How to Reset Oil Life on Honda Odyssey? A Step-By-Step Guide!

The maintenance indicator on the Honda Odyssey alerts you about the due maintenance items. Thus, the oil life indicator shows when the oil change is due. After an oil change, you need to reset the oil life.

So, how to reset oil life on Honda Odyssey? You can reset the oil life on the Honda Odyssey in three methods. 

1. Reset the oil life from the center screen. 
2. Use dashboard buttons. 
3. Use the Trip Reset button on the dashboard for older models.

Let me show you how you can do this in detailed steps.

What Does Oil Life Mean on Honda Odyssey? And Why Should You Reset It?

The engine oil used in your Honda Odyssey has a specific duration within which the oil can perform efficiently. After that period, you need to change the engine oil and the filter to keep the engine running smoothly.

After changing the oil and the oil filter, you have to reset the oil life manually. When the oil life is reset, it shows the 100% indicator. As the engine oil is used over time, the oil life gets reduced. The system calculates the remaining oil life using the mileage data. A new engine oil should last for about 3,000-5,000 miles. As the mileage increases, the oil life gets reduced.

When the oil life is lower than 15%, the maintenance light comes up on the dashboard to notify you about the due maintenance.

If you don’t reset the oil light after an oil change, this light keeps coming back. So, you must reset the light manually. 

How to Reset Oil Life on Honda Odyssey?

There are three ways to reset the oil life. These methods differ depending on the model year of your Honda Odyssey. Check the details below.

1. Honda Odyssey 2018 and Newer: In these models, you get a large center screen. These models also have control buttons on the steering wheel. So, you can use the center console or the dashboard buttons to reset the oil life.
2. Honda Odyssey 2008-2018: Vehicles manufactured within this period will most probably have the steering wheel buttons only. In some trims, you may get a center console, but they don’t have a touchscreen. You get physical buttons to control the display. 

In this case, you can use the dashboard buttons or the physical buttons on the display to reset the oil life.

3. Honda Odyssey 2008 and Earlier: Honda Odyssey models before 2008 may not have any of the above controls. You need to use the Trip Reset button on the odometer to reset the oil life.

Method 1: Resetting Oil Life on Honda Odyssey from the Center Screen

If you have a Honda Odyssey 2018-2023, you can follow this method. Here are the detailed steps.

• Step 1: Turn the ignition key to the “RUN” position. It is the second position where the electronics and display will turn on, but the engine will be off. The latest models come with a push-start button. In that case, you should press this button twice without pressing the brake pedal.
• Step 2: There is a “Home” icon on the top left corner of the screen. You can tap this icon to open the menu. In some models, you can have a physical button under the Home icon. Press that button and the menu will show up.
• Step 3: Tap on the “Settings” icon from the menu. It looks like a small gear icon. From the Settings menu, you need to tap the “Vehicle” option.
• Step 4: On the Vehicle menu, scroll all the way down. The last option is “Maintenance Information”. Tap on this option.
• Step 5: The Maintenance Information menu will show the current oil life. Below the oil life indicator, you will have the “A. Engine Oil” sub-menu. Tap on it.
• Step 6: A new dialog box will appear on the screen. Tap the “Reset” button from there. 
• Step 7: Once you are asked to confirm the oil life reset, tap “Reset” again to confirm.
• Step 8: The oil life will now be reset and the indicator will show 100%.

Method 2: Reset Using Steering Buttons

The Honda Odyssey models after 2008 have multiple buttons on the steering wheel. Here is how you reset the oil life using these buttons.

• Step 1: Turn the electronics and display on by keeping the ignition key in the “RUN” position, just like I said in the previous method.
• Step 2: On the left side of the steering wheel, there is a small “Home” button. Press this button once to open the menu on the driver’s display.
• Step 3: Use the “Downward Arrow” button to scroll through the menu. Keep pressing the down arrow until “Maintenance” is highlighted.
• Step 4: In the middle of the arrow buttons, you will find the “Enter” button. Press it once to go into the Maintenance options.
• Step 5: The second option on the Maintenance menu is the Oil Life. Use the down arrow button again to highlight the Oil Life option. Then, press the Enter button again.
• Step 6: The oil life indicator will now show up. To reset the oil life, you need to press the Enter button and hold it for about ten seconds. A new screen will then appear.
• Step 7: Use the down arrow button again to select “Item A Only”. It is for oil life. If you have other due items, you can choose “All Due Items”. For now, we will use “Item A Only”.
• Step 8: Press the Enter button to reset the oil life. After a few seconds, the oil life will be reset and the indicator will show 100%.

Method 3: Using the Trip Reset Button

On Honda Odyssey models older than 2008, there is a stem button on the dashboard. You can use it to reset the oil life in the following way.

• Step 1: Turn the ignition key to the “RUN” or II position. It will turn the electronics on but keep the engine shut.
• Step 2: The stem button is near the fuel gauge on the dashboard. It is a long stem coming out of the odometer. Press this button a few times until you see the oil life indicator on the dashboard display.
• Step 3: Once the oil life indicator is shown, you need to press the Trip Reset button and hold it for about ten seconds. After ten seconds, the oil life indicator will start blinking. Release the button now.
• Step 4: While the indicator blinks, press the Trip Reset button again and hold it for about five seconds. The oil life will now be reset. You can release the button, and the oil life indicator will be 100%.

FAQs

Many people ask the following questions about resetting the oil life on the Honda Odyssey. Check them out.

Conclusion

When you reset the oil life after changing the oil, the system starts counting the oil life for the new oil. So, it is crucial to reset the oil life on your Honda Odyssey. I showed how to reset oil life on Honda Odyssey in three methods.

Depending on the manufacturing year of your Honda Odyssey, you can choose any of these methods. Resetting the oil life shouldn’t take more than a few minutes to complete. To get a longer engine life, you should regularly change the engine oil and reset the oil life accordingly.