If you drive a Honda or an Acura, you’ve probably seen a message on your dash with a letter and a number, like A1 or B12, along with a wrench symbol. It’s easy to ignore because it doesn’t explain itself. That little code is actually your car telling you exactly what service it wants next.
Honda and Acura call this system the Maintenance Minder. Instead of following a fixed mileage chart, your car keeps track of how you drive, including short trips, highway miles, heat and how hard the engine works. When it decides service is due, it shows a code.
The letter is the main service. An A means your car is due for an oil change. A B means an oil and filter change plus a more thorough inspection of things like the brakes, suspension, steering and fluid levels.
The numbers that follow are add-ons. A 1 means it’s time to rotate the tires. A 2 points to the engine and cabin air filters and a look at the drive belt. A 3 means transmission fluid is due. A 4 covers bigger tune-up items like spark plugs, and on some models a valve adjustment. A 5 is engine coolant, a 6 is rear differential fluid on all-wheel-drive models, and a 7 is brake fluid. So a B12 means an oil and filter change with an inspection, a tire rotation and new air filters.
The percentage you see when you start the car is how much oil life is left. When it gets down to 15 percent, it’s a good time to schedule your visit.
Reliable Automotive was built as a Honda and Acura specialist, and these cars are still a big part of what we do every day. We follow the codes your car shows, use parts and fluids that match what your car was designed for and reset the reminder when we’re done, so you don’t have to dig through the owner’s manual.
If there’s a code on your dash right now, tell us what it says when you call and we’ll let you know exactly what’s included. Call Reliable Automotive at (615) 472-1825 or stop by 112 Alpha Dr in Franklin, Monday through Friday from 7 to 5.
