Maint Req'd Light. Seriously Toyota.

Of course you don't! But Toyota doesn't have any way to know if a smart person or a dummy will buy the car, and it reduces production costs to just make them all the same, including the dummy light in case it is sold to a dummy.

I hadn't given this much thought. My Maintenance Required light came on so I changed my oil and didn't think much about resetting it because I am more interrested in looking at my ScanGaugeII to see how much each trip costs.

But this post reminded me that I needed to reset the Maintenance Required Light, and I agree, it is complicated, mainly by the fact that "Maintenance Required" is not in the Index of the manual. And then, it doesn't seem like it has any Table of Contents. So you more or less need to thumb through the whole book. The first time the idiot lights are mentioned in a table, it doesn't tell you much of anything about them except for their main functions. Finally later through the manual, there is a second table of all the idiot lights with more details and finally, the complex procedure.

Just in case you don't know what the procedure is, you push the Trip Odometer button until the total miles (not trip miles) is displayed. Then turn off the car and hold the Odometer/Trip Odometer select button donw while you push the Power Button twice to get to Ignition On and continue holding the Odometer/Trip Odometer for five additional seconds.

As an optional variant, you may also stand on your head and sing Kum Ba Yah backwards in Pig Latin, but I have successfully reset mine without this option.

 

Move to Australia, Toyota think Aussie drivers are smart enough not to need a reminder light.

 

Holding the ODO button while starting is complicated?

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Aussie drivers wouldn't change the oil even with a reminder. Oil changes are for sissies!

Tom

 

Well, if you realize that we are driving the most advanced Hybrid car on the planet and its computational power probably has more than the sum of all Apollo spaceships to the Moon.

Just couple of reminder lights and reset procedures shouldn't be something we can't deal with.....

 

No. Remembering which button to do it and the sequence is. Especially since it is an event that occurs only every six months or so. And some of old folks ain' got memories that good to begin with. And . . . I forgot. Nevermind.

 

I don't object to having an oil change reminder light. (Would prefer one that is driven by oil condition vice straight miles since last reset.)

That being said, the "MAINT REQD" label is what I hate. I have 20 Kmi on my TCH, so I have gone through 4 oil changes. Twice I was on trips when the 4500 and 5000 mile cycles triggered. Pucker factor increases when you are scooting through Richmond, I-95 center lane, surrounded by semi's, SUV's and Big-Foot wanna-be pick-up's and you suddenly see red exclamation triangle and "MAINT REQD" in the Multi-Information Display.

I would like a label "Oil Change in 500 miles", then "Dummy, I told you to change the oil, you NEVER listen to me".

Another irritation is that the alert is a high priority one, so it overrides any "normal" display on the Display. I would like an initial alert, then once, cleared, re-appear every 30 minutes or 50 miles.

 

Well, Toyota wants to because some people (esp. females, sorry) don't do it or don't know. I'd also imagine they want to avoid the possibility of oil sludge lawsuits. Some of the problems they had w/their V6s for all we know were due to owner neglect.

I reset both my trip odometers when I fill up.

FWIW, I've never had to reset it since I've taken it a dealer each time and its done it for me. Rebooting my iPod is simple, flip the hold switch back and forth, then press Menu + Center button at the same time.

 

Having a female voice saying "change the oil stupid" at 5 minute intervals would be rather comforting knowing the car and the wife are competing for nagging titles.

 

I wonder what percentage of Prii have the light reset by the dealer and what percent have the owner do it. I also wonder how many take their Prius to the dealer not having a clue to what the light means.

 

If I were married, and had to deal with that, I'd trade both the car and the wife in on newer models.

 

Six months LOLOLOL thats a hot one Im lucky if i get a month out of mine before im due for a change. 200 + miles per day on this puppy

 

I'm not a fan of the "press and hold this button to do an unlabeled function" design.

It would make more sense to put the reset in the MFD menus, perhaps on that otherwise useless "Maintenance" screen.

 

solution: black tape over the light.

problem solved.

 

Actually, I like the light. I change my own oil and with the light I never have to think about it or keep track of when the oil change is due, I just wait for the light.

I'm glad it's as easy to reset as it is. On my last car (1996 Audi A4), you could only reset the oil change light with a special VW/Audi scan tool. That meant you HAD to take the car to the dealer to reset the light (or buy a VW specific scan tool).

 

Thats different. The Camry throws up a red exclamation point and the light over rides everything? Wonder why its so different than in the Prius? My 07 Prius just throws a small amber light off to the right, no exclamation point, no over ride.Thank you.

 

If it's any consolation, our hybrid Lexus warning light is even worse for some things. A little RED triangle, with "maintenance required" warning. We pulled over and read the book to make certain the system wasn't about to blow. You'd think red would be reserved for worse items. Sheesh! ... they couldn't at least use yellow?

 

Hi.

It is really easier than reset the hour on your watch. I did it in ten seconds without any trouble.

Just in case you don't know what the procedure is, you push the Trip Odometer button until the total miles (not trip miles) is displayed. Then turn off the car and hold the Odometer/Trip Odometer select button down while you push the Power Button twice to get to Ignition On and continue holding the Odometer/Trip Odometer for five additional seconds.

 

email addy

poulekodak: It's never a good idea to use an email address as a user name. You will likely get heavily spammed (no fault of this forum). You might look into changing that.

2 cents.