The wrench light is an indicator on a Honda Civic’s dashboard. Its function is to notify the driver whenever the car needs maintenance. But after maintenance service, the light should be reset.
So, how to reset the wrench light on Honda Civic? The reset process depends on model year. For older Civic models, press and hold the Trip button until the display flashes, release it and then press and hold it again to reset. Newer Civics require the use of Enter/Source and arrow keys to scroll through options and select reset.
Keep reading to learn about what the wrench light and its accompanying codes mean, its benefits, and how to reset it.
What Does The Wrench Light On Honda Civic Mean?
The wrench light turns on when your Honda Civic needs maintenance. This light is part of a system called the maintenance minder. The minder monitors the engine’s performance under different operating conditions and runs algorithms to determine when maintenance is needed.
Two main things can turn the wrench light on;
- When an oil change is required
- When the vehicle is due for a full service
The wrench light is always accompanied by a code that specifies the service required.
How To Reset Wrench Light On Honda Civic From 2006 to 2011
After the maintenance, you need to reset the wrench light manually. Resetting the light differs slightly depending on what model your Honda Civic is.
Here’s the process for resetting the wrench light for the older 2006 to 2011 Honda Civic models;
- Turn the car on, but don’t start the engine.
- Find the trip meter button on the instrument panel.
- Press the trip meter button and hold it until the oil life display appears.
- After the oil life display has appeared, press the trip meter button until the screen flashes.
- When the screen flashes, let go of the trip meter button. Then press it again and hold for about five seconds. This will reset the oil life to 100%.
- Now turn off the car and restart it to check whether the wrench light has been reset.
How To Reset Wrench Light On Honda Civic From 2012 to 2015?
For Honda Civic models dating from 2012 to 2015, there are two ways to reset the wrench light.
Using the steering wheel
- Turn the ignition key so that the car is on, but the engine is off.
- Find the Menu button and press it to access the vehicle menu.
- Select Vehicle Info by pressing the relevant navigation button.
- Use the Source button to select the Maintenance Info display.
- When you see the Oil Life screen, press the Source button to get the reset option and then select Yes using the navigation buttons.
- Press the Source button to reset the wrench light.
- Turn the car off and restart it to check whether the light has been reset.
Using the instrument cluster button
- Turn the ignition on without turning the engine on.
- Press the Trip button until you find the Oil Life option.
- Press the Trip button and hold it until the screen starts flashing.
- Release the button.
- Press and hold the Trip button again for about five seconds to reset the wrench light.
- Restart the ignition to verify that the wrench light has been successfully reset.
How To Reset Wrench Light On Honda Civic From 2016 to 2018?
For the 2016 to 2018 Honda Civic models-
- Push the engine start button twice to start the car without igniting the engine.
- Press the Source button until you reach the Oil Life screen.
- Press and hold down the Enter button until the screen switches to the Maintenance Reset screen.
- Use the arrow keys to navigate through the Maintenance menu.
- Select an item like Oil change or Reset All Due Items and press the Enter button to reset.
- Turn off the car and restart it to verify whether the reset worked.
How To Reset Wrench Light On Honda Civic From 2019 to 2021?
To reset the wrench light on the 2019 to 2021 honda civic models, follow the steps below.
- Push the engine start button two times to start the car without starting the engine.
- On the infotainment display, navigate to the home screen and then select Settings.
- Select Vehicle, and then Maintenance Info.
- Press the Select Reset Items option.
- Select the Engine Oil option and press Reset.
- Start the vehicle to verify the reset.
If you encounter any difficulties when trying to reset your Honda Civic, check the car manual, and if you still can’t solve the issue, contact a dealership for help.
What Do The Wrench Light Codes On Honda Civic Mean?
The wrench light codes always have either letter ‘A’ or ‘B,’ followed by a number between one and seven. If you don’t know what they mean, don’t worry.
Because your car has a manual that lists all the codes and their meaning. However, if you don’t have access to a manual, here’s what each maintenance code means;
Alphabet Codes
Codes A and B are the main codes. Here’s what they mean;
- Code A: You need to replace your car’s engine oil
- Code B: This code calls for a comprehensive car service that may include the following;
- Oil filter replacement
- Engine oil change
- Inspection of both front and rear brakes
- Checking the drive axle boots
- Brake line inspection
- Swap out the low-pressure fuel filter and drain the high-pressure fuel filter
- Checking the car’s suspension and steering system
Number Codes
Here’s what the various number codes mean;
| Number | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1 | You should rotate the tires |
| 2 | Inspect the air cleaner, pollen filter, and dust filter and replace them if they’re faulty |
| Check the drive belt | |
| 3 | Transmission fluid replacement required |
| 4 | Inspect the spark plugs and replace if need be |
| Check whether the valve clearance is correct | |
| Inspect the timing | |
| Check the water pump | |
| 5 | Engine coolant replacement required |
| 6 | Change the rear differential fluid |
| 7 | Brake fluid replacement required |
What Are The Benefits Of The Wrench Light On the Honda Civic?
The wrench light alerts you about when to take your car for maintenance. This regular maintenance has several benefits, including;
- Driving safety: Regular maintenance means that your Honda Civic will always be working perfectly. Since every component works as it should, the probability of road accidents is lowered.
- Cost and time-saving: Regular maintenance keeps your car in great shape, saving you money that would otherwise be spent on repairs. Besides the repair cost, a well-maintained saves time that would be used for repairs.
- Maintaining vehicle value: Servicing a vehicle regularly maintains its value in the long term. It also extends the usable life of the vehicle.
FAQs
Here are some answers to common questions about the Honda Civic wrench light.
In most cases, you can continue driving your Honda after the wrench light turns on. However, to be safe, check the maintenance code to determine the issue before deciding to continue driving. For instance, don’t drive the car if the maintenance code requires replacing the brake fluid.
Though it is safe to continue driving your Honda Civic for sometime with the wrench light illuminated, ignoring it indefinitely will cause problems. Driving your car without maintenance will lower performance, decrease fuel efficiency, increase repair costs, and compromise your safety.
Maintenance costs vary depending on the model and age of your car. In general, expect to pay about $50 for an oil change and about $100 for brake fluid or transmission fluid swapping. For older cars with issues like a cracked timing belt, the cost of maintenance is much higher.
Conclusion
The wrench light turns on whenever a Honda Civic requires maintenance, with oil change replacement being the most common cause for the light. Whenever the wrench light turns on, it is accompanied by a letter and number to indicate the type of service required.
Maintenance helps keep your car’s resale value and running costs low, so you should service it whenever the wrench light turns on. The process for resetting the wrench light after service differs depending on the model year.