset” item
- Press “SEL/RESET” button to reset selected item
2020-2021 Insight
- Start the engine
- Press the “Home” button
- Roll left selector wheel until the WRENCH icon is displayed
- Press left selector wheel to go to “Maintenance” screen
- Press left selector wheel to enter reset mode
- Roll left selector wheel to select a maintenance item to reset or select “All Due Items”
- Press left selector wheel to reset selected item
2021-2022 Odyssey
- Start the engine
- Display engine oil life (select “Maintenance” and use arrow keys)
- Press and hold the “Enter” button for 10 seconds
- Use arrow buttons to select a maintenance item or select “All Due Items”
- Press “Enter” button to reset
2020-2021 Passport
- Start the engine
- Display engine oil life (select “Maintenance Minder” and use arrow keys)
- Press and hold the “Enter” button for 10 seconds
- Use arrow buttons to select a maintenance item or select “All Due Items”
- Press “Enter” button to reset
2020-2021 Pilot
- Start the engine
- Display engine oil life (select “Maintenance Minder” and use arrow keys)
- Press and hold the “Enter” button for 10 seconds
- Use arrow buttons to select a maintenance item or select “All Due Items”
- Press “Enter” button to reset
2020-2021 Ridgeline
- Start the engine
- Display engine oil life (select “Maintenance Minder” and use arrow keys)
- Press and hold the “RESET” button for 10 seconds
- Use arrow buttons to select a "reset”
- Press “RESET” button to reset
If you have an older Honda model and have lost your owner’s manual or need assistance with an oil change or routine auto service in Joplin, please contact Roper Honda at (417) 625-0800 today! We’re located at 902 N Rangeline Rd in Joplin, MO, and proudly assist drivers in the region—and everyone outside of the region—figure out the cause of their Honda warning lights. Schedule service online or pick up the phone and give us a call.
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