The longevity of your Honda depends on how you maintain it. However, one challenge is keeping up with scheduled maintenance visits according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. This is where Honda Service can help. The automaker has included this system in all US vehicles since the 2007 model year. It takes the guesswork out of vehicle maintenance and saves money on tune-ups and other services. Here’s an in-depth look at how Honda Maintenance Minder works.
What is Honda Maintenance Minder?
According to Honda, Maintenance Minder is an algorithm-based alert system that continuously monitors engine health and performance to indicate when maintenance is required so owners can fix and prevent problems. At its basic level, the system monitors engine oil life and allows the driver to assess oil quality and quantity at the touch of a button.
Maintenance Minder determines when an oil change or regular maintenance is required based on various factors including speed, engine temperature, weather, ambient temperature and vehicle usage. When the engine oil needs to be changed, the system will display this information on the dashboard instrument panel as a percentage.
How does the system work?
Honda Maintenance Minder eliminates the need for a maintenance schedule in the owner’s manual. Engine oil life starts 100% straight from the factory and deteriorates in quality and quantity over time. When it reaches 0%, the system indicates that the useful life of the oil is over. The vehicle will notify you when the next service is due with a warning light on the instrument cluster on the dashboard. It will also help you determine the type of maintenance needed using codes.
When the oil life percentage drops from 100% to 15%, a yellow wrench icon and maintenance code appear, alerting you to an upcoming maintenance interval. Waiting until the oil life level reaches 0% means you will accumulate negative miles and your Honda car service is overdue. It is critical to schedule an oil change as soon as the wrench icon is displayed on the dashboard because negative operation puts your Honda vehicle at risk of damage.
Checking the oil progression is quite simple. Simply press the Select or Reset button on the screen to see the oil life. After that, turn off the engine. Then go to the odometer and press Select or Reset. Every time you start the car, a default engine percentage will appear on the screen.
Honda Maintenance Minder Codes and Subcodes
Maintenance Minder service codes aren’t as simple as oil change alerts. Major codes usually appear as letters, indicating a required action. Subcodes are represented by numbers and indicate the components that require attention or maintenance.
The service codes are “A” and “B”. “A” means you need to change the engine oil and inspect various points in the engine. On the other hand, “B” indicates that you need to replace the engine oil and oil filter. It also tells you that the brake system and other vehicle systems require an inspection. In addition, it may alert you to set the parking brake.
The subcodes include the numbers 1 through 7 and indicate the vehicle components and systems that require service. Subcode 1 means the tires need to be rotated, while subcode 2 suggests you inspect and replace the air filter, drive belt, pollen filter, and/or dust filter. Subcode 3 indicates that you need to replace the transmission fluid and/or transfer fluid.
Also, subcode 4 shows potential problems with the spark plugs, timing belt, water pump, and valves. Therefore, you should check these components and potentially replace them. Subcode 5 means you should replace the engine coolant, subcode 6 involves the rear differential fluid, and subcode 7 refers to the brake fluid.
