How To Reset A Honda Accord Oil Light

Keeping your car well-maintained is crucial for its longevity and performance. Regular oil changes are an essential part of this maintenance routine, ensuring that your engine runs smoothly and efficiently. However, after an oil change, it’s important to reset the oil life light or maintenance minder on your Honda Accord to ensure accurate tracking of your vehicle’s oil life. But how exactly do you reset the oil life light on a Honda Accord?

To reset the Honda Accord oil life light, you’ll need to locate the specific button or control on your model year and follow a series of steps, which typically involve turning on the ignition without starting the engine, navigating to the oil life display, and holding down a button or knob for a certain duration. The exact process varies depending on the year and trim level of your Honda Accord.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of resetting the oil life light on different Honda Accord model years, from the latest 2022 models to older generations. We’ll cover every detail, from locating the right button to navigating the multi-information display, so you can keep your car running smoothly and avoid unnecessary maintenance reminders.

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Why is it Important to Reset the Honda Accord Oil Life Light?

Before we dive into the specifics of how to reset the oil life light, it’s essential to understand why this process is so important. The Honda Accord is equipped with an intelligent Maintenance Minder System that monitors various factors, such as mileage, driving conditions, and engine load, to determine when the oil needs to be changed.

This system calculates the remaining oil life and displays it as a percentage on the multi-information display or instrument cluster. As the oil degrades over time and usage, this percentage decreases, eventually triggering a maintenance reminder or warning light when the oil life reaches a certain threshold, typically around 15%.

Resetting the oil life light after an oil change is crucial for several reasons:

Accurate Tracking: By resetting the oil life light, you’re essentially telling the Maintenance Minder System that you’ve replaced the old oil with fresh oil, allowing it to start tracking the new oil’s life accurately.
Avoiding Unnecessary Reminders: If you don’t reset the oil life light after an oil change, the system will continue to display the same low oil life percentage, leading to unnecessary maintenance reminders or warnings, even though you’ve already changed the oil.
Proper Maintenance Scheduling: Resetting the oil life light ensures that you receive timely reminders for your next oil change, helping you stay on top of your vehicle’s maintenance schedule and preventing potential engine damage due to neglected oil changes.

Now that you understand the importance of resetting the oil life light, let’s dive into the specific steps for different Honda Accord model years.

How to Reset the Oil Life Light on a 2017-2022 Honda Accord

The latest generation of Honda Accords, from the 2017 to 2022 model years, offers two methods for resetting the oil life light: using the steering wheel controls or the touchscreen infotainment system.

Using the Steering Wheel Controls (A-type Display)

If your Honda Accord has the A-type display, with the Driver Information Interface (DII) located on the left side of the gauge cluster, follow these steps:

Turn on the ignition without starting the engine.
Press the “Home” button on the steering wheel.
Use the left roller control on the steering wheel to navigate to and select the wrench icon, representing the “Maintenance” menu.
With the “Oil Life” displayed, hold down the left selector wheel for approximately 10 seconds until the “Reset Mode” appears.
Use the left selector wheel to choose either “Item A Only” to reset just the oil life, or “All Due Items” to reset all maintenance items.
Press and release the left selector wheel to confirm your selection. The oil life should now be reset to 100%.

Using the Touchscreen Infotainment System

If your Honda Accord is equipped with the touchscreen infotainment system, you can reset the oil life light using the following steps:

With the ignition turned on but the engine off, navigate to the “Home” screen on the infotainment display.
Select “Settings” > “Vehicle” > “Maintenance Info”.
Under “Select Reset Items”, choose “Oil & Filter” and then select “Reset”.
Confirm the reset by following the on-screen prompts.

How to Reset the Oil Life Light on a 2013-2016 Honda Accord

For the 2013 to 2016 model years of the Honda Accord, the process for resetting the oil life light varies slightly depending on whether your vehicle has the Info Display or the Multi-Information Display.

Using the Info Display

Turn on the ignition without starting the engine.
Press the “Select” knob repeatedly until the “Engine Oil Life” is displayed on the info display.
Press and hold the “Select” knob for more than 10 seconds until the display starts blinking.
Release the knob, then press and hold it again for approximately 5 seconds.
The “Engine Oil Life” should now be reset to 100%.

Using the Multi-Information Display

Turn on the ignition without starting the engine.
Use the “Info” (up/down) and “SEL/RESET” buttons located on the steering wheel to navigate to the “Vehicle Settings” menu.
Scroll down and select “Maintenance Reset”.
Choose “Reset” to reset the oil life.

How to Reset the Oil Life Light on a 2008-2012 Honda Accord

For the 2008 to 2012 model years of the Honda Accord, the process for resetting the oil life light is as follows:

Turn the ignition to the “Run” position, which is one click before starting the engine.
Locate the “SELECT/RESET” button, which may be on the steering wheel or as a knob on the dashboard.
Press the “SELECT/RESET” button repeatedly until the engine oil life indicator is displayed.
Press and hold the “SELECT/RESET” button for more than 10 seconds. The engine oil life indicator and the maintenance code(s) will start blinking.
While the indicators are blinking, press and hold the “SELECT/RESET” button again for approximately 5 seconds.
The maintenance code(s) should disappear, and the engine oil life should be reset to 100%.
Turn off the ignition and restart the engine to confirm that the oil life light has been successfully reset.

How to Reset the Oil Life Light on Older Honda Accord Models

If you own an older Honda Accord, the process for resetting the oil life light may differ slightly. Here are the instructions for some of the previous model years:

2000-2007 Honda Accord Models

When the “Engine Oil Life” indicator reaches 5% or lower, the “SERVICE” light will illuminate on the instrument cluster.
Turn the ignition to the “RUN” position, but do not start the engine.
Press the “SELECT/RESET” stem (or button) until the “Engine Oil Life” is displayed.
Press and hold the “SELECT/RESET” stem for approximately 10 seconds, then release it.
Press and hold the “SELECT/RESET” stem again for an additional 5 seconds.
Turn off the ignition, then turn it back on. The “Engine Oil Life” should now be reset to 100%.

1997-1999 Honda Accord Models

Turn the ignition to the “OFF” position.
Press and hold the “Select” and “Reset” buttons (or knobs) simultaneously.
While holding both buttons, turn the ignition to the “RUN” position, but do not start the engine.
Continue holding both buttons for approximately 10 seconds. The “Maintenance Required” indicator should reset.

1982-1996 Honda Accord Models

For these older model years, the process for resetting the oil life light may involve using a keyhole or reset button located on the dashboard or instrument panel.

Turn the ignition to the “RUN” position, but do not start the engine.
Locate the keyhole or reset button, typically near the bottom of the instrument panel or dashboard.
Use the ignition key or a appropriate tool to turn or press the reset button/keyhole until the maintenance light resets or turns green.

It’s important to note that the exact location and method for resetting the oil life light may vary slightly between specific model years and trim levels. If you’re unsure about the process or unable to reset the light successfully, it’s recommended to consult your owner’s manual or seek assistance from a professional Honda service center.

Resetting the Oil Life Light on Newer Honda Models For newer Honda models, the process of resetting the oil life light may involve using the multi-information display (MID) or the infotainment system. Here are the general steps:

Turn on the ignition, but do not start the engine.
Navigate to the vehicle settings or maintenance menu on the MID or infotainment system.
Locate the option for resetting the oil life or service reminder.
Follow the on-screen prompts to reset the oil life indicator.

Some newer Honda models may also have a dedicated button or knob for resetting the oil life light. Consult your owner’s manual for specific instructions based on your vehicle’s model and year.

Importance of Regular Oil Changes Resetting the oil life light is an important part of maintaining your Honda vehicle, but it’s equally crucial to follow the recommended oil change intervals. Regular oil changes help ensure the longevity and optimal performance of your engine by:

Removing contaminants and byproducts from combustion.
Maintaining proper lubrication and cooling of engine components.
Preventing sludge buildup and premature wear.

Honda typically recommends changing the oil every 7,500 miles or 12 months, whichever comes first. However, it’s essential to refer to your owner’s manual for the specific oil change interval recommended for your vehicle, as it may vary based on driving conditions and usage.

In Summary

Resetting the oil life light on your Honda vehicle is a straightforward process that can be accomplished by following the steps outlined in your owner’s manual or by seeking assistance from a professional Honda service center. Regularly resetting the oil life light and adhering to the recommended oil change intervals are crucial for maintaining the health and longevity of your vehicle’s engine. By staying on top of this essential maintenance task, you can ensure that your Honda continues to deliver reliable performance for years to come.