What Are These Random Numbers and Letters in My Dash?

While riding around town, have you ever noticed the instrument cluster in your Honda mentions you need maintenance with a weird letter and number combination (like B17)? Not to worry, as this notification doesn’t necessarily mean there’s something wrong with your car—instead, this is a Honda maintenance minder code, letting you know that auto service/repairs are needed soon. But are you still wondering: What do the Honda service codes mean? Stick with us today, as we’ll explore all the possible combos you’ll see in your dash—and while you’re at it, don’t forget to schedule service at Spitzer Honda in Euclid, OH, today to respond to these maintenance minders ASAP.

Cracking the Code: A Look at Maintenance Alerts

To let you know the type of maintenance needed, you’ll see one of two Honda service codes in your dash, with the first being a literal message, saying “Maintenance/Service Due Now” when your oil life drops from 15%-5%, letting you know to prepare to schedule your next oil change maintenance. When your oil life drops to 0%, your message will declare something down the lines of, “Maintenance/Service Past Due,” along with the number of miles past due you are—indicating you should schedule maintenance ASAP to help prevent engine damage.

The next maintenance minders are literal codes in the form of letters and numbers—when you see the letter A, your Honda is letting you know it’s time to change your engine oil and filter. However, when you see the letter B, you’ll need to schedule a variety of services, including checking your engine oil and filter, inspecting your brakes and parking brake, looking at your rod ends and gearbox, inspecting your suspension, driveshaft, and fluid levels, and performing a battery test along with a multi-point inspection to help ensure everything is running as planned.

Next to your letters, you’ll see a numeral from 1-7 to alert you of any specific replacements you’ll need. For reference, here is what each number refers to:

1. Rotate your tires
2. Replace your air filter/replace your cabin filter
3. Replace transmission fluid
4. Replace timing belt, water pump, and/or spark plugs (this could also be a message to change your valve cover gaskets)
5. Change your coolant
6. Replace your rear differential fluid
7. Change your brake fluid

What Should I Do if I See a Honda Maintenance Minder?

No need to worry about learning to DIY the above repairs, as we at the Spitzer Honda service center are always ready for the job with certified technicians. These pros are factory-trained and know the differences between virtually all Honda models new and old, from the special services of the Honda Civic Type R to the Civic Sport. Even if you don’t drive a Honda, they’re still happy to work on your ride and help you get your service reminders off your dash with the proper vehicle fix.

Cover Your Honda Maintenance near Cleveland

Don’t prolong your Honda repairs—instead, schedule service with Spitzer Honda when you see your maintenance minder code pop up in your dash. When you work with us, we put your needs first, so don’t hesitate to ask us questions about which oil works best for your driving style, advice about maintenance, and much more, and our team will be happy to assist.