Once an Acura Maintenance Minder code such as A1, B12 or B135 has been serviced, it will not clear by itself. The system has to be reset manually, and if you skip that step the display keeps showing the old code while quietly losing track of your next service interval.
This guide covers each reset method Acura uses, how to reset a single item rather than the whole code, and what to do when the reset refuses to take.
Reset Only What Was Serviced
This is the step most owners get wrong. The Maintenance Minder keeps a separate counter for every sub-item, so resetting everything after a plain oil change tells the car that the transmission fluid, brake fluid and coolant were all replaced as well. You then get no reminder for those items until their full intervals have passed.
If a dealer or independent shop did the work, ask whether they reset it — most do. If only part of a combined code was completed, use the individual-item method below.
Method 1: Interface Dial or Touchscreen (most 2014 and newer Acuras)
This covers current MDX, RDX, TLX, ILX, Integra and ZDX models with the On-Demand Multi-Use Display or dual-screen interface.
- Turn the ignition to ON. The engine need not be running, but the car must be fully powered rather than in accessory mode.
- Press SETTINGS, or select Settings from the home screen using the interface dial.
- Select Vehicle or Vehicle Settings.
- Select Maintenance Info.
- Select Reset.
- Choose Reset All only if every item in the code was serviced. Otherwise select the specific sub-items that were completed.
- Confirm. Oil life should return to 100% and the wrench icon should clear.
On some model years the path is Settings → Maintenance → Reset without the intermediate Vehicle menu. The sequence is otherwise identical.
Method 2: SEL/RESET Button (roughly 2007–2014)
Acuras of this era use a SEL/RESET button on the steering wheel or beside the instrument cluster.
- Turn the ignition to ON without starting the engine.
- Press SEL/RESET repeatedly until the oil life percentage or the maintenance code appears.
- Press and hold SEL/RESET for roughly 10 seconds until the display starts blinking.
- Release, then press and hold again for about 5 seconds.
- Oil life should reset to 100% and the code should disappear.
If the display blinks but never resets, the second hold was too short. Run the sequence again.
How to Reset a Single Item
Suppose the display reads B135 but you only had the oil and filter changed and the tires rotated, deferring the transmission fluid and coolant.
Open Settings → Vehicle → Maintenance Info → Reset, and rather than choosing Reset All, select only the B main item and sub-item 1. The display will then return showing 35, correctly telling you the transmission fluid and coolant remain outstanding.
SEL/RESET-era models generally do not offer per-item selection. On those, keep your own note of the deferred work and complete it at the next service.
Why the Code Reappeared
- The reset never completed. Oil life must read 100%. Anything else means the sequence did not finish.
- The wrong item was reset. Clearing sub-item 1 when the system wanted 3 leaves the original request outstanding.
- A different item came due. Sub-items run on independent intervals, so a new 2 or 7 appearing later is normal behaviour rather than a fault.
When the Reset Will Not Take
- Check the ignition position. Accessory mode is insufficient on most models; it must be full ON.
- Switch the engine off on SEL/RESET models, as some refuse a reset while running.
- Be on the correct screen. The reset only registers while the oil life or maintenance display is showing, not the trip computer.
- Try the other method. Transitional model years sometimes accept both the menu path and the button sequence.
- Consult the owner’s manual for your exact year and trim, since menu labels changed several times.
Failing all of that, any Acura dealer can reset it in a couple of minutes, typically free of charge if they carried out the service.
Does This Clear a Check Engine Light?
No. The Maintenance Minder and the check engine light are separate systems. The Maintenance Minder is a service scheduler indicated by a wrench icon; the check engine light reports a stored diagnostic trouble code from the engine management system. Resetting one has no bearing on the other.
Find Your Code
Not sure what your code covers? Look it up in our full reference: every Acura Maintenance Minder code explained.
Acura Maintenance Minder Reset FAQ
Does resetting the Maintenance Minder change the oil?
No. The reset simply records that the work was done. Resetting without performing the service means losing track of when the oil was genuinely changed.
Do I need a scan tool?
No. Every method here uses only the car’s own controls — no scan tool, app or dealer software required.
What should oil life read after a successful reset?
100%. Anything lower means the reset did not complete.
Is the Acura procedure the same as Honda’s?
Functionally yes. Acura is Honda’s luxury division and uses the same A/B plus 1–7 system, so the reset logic is identical — only the menu naming and screen layout differ. See our Honda Maintenance Minder reset guide for the Honda equivalents.
Will resetting affect my warranty?
The reset itself does not. What matters is that the required service was actually performed and that you can produce a record of it, so keep receipts regardless of who resets the display.
Oil life shows 15% with a code. How urgent is it?
Not immediately urgent. 15% is when the reminder first appears and you generally have a few hundred miles of margin. At 0% the display turns red and the service is overdue.