I’m pretty sure the “maintenance required” light on my car has not come on in my car for at least the last five years unless I’m in Missouri, on my way to Missouri or on my way home.
I know it’s just the oil change reminder but I hate having dash lights on. There is not one thing in the owner’s manual that tells you how to turn that light off and you wouldn’t believe the steps I have to go through to do it. In 12 years of owning that car, I still cannot remember how to do it without looking it up on the internet and even then, it takes me half an hour or so because I cannot get it right.
That’s the one good thing about getting the oil changed at Toyota, which Vince will NOT do . . they reset that blasted light.
The first day Addie is back in school, my one project for the day will be to get that light turned off! You wouldn’t think it would be so frustrating but it is.
This is what one place on the internet says to do:
1. Do not step on the brake
2. Press and release the START button
3. If the odometer is not illuminated, press the START button again
4. Place the odometer to TRIP A
5. Press and release the START button (odometer should no longer be illuminated)
6. Press and HOLD the odometer set button
7. Press and release the START button while holding the odometer button
8. If the odometer is not illuminated, press the START button again while still holding the odometer button
9. Keep holding the odometer button until the countdown completes
10. This should result in a cleared MAINTENANCE REQUIRED light the next time you start your car
That’s not even totally right because you have to turn the key to “accessory” to start with. I usually have to find two or three or four places that have instructions before I finally get something to work. Yes, I should find the one that works, print it and keep it in the glove box . . but I haven’t done that yet.
Wish me luck!
And, if you think that all sounds like a pain, try resetting the low tire pressure light! Ugh!
Mechelle says
I think you can get the light turned off / code read at an Auto Zone or Advance autoparts store, tat might be easier than all the silly steps!
Judy Laquidara says
They always have to look it up and don’t usually get it right the first time either. There’s no magic button – even Toyota has to go through the same steps I go through.
Deborah says
Black electrical tape!!! Until you get home and Vince can fix it. I pay extra for oil changes at the Toyota dealership just to avoid this. Frustrating! Deborah
JudyL says
I don’t think Vince has ever turned those lights off so waiting for him to do it means it will be on forever. Once Addie is in school, I’ll turn it off. I don’t want to leave her in the room while I mess with it and I surely don’t want her standing there asking if I’m done yet.
We get our oil changed for about $30 less than Toyota charges so I’ll gladly mess with resetting that light. Those savings add up.
Rebecca says
Just grit your teeth and remind yourself: “$30”!
Joyce says
Do all those steps, and then pat your head and rub your stomach (at the same time) for 1 minute exactly, Then close your eyes and turn around 3 times… All of this would be about as logical as the steps you have to go through…LOL At lease the low tire light on my Honda is easy to reset!
dezertsuz says
What fun! I ignore mine until I decide it’s time to change the oil, but that requires me to hit a button each time I start the car. Still, it’s only one button on my 2010 Ford. They reset it when they do the oil change so it doesn’t come on again. I’m not changing the oil every 3000 miles. I’m just not!
Nelle Coursey says
That is funny!! Maybe Vince should be the one to reset it when he gets the oil changed!! LOL The new synthetic oil goes a lot further than the old oil did. We took our Jeep in when it got to the amount of miles we were used to but the girl said, don’t come in until the car tells you to!! LOL I really like those people at Stanley’s. They treat you right!
VickiT says
Good luck with that light Judy. The maintenance light could be more than oil change though so I’d be paranoid myself.
Years ago we had a van with a faulty light. It was for the brakes and while we had just gotten them completely replaced and checked twice after that stupid light came on it still made me paranoid. Sooooooooooo I took a piece of black tape (the dash where the light was at was black) and taped over top of that light. TADAAAA no more light. LOL
Judy Laquidara says
For my car, that light only comes on for routine maintenance so it doesn’t worry me. Covering it up wouldn’t help my thoughts because I still know it’s on. I’m one to fix rather than cover up and it isn’t hard . . just takes finding the right set of instructions and doing it.
Lee says
I know that light well; mine came on about 600 miles before I got home from my annual summer trip north. I’m a horrible procrastinator. I was going to have the oil changed BEFORE my trip [3 weeks ago], then I was going to have it changed while I was up north…and didn’t…so got to drive home with it on, but as I knew it was just the reminder to change the oil (as expected), I ignored it. I only drive about 3000 mile in a year anymore & over 2000 of that is the summer trip. I’ve never thought to find out if it could be turned off without actually taking it in for the oil change.
Carolyn Sullivan says
I took my Honda to the dealer to get that and an other issue taken care of. I know they changed the oil. But after 1000 miles the oil light was on, they had not reset it….I had to call them and they walked me through the procedure for turning it off after they verified that they had changed the oil. Now i’m just guessing what my oil life is.
Judy Laquidara says
When I get my oil changed (not at the dealer because it costs $30 more there), the people do not reset my maintenance light but they put a sticker on my windshield that shows how many miles were on the car when they changed it. So, my oil was changed just two weeks ago and now the light is on but I’ll just reset the light and go by the sticker on the windshield.