What to Do When the Vehicle Maintenance Reminder Light Comes On?
3 Answers
The vehicle maintenance reminder light coming on is an indication to the owner that the car needs servicing and should be attended to as soon as possible. After the maintenance is completed, the reminder needs to be manually reset to start the next cycle. Vehicle maintenance is divided into major and minor services, with major services being based on minor ones. Typically, these two types of maintenance are performed alternately, with intervals varying depending on the car brand. During vehicle maintenance, technicians will conduct additional inspections based on the car's specific condition and may include other maintenance items, such as inspection, cleaning, and maintenance of the engine-related systems, wheel alignment checks, and inspection of various fastening components.
Last time I encountered this situation was right after a 5,000-kilometer long-distance drive when the little yellow warning light came on. I immediately checked the maintenance manual for the code. This light is essentially a friendly reminder, telling us it's time for a check-up at the shop. The key is to check the engine oil life - many vehicles nowadays use mileage algorithms to estimate oil condition. My first move is usually to pop the hood and pull out that little dipstick to see if the oil has turned black or if the level is sufficient. If you can't be bothered, just drive straight to a quick-service shop and have them use a diagnostic tool to read the trouble codes and rule out actual malfunctions. But 99% of the time it's just a maintenance reminder - reset the light and drive another 200 kilometers to test. If it comes back on, then you need to take it seriously. Continuing to drive with this light on might void your warranty - don't risk big losses to save a few hundred bucks.
My old car also had the yellow warning light last month. The mechanic taught me how to handle it: Don't panic, first note down the current mileage and check the maintenance manual. Most cars have their first service at 5,000 kilometers, and it's normal for the light to come on every 8,000 to 10,000 kilometers afterward. If the light comes on just a month after an oil change, it's likely that the reset wasn't done properly last time. You can reset it yourself—for example, Japanese cars require holding the mileage button while turning the ignition for ten seconds, while German cars need to use the steering wheel menu. Before you start, remember to warm up the engine for five minutes to circulate the oil, and check if the air filter is clogged like a black dough ball. A dirty air filter can harm the engine more than using poor-quality oil.
