Modern vehicles come with a multitude of warning features that let the driver know about scheduled maintenance, such as an oil change or low tire pressure. Warning lights or messages come up on the driver’s display to indicate the necessary maintenance. In most cases, these lights should be reset manually.
So, how to reset oil life on Honda Civic? In the latest models of the Honda Civic, you can reset oil life from the multi-information display. For older models, you have to use the trip reset button to reset the oil life.
We will go over the steps of resetting oil life on various Honda Civic models. Follow till the end.
What Is Oil Life on a Honda Civic?
Many might confuse oil life with the oil pressure indicator. But these two aren’t the same.
- Oil life refers to the quality of the engine oil. When you use fresh engine oil in your Honda Civic, the oil life percentage is shown at 100%.
- Over time, the oil catches impurities, and the oil quality drops. The maintenance light will come up once the oil life reaches 15%. You will also see the oil life percentage on the driver’s display.
- When the oil life is at 5%, you should change the oil without any delay.
- If the oil life is at 0%, it means the oil is not usable by any means. In this condition, the engine might get affected if you don’t change the oil.
The oil grade plays an important role here. So, you should always use the right oil in your Honda Civic. Also, check the owner’s manual to know how long an engine oil should be used.
How to Reset Oil Life on Honda Civic? Step-by-Step Guide
You might have changed the engine oil on your Honda Civic recently. After an oil change, you need to reset the oil life. Settings can be different in various models.
For Models With Multi-Information Display
In some trims of the Honda Civic, you get a multi-information display. The display shows all the necessary information and settings of the vehicle. Follow the steps below to reset the oil life of that vehicle.
- Step 1: Press the Engine Start/Stop button twice without depressing the brake. It will turn on all the electronics in your vehicle but won’t start the engine.
- Step 2: For models 2020 and onward, you need to press the Home button on the left side of the steering wheel. Then, use the scroll wheel beside the Home button to scroll through the menu.
When the Maintenance menu is selected, press the scroll button. It will show the oil life percentage.
For models before 2020, you need to press the information button multiple times until the oil life percentage appears on the driver’s display.
- Step 3: Press and hold the scroll button or Enter button, depending on your vehicle model. After 5-10 seconds, the Maintenance Reset menu will appear. Release the scroll or Enter button.
- Step 4: Use the scroll wheel or arrow buttons to select the desired reset item. Item A denotes the oil life on Honda vehicles, so select Item A Only. Then, press and hold the Scroll or Enter button for a few more seconds.
- Step 5: After a few seconds, the oil life will be reset to 100%. Release the button. Turn off the vehicle and start the engine. You are good to go now.
For Models Without Multi-Information Display
Older models of Honda Civic don’t have the MID, so you need to reset oil life in the following way.
- Step 1: Turn the key to the ON position but don’t start the engine.
- Step 2: Press the trip button multiple times until the oil life percentage appears on the driver’s display.
- Step 3: Press the trip button again and hold it for a few seconds. The oil life percentage will blink continuously.
- Step 4: Release the trip button and press it once again. The oil life should now be reset.
- Step 5: Turn off the ignition and then start your vehicle.
Does Resetting Oil Life Require an Oil Change?
You might think of what happens when you reset the oil life. It works like a timer, which tells the system how long the engine oil can be used. When you put fresh engine oil in your Honda Civic, the car can run for 3,000 to 5,000 miles depending on your driving pattern.
After resetting the oil life, the system starts counting multiple factors, such as mileage, engine RPM, and other driving conditions. The oil life is calculated accordingly.
If you’re interested in learning about common issues with the AC in Honda vehicles, we have articles that cover specific models. For Honda Odyssey owners, our article on Honda Odyssey AC not working provides information on potential causes and solutions for AC problems in the Odyssey model. Similarly, if you own a Honda CR-V and are experiencing AC issues, you can refer to our article on Honda CR-V AC not working for insights and troubleshooting tips.FAQs
Check the answers to frequently asked questions about oil life on Honda Civic.
A: No, the oil life percentage won’t reset automatically. After an oil change, you need to manually reset the oil life percentage.
A: Yes, but not recommended. The oil life percentage indicates how dirty the oil is. If the oil life percentage drops to 5%, it means the oil is filthy, and you need to change the oil now. Though you can still drive a few hundred miles, we suggest changing the oil as early as possible.
A: The oil life percentage depends on a lot of factors, including speed, RPM, etc. In city driving, engine RPM might fluctuate more than in highway driving. It affects the oil quality, and the oil life percentage will drop faster.
Conclusion
Oil life on your Honda Civic indicates how much time is remaining before you need an oil change. But it can’t detect an oil change, so the oil life warning will continue to show. You need to reset the oil life after changing the oil.
In this guide, we showed how to reset the oil life on Honda Civic. Depending on the model year, you can do it using the Multi-Information Display or the trip reset button. When the maintenance light comes up on your Honda Civic, check the oil life, change the oil if necessary, and don’t forget to reset the oil life.