Honda has always boasted about the Power of Dreams. Clearly though, most Honda owners don’t dream about maintaining their cars. That’s why the brand utilizes a “Maintenance Minder” to help keep track of your vehicle’s service needs, so you won’t lose a moment of sleep. In other words, keep dreaming.

Honda Maintenance Guidelines

Honda Maintenance Minder

Rather than constantly referring to your owner’s manual, the Honda Maintenance Minder has been developed to remind you of the various events regarding your vehicle’s maintenance. It will display on the multi-information display screen, when it has determined, by length of time, drive load, and other factors, when service is needed. The engine oil life screen will remind you how much life is left from 100-percent down to 0-percent. Other factors will be alerted to, as well. Under normal conditions, that could be a range from 7,500 to 10,000 miles. Severe conditions could trigger alerts in a range from 3,000-4,999 miles.

Code A and Code B Alerts

The Maintenance Minder will also point out other crucial service items, based on alpha-numeric codes. For example, Code A alerts are the Maintenance Main Items, while Code B offers what Honda classifies as Maintenance Sub Items. They include the following items needing your attention:

• Code A: Replace oil.
• Code B: Replace oil and oil filter (along with the following items).

• Inspect front and rear brakes.
• Inspect tie rod ends, steering gear box and boots.
• Inspect suspension components.
• Inspect driveshaft boots.
• Inspect brake hoses and lines (ABS/VSA).

• Inspect all fluid levels.
• Inspect exhaust system.
• Inspect fuel lines and connections.

• Code 1: Rotate tires.

• Code 2: Replace air cleaner element, dust and pollen filter, and inspect drive belt.
• Code 3: Replace transmission and transfer fluid.
• Code 4: Replace spark plugs & timing belt; Inspect water pump, and valve clearance.
• Code 5: Replace engine coolant.
• Code 6: Replace rear differential fluid (if applicable).

• Code 7: Replace brake fluid.

Service Reminders When It’s Time for Maintenance

Your Honda Maintenance Minder will let you know a time for service is approaching at the 15-percent mark, with a message saying, “Service Due Soon.” It soon follows with another at the 5-percent mark reading, “Service Due Now,” while at the 0-percent mark it will read, “Service Past Due,” reminding you to take your vehicle to your Honda dealer now.

As with any car, this is a baseline. If you subject your Honda vehicle to a harder than average life of service, including operations in dusty or windy conditions or those that require an engine to work harder than normal, it would be beneficial to perform such maintenance sooner than scheduled. Some Automakers make it easier than others, but the end result will be a vehicle that takes you when you want to go, where you want to go, every time.

Extended Service/Extended Warranty

Owners can take vehicle maintenance further by adding Honda Care Vehicle Service contracts, which combine the maintenance plan covering oil changes, tire rotations, and other services with a longer term bumper-to-bumper plan that provides extensive additional component coverage. According to American Honda spokesman Davis Adams, the cars don’t even have to be Honda vehicles. Prices are determined by the dealers, and can cover the car for 5, 6, 7, 8 years or up to 120,000 miles.