What does maintenance required mean on a Honda Accord?
It’s a reminder from Honda’s Maintenance Minder that routine service is due; it does not indicate a fault or imminent breakdown. Treat it as a prompt to schedule maintenance with a dealer or trusted shop.
Honda’s Maintenance Minder uses sensors and driving data to estimate remaining oil life and other required services. When maintenance is due, the dash may display a MAINT REQ'D message or an oil-life percentage. After you complete the recommended work, the system can be reset to start a new maintenance cycle.
What the reminder covers and why it appears
On a Honda Accord, the Maintenance Minder message signals that scheduled maintenance—such as oil changes, filter replacements, tire rotation, and safety inspections—should be performed. The exact items and timing are tailored to your car based on year, engine and driving conditions.
These are the kinds of services that can be due when the light appears. The exact items and timing depend on your model year, engine, and driving conditions.
- Engine oil and oil filter replacement
- Tire rotation and inspection
- Brake inspection and fluid checks
- Engine air filter replacement
- Cabin air filter replacement
- Fluid level checks and top-offs (coolant, transmission or brake fluid, power steering, etc.)
- Spark plugs or other major scheduled maintenance items at higher mileages
Note that not every item will be due at every service. Your maintenance schedule may include only a subset of these tasks at a given visit.
How to respond when you see MAINT REQ'D
If the reminder appears, use these steps to handle the situation responsibly and protect the vehicle’s performance and safety.
- Open the maintenance minder display to see which items are due. The display lists tasks and an estimated time or mileage until the next due date.
- Check the current oil-life percentage and inspect for any obvious issues (oil leaks, low fluid levels). Plan an oil change if oil life is very low or if you’re due for inspection.
- Review your service history to ensure you’re compliant with the manufacturer’s schedule for your specific model and engine.
- Schedule service with Honda or a trusted shop. Bring any maintenance records and ask for a full inspection and the items listed by the Minder.
- On the service visit, confirm the recommended tasks, obtain a written checklist, and request use of the correct oil grade and filters for your engine.
- After service, reset the Maintenance Minder so the system starts a new cycle and future reminders are accurate.
Driving with a maintenance reminder is not unsafe in itself, but delaying routine maintenance can affect performance, fuel economy, and long-term reliability. If you notice unusual noises, performance changes, or fluid leaks, have the vehicle inspected sooner.
Resetting the Maintenance Minder after service
Resetting clears the old reminder and starts a fresh maintenance cycle. Do this only after the scheduled service has been completed.
- Turn the ignition to ON (do not start the engine).
- Navigate to the oil life indicator on the instrument panel.
- Press and hold the SELECT/RESET knob until the display returns to 100% or the MAINT REQ'D message disappears.
If you’re unsure about the reset procedure for your exact model year, consult the owner’s manual or ask your service advisor for model-specific instructions.
Summary
Maintenance Required on a Honda Accord is a proactive maintenance reminder generated by Honda’s Maintenance Minder. It signals that routine services—most commonly an oil change, filter replacements, tire rotation, brake inspection, and fluid checks—are due or approaching due. Treat the reminder seriously, schedule service promptly, and reset the system after completion to maintain accurate maintenance scheduling.
What happens if I ignore Honda maintenance codes?
A: If you ignore the recommended maintenance, the display will start showing negative mileage. This means your vehicle is overdue for service by that number of miles.
What does maintenance A mean on a Honda Accord?
"Maintenance A" on a Honda Accord means it's time to replace the engine oil and oil filter. Your car's Maintenance Minder system will also likely prompt for other services, indicated by a number following the "A", such as tire rotation (A1) or other checks and fluid services.
What Maintenance A means
- Main Item A: Replace the engine oil and oil filter.
- Sub Item 1: Rotate the tires and inspect their condition and pressure.
What this means for you
- Regular oil changes: are essential for proper engine lubrication and temperature regulation.
- Combined services: The system may show other numbers with "A" to indicate other services are due, like a tire rotation (A1).
- System alerts: The Maintenance Minder system on your dashboard will show a percentage for your oil life. When it reaches 15%, service is due soon; at 5%, it is due now; and at 0%, it is overdue.
Can I drive my car if it says maintenance required?
You don't have to stop driving the moment the light turns on, but don't wait too long to schedule service. If you notice strange sounds or a drop in performance, get your car checked as soon as possible. If it's been a while since your last oil change, plan to take care of it soon.
What does "maintenance required
This indicator reminds you that it is time to take your vehicle in for scheduled maintenance. Refer to the Maintenance Schedules for Normal and Severe Driving Conditions on pages and . Press and hold the Select/Reset knob on the instrument panel, then turn the ignition switch to ON (II).
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