Driving around in a Toyota Highlander with the maintenance light on can be downright annoying. Although mechanics usually reset the maintenance light after an oil change, they might sometimes forget to do it. And you will continue to see the light until you reset it.
So, how to reset Toyota Highlander maintenance light? You need to turn on the car and then turn it back off. Press the odometer reset button and turn on the car while holding the button for about ten seconds. It will reset the maintenance light.
Let’s find out more about why this happens and how to reset the light in simple steps.
Why Does the Maintenance Light Come On?
Toyota Highlander vehicle has plenty of safety features to make your driving experience smoother. One of them is the maintenance light. You will see this yellow light turn on on the dashboard.
The color display of the car might also show the MAINT REQD message, which means your car needs to go through routine maintenance. Thus, the light usually turns on when maintenance is needed in one of the following sections.
- Oil change
- Tire alignment
- Battery replacement
- Brake issues
To ensure your car goes through the necessary maintenance, Toyota programs the light to be turned on automatically after 5,000 miles. So, after you drive the car for 5,000 miles, the maintenance light will come up to indicate the car needs an oil change.
And changing the oil is extremely important to keep the car in good shape. If you don’t change the oil in time, it can cause the engine to overheat and various components to get damaged.
After you have done an oil change, the light should be reset as a part of the process. Check the digital manual from Toyota.
How to Reset Toyota Highlander Maintenance Light: Step-by-Step Process
If you change the oil on your own, you might forget to reset the maintenance light on your Toyota Highlander. Even mechanics sometimes forget to reset the light. In case the maintenance light isn’t reset after an oil change or maintenance, you can follow these steps to reset the light.
Step 1: Turn the Car On
The first step is to turn the car on. This doesn’t mean turning the engine on. You just need to turn the ignition key to the first position, where it starts all the electronics but not the engine. If you have the latest models of Toyota Highlander with a push button, you simply need to turn the key one step.
Check the dashboard to see if the maintenance light is still illuminating. Also, take a look at the odometer to check the mileage.
Step 2: Turn the Car Off
Press the odometer button to select Trip A. Turn the ignition key to the off position to cut all the power.
Step 3: Press and Hold the Reset Button
You need to press the same odometer button you used to select the trip meter. But hold that button this time to reset the meter.
Step 4: Turn the Car On Again
While the button is pressed, turn the ignition key one step to start all the electronics. As soon as the electronics are turned on, you will see several dashes coming up on the dashboard screen.
Plus, you might hear some beep sound while the maintenance light is being reset. Now hold the reset button for about ten seconds until the reset message appears on the screen. The odometer reading will also be normal in the meantime.
Step 5: Release the Button and Restart the Car
Now you can release the reset button. Wait a few seconds and turn on the car again. The maintenance light will no longer be seen on the dashboard and the mileage on the odometer should be reset.
Step 6: Repeat the Process If Necessary
If the maintenance light isn’t reset on the first try, you might need to repeat the process one or two times. But if that doesn’t work, you should take the car to a mechanic to check and resolve the issue.
How to Reset Toyota Highlander Maintenance Light on Multi-Information Display?
The latest models of Toyota Highlander have multi-information displays to show all the necessary information. If you get a MAINT REQD message on display, you need to go through the following steps to reset it.
Step 1: Turn on the vehicle
Step 2: Use the arrow buttons on the steering wheel to select the gear icon on the display
Step 3: Go to the Scheduled Maintenance option
Step 4: Press OK to confirm and the message should disappear
FAQs
Here are answers to some commonly asked questions about the Toyota Highlander maintenance light. Check them out.
Q: Can I drive Toyota Highlander with the maintenance light on?
The maintenance light indicates your car needs an oil change or some other maintenance. You can still drive a few miles, but driving for too long with the maintenance light on is risky.
Q: Are maintenance lights and check engine lights the same?
No, the check engine light indicates the vehicle has a major issue that needs to be addressed. But the maintenance light means the car needs to go through scheduled maintenance required after a specific mileage.
Q: Does an oil change automatically turn off the maintenance light?
Your vehicle won’t understand whether the oil has been changed or not. It depends on the odometer reading to turn the light on. So, the person changing the oil should reset the light.
Conclusion
Toyota Highlander is a very capable SUV to drive in. Like every other vehicle, it will require routine maintenance to perform better and last longer. This is why the maintenance light turns on every 5,000 km.
And resetting the light after the maintenance is done is important. We showed how to reset the Toyota Highlander maintenance light in detail so that you can do it on your own. Follow the process to get rid of the annoying maintenance light.
