Maintenance Required Light vs Check Engine Light

The Maintenance Required light is associated with the preventative maintenance such as oil changes. It should be reset by the facility performing the oil change. The steps for the Honda Accord may also be different for other vehicles. The steps are also identified in your vehicle operating manual supplied with the vehicle.

On the other hand, the Check Engine light is associated with the vehicle's health, and should be checked by reading the engine code(s) that caused the light to come on. Most of the time it is associated with the emissions system and can be anything from a loose gas cap to more severe problems with the engine operability such as miss fire or sensor problems. Some places will check the codes for free, others charge around $20 to read only or $80 to $100 to read and determine what needs to be repaired or replaced. Other sources of the code can be from transmission problem.

Most auto parts stores sell the simple OBDII reader that can tell you the codes, and then you can do a google search for the code to see possible problem resolution. They also sell a more expensive reader that will also diagnose the problem.

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