The Oil Life indicator in a Honda Odyssey is part of the car’s maintenance reminder system on the dashboard. When your Honda Odyssey has fresh engine oil, the Oil Life reading will be at 100%. Over time this percentage will decrease as you increase the mileage on your Honda.
When the Oil Life reads 50%, this means the oil is halfway through its life. You will need to know how to reset the Honda Odyssey oil light if you change your oil at home.
It is important to be aware that the Oil Life light and the oil pressure light in a Honda Odyssey are not the same thing. The Oil Life indicator displays the quality of the oil in your car, it is a key part of your Honda’s maintenance reminder system.
When Oil Life displays a percentage of 15%, it means it is now time to take your Honda for a regular maintenance check and oil change.
The oil pressure light should only ever illuminate on your car dash if there is a problem. This warning light looks like a leaking oil can and if it is illuminated on the dash, do not ignore it. If the light flashes it can mean the oil pressure dropped but has since recovered.
If the oil light remains lit up, you will need to stop your car as soon as it is safe to do so. When the oil pressure light stays on it can be a sign that serious damage may be being caused in your car’s engine and requires your immediate attention.
The Oil Life light can help Honda drivers to save hundreds of dollars in repairs as driving your car with poor quality oil can cause serious damage to the engine. You will always know exactly when your Honda Odyssey needs an oil change and that is thanks to the Oil Life light.
Resetting the oil light in a Honda Odyssey is a fairly straightforward process. However, the steps vary between the different Honda Odyssey car models. Whether you have a 1995 Honda or the most up-to-date Honda Odyssey, we have all the information you need on how to reset a Honda Odyssey Oil Life light.
If you have a 1995 – 2004 Honda Odyssey, follow these steps to reset the oil light. When your oil needs changing your maintenance display will likely read ‘Maint Reqd’.
To begin the reset process, first, you need to turn off the engine.
Next, press and hold down the Select/Reset button. This button is found in the instrument panel of your Honda Odyssey.
Holding down the Select/Reset button, turn the ignition to the ‘run’ position (the position before fully starting your car).
Continue to hold the button down for 10 seconds, the oil light should then reset.
Release the button and turn the engine off.
Restart the car engine, the reset process is now complete.
When a 2005 to 2017 Honda Odyssey requires an oil change, a wrench-shaped light appears on the dashboard. You will need to reset this light once the maintenance work has been completed, here is our guide on how to easily complete the procedure:
Find the SEL/RESET button. In some Honda cars, the button can be located on the steering wheels, and in other models, you can find the SEL/RESET button on the instrument panel near the fuel gauge.
Turn the SEL/RESET button until you see Oil Life % displayed.
Now you have the Oil Life % message displayed, press and hold down the SEL/RESET button for 10 seconds. Wait for the screen to blink and then release the button.
Next, press and hold down the SEL/RESET button again, this time for five seconds. The display should now read Oil Life 100%.
As Honda has improved their Odyssey cars with each new model, the process of resetting the oil life light has slightly changed. In the newer Honda Odyssey cars, there are two methods you can use to reset the oil light: using the instrument panel or using the touch screen.
Let’s take a look at the two different ways to reset the Oil Life light.
The Oil Life light in a Honda is there to stop people from driving their Honda with low-quality oil in the engine. The percentage displayed by the Oil Life light is not saying your car has 25% of its oil left, for example.
The percentage indicates how much life is left in the oil, so it is essentially reminding you when your car will need an oil change. If the Oil Life says 15% it means the oil will need changing soon, 5% means it is now time for an oil change and if you allow the percentage to get down to 0%, your car is now overdue an oil change and at risk of damage.
A Honda Odyssey will need an oil change every 3,000 – 5,000 miles if your car uses conventional oil. However, if your car has synthetic oil it should only need to be changed after every 7,500 miles.
Petroleum-based motor oils are used during the development, testing, and certification of all Honda engines. However, this is not to say that you can not use synthetic oil in a Honda Odyssey. In fact, Honda state that synthetic oil can be used but drivers must change the oil within the correct time period (7,500mile).
To check the oil in a Honda Odyssey, first, you need to pop the hood and find the bright handle of the dipstick – it is usually orange. Once you have found the dipstick, carefully pull it out and wipe it clean with an old cloth or rag.
Now insert the dipstick all the way back into the engine. Remove the dipstick once more and without turning it upside down, look to see where the oil and dry part of the stick meet. If the joining point is between the two dots/lines at the bottom of the dipstick then the oil levels are fine.
If you can see the oil is not reaching above the line/dot at the bottom then you will need to add more oil to the engine.
To reset the Oil Life on a Honda Odyssey 2020 you can use either the touch screen or the instrument panel. We have a detailed step-by-step guide of both of these methods in this article. When using the touch screen, all you need to do is select ‘Settings’, ‘Vehicle’, ‘Maintenance Information’, ‘Oil & Filter’ and then tap ‘reset’ twice.
The Oil Life light in a Honda Odyssey is an important part of your car’s maintenance reminder system. The Oil Life display lets drivers know how much life is left in their engine oil. When the Oil Life displays 15%, it is time to get your car booked in for an oil change.
You will need to make sure your Oil Life is reset after an oil change so you continue to receive accurate readings. Whether you have a 1995 Honda Odyssey or a shiny and new 2021 model, this article has provided you with all the information you need on how to reset the oil light – we hope you found it helpful.
