Question for you gearheads out there (Maint Req'd light)

I purchased a used 2006 Honda CR/V about a year ago. I’ve had to do a little bit of maintenance on it, but nothing extreme. However, a month or so ago, my Maint Req’d light has been flashing when I start the vehicle, and stays flashing a few seconds after the rest of the warning lights go out. It hasn’t come on while driving the vehicle.

This past weekend, I asked Jiffy Lube to run a diagnostic when I got my oil changed. They did and said they found no problems. I asked about the warning light, and they said that the light generally comes on after a vehicle gets old enough, even if there are no problems.

Is this true? Is it something I should worry about?

It is flashing because nobody has reset it and the car is getting mad thinking that nobody has done the requested maintanence. If the “check engine” light starts flashing, then you have a problem.

I have a 06 CRV and off the top of my head, I believe that the reset procedure is to put the key in the ignition, press and hold the trip odometer button, turn the key to the “on” position, and continue holding the button until the light stops flashing. If you then turn the key to “off” and back “on” again the flashing should have stopped. If that doesn’t work, open up the glovebox and check the manual.

P.S. - In my experience, the J-Team is barely competent to change your oil, much less offer advice on anything beyond that.

What Baracus said.

It comes on solid at 10K miles from its last reset, starts flashing before that (at maybe 8000? miles). It’s an oil change reminder – factory “normal service” interval is 10K miles, “severe service” interval is 5K.

If you’ve had an oil change less than ~8K miles ago, then it wasn’t reset by whoever did it. The fact that the idiots at a place that specializes in oil changes didn’t know what it was speaks very poorly of their competence, though the fact that they happily ran a diagnostic when the “Check Engine” light wasn’t on suggests that they’ve been well trained in selling stuff that isn’t needed.

Jiffy Lube didn’t charge me for the diagnostic, even though they could have. I requested it… it wasn’t something they tried to sell me on.

I’ve had the car for about 12,000 miles.