The A137 Maintenance Minder code on an Acura calls for an engine oil change, plus a tire rotation, a transmission fluid change (plus transfer fluid on AWD and SH-AWD) and a brake fluid replacement.
It decodes left to right. The letter is the main item and the digits are sub-items, each of which has independently run down its own service interval. They surface together simply because they finished counting at the same time, which is why your Acura shows different combinations at different stages of its life.
An Acura dealer is the default choice, but not the only one. Acura sits under the same parent company as Honda and draws on the same parts supply, so a Honda service department is a legitimate and often cheaper option for A137.
Acura A137 Service Cost
Budget $260 to $475 for the Acura A137 service. The spread reflects genuine differences in engine, fluid volume and shop rates rather than padding, and because A137 bundles separate jobs, an itemized quote tells you far more than a single figure.
| Item | What it covers | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| “A” | Engine oil change | $50 – $100 |
| “1” | Tire rotation | $30 – $45 |
| “3” | Transmission fluid (and transfer fluid on AWD/SH-AWD) | $100 – $200 |
| “7” | Brake fluid | $80 – $130 |
| Total Acura A137 service | $260 – $475 | |
| Doing it yourself (parts only) | around $145 | |
Brake Fluid in A137 Runs on a Calendar, Not Your Odometer
Sub-item 7 is the odd one out in A137. Every other item counts down against how you drive; brake fluid counts down against time. Acura’s own guidance is explicit about it: if the Maintenance Minder has not asked for item 7 within 36 months of the last reset, replace the brake fluid anyway. Three years, whatever the mileage says.
The reason is that brake fluid is hygroscopic. It draws moisture out of the air through the reservoir and the flexible hoses, and water lowers the fluid’s boiling point. Fluid that boils under sustained braking turns to vapor, and vapor compresses in a way liquid does not. That is the long, soft pedal drivers describe on a long descent. A garage queen with 3,000 miles a year is no more exempt from this than a commuter car.
Acura specifies DOT 3, and the job is a genuine bleed at all four corners until clean fluid comes through — not a top-up of the reservoir. Old fluid is visibly darker than new, so it is one of the few services you can sanity-check yourself by looking. If a quote for A137 looks suspiciously cheap, confirm the brake line is a flush rather than a level check.
When Is the Acura A137 Service Due?
There is no fixed mileage for this. The Maintenance Minder models oil life from engine temperature, journey length, load and engine revolutions, so a car used for short winter trips reaches zero far sooner than one covering steady highway miles. Most Acura owners see the oil item come round somewhere between 5,000 and 12,000 miles.
You get plenty of notice. A wrench appears at 15% oil life, the warning becomes firmer at 5%, and at 0% the readout switches to a negative distance showing how far overdue the car has become. Fifteen percent is when to call the shop, not when to worry.
Brake fluid is the exception inside A137. Acura runs it to a three-year calendar rather than a distance, so it can fall due on a car that has barely moved.
Acura Models That Show the A137 Code
Any Maintenance Minder–equipped Acura can show A137: MDX, RDX, TLX, ILX, Integra, RLX, ZDX and TSX. The jobs are the same throughout, but oil capacity, fluid specification and labor time all shift with the engine, so the bill lands differently on a four-cylinder Integra than on a V6 MDX.
Check your owner’s manual for the exact fluid specifications your engine needs before booking.
Is Acura A137 Service Free Under Complimentary Maintenance?
Partly at best. Acura’s program covers A1 and B1 work — oil, filter, tire rotation and inspection — for two years or 24,000 miles on 2023 and 2024 cars. For 2025 models it shrank to the first scheduled service inside 12 months or 12,000 miles. Everything in A137 beyond that basic scope is chargeable.
The practical move is to ask for an itemized invoice rather than a single number, because the oil and rotation line may still be covered while the rest is not. The work has to happen at a participating Acura dealer with Acura Genuine parts and oil, and the clock runs from the car’s original in-service date, not the day you bought it.
What A137 Means for SH-AWD Acuras
The A137 work itself is identical whether your Acura drives the front wheels or all four. What changes is what tends to arrive alongside it. Super Handling All-Wheel Drive uses a torque-vectoring rear unit that Honda does not fit to its own models, and it carries a fluid service of its own: sub-item 6, rear differential fluid, due at around 15,000 miles initially and every 30,000 miles after.
Sub-item 3 is also affected. On an SH-AWD car the transmission fluid change in A137 brings the transfer unit with it, which is a separate drain and fill and a separate labor line. A quote that looks high next to a front-wheel-drive Acura may be entirely legitimate.
So if you drive an SH-AWD MDX, RDX, TLX or ZDX, do not be surprised to see A137 arrive with a 6 attached. Front-drive Acuras never show a 6, because there is no rear differential to service.
Related Acura Service Codes
- Acura A1237 service code
- Acura A123 service code
- Acura A135 service code
- Acura B137 service code
- Acura A13 service code
- Acura A17 service code
- Acura B1237 service code
- Acura B123 service code
- All Acura Maintenance Minder codes — the full reference table
- How to reset the Acura Maintenance Minder
Acura A137 Service FAQ
What does the Acura A137 code mean?
The “A” is an engine oil change, and each digit after it is a separate job that has come due at the same time. For A137 those are a tire rotation, a transmission fluid change (plus transfer fluid on AWD and SH-AWD), a brake fluid replacement. It is a bundle of independent services, not one procedure.
How much does the Acura A137 service cost?
Typically $260 to $475 at a dealer or independent shop, depending on your model and local labor rate. The breakdown by sub-item is in the table above. Acura and Honda dealer pricing is broadly comparable, so a Honda service department is worth a call for a second quote.
Can I do the Acura A137 service myself?
Partly. The oil and rotation are easy. A proper brake fluid flush needs bleeding at all four corners in the right sequence, and air left in the system gives you a soft pedal — it is doable at home with the right kit but it is not a beginner job. Parts alone come to roughly $145.
Is A137 covered by Acura complimentary maintenance?
Not fully. The program covers A1 and B1 services for two years or 24,000 miles on 2023 and 2024 cars, and only the first scheduled service within 12 months or 12,000 miles on 2025 models. A137 includes work beyond that, so expect the additional items to be chargeable. The oil and rotation portion may still be covered, so ask for an itemized invoice.
Does the A137 code mean something is wrong with my Acura?
No. A137 is a maintenance reminder shown with a wrench symbol, generated by the Maintenance Minder’s own countdown. It is not a diagnostic trouble code. A check engine light comes from a different system entirely and points to a stored fault. If both are showing they are unrelated, and the check engine light is the one to look at first.
How do I reset the A137 code?
An Acura dealer will reset it as part of the job. Doing it yourself: touchscreen models use Settings, then Vehicle, then Maintenance Reset, while older cars use the SEL/RESET stalk button or trip knob held for around ten seconds with the ignition on. On a multi-item code like A137 you can reset sub-items individually — do that rather than clearing everything, or the car will stop tracking jobs you have not actually done. Our Acura Maintenance Minder reset guide covers each method by model.