When I start my car, the Maint Req'd light flashes for about a minute then shuts off. I got my xB used and it has 22,000 miles on it. The owners manual is missing so I can't check out what it may mean. Does anybody know what this may be? Should I just bring it to the dealer and ask them to check it out? Thanks in advance.

 

It's flashing becuase you need to get your oil changed.

 

The "REQUIRED MAINTENANCE" light comes on every 5,000 miles to remind you to change your oil. Press the odometer button and turn the key to the on postion and wait for the odometer reading to count down and stop blinking. This will reset the required maintenance light

 

Thanks for the responses. It's good to know that it isn't anything serious.

 

Does anyone know how you reset it?

 

Sid's response covers how to reset the blinking light.

 

yea just a dumb idiot light.

 

what is the best synthetic oil? while were talkin about it... or best oil overall or does it matter

 

Not really. The Dumb idiot part is when the owner ignors the fact that it's time to change the oil. Like me, I put it of for a while. But like after one month or so, the "Maintenence Light" doesn't blink any more when you start up, it STAYS ON . So I went and change it becuase I can't stand looking at an amber light on my dash.

 

Sorry

 

thats a matter of opinion and experence. i just use castrol for my car. i dont need synthetic. too expensive. i change my oil often enought that i dont need it. and in not racing the thing so. i stick with whas good for me. castrol and a fram filter. less then 15 bucks at autozone

the best synthetic i hear about is royal purple. it isnt cheap and only a few select stores carry it. if i was to run that type of synthetic, i would change oil every 10K and change the filter every 5K thats just my experence with synthetic.

i worked for BMW for a few years. they come factory with synthetic oil. they run 15K inbetween oil services so. i think 10 and 2 filters later, id be fine. otherwise its your call and money.

im currently working at a lube shop now so i see enough oil.

 

When my Echo got up to 80,000mi (same engine) I could notice a different between Mobil 1 (pure) and Castrol Syntec (blend) in cold weather starts. It started a bit smoother with Mobil 1.

 

mobil1 and a mobil1 filter

 

I noticed that it counts down one mark at a time. If you stop it with 1 mark left will it come on in 4K miles?

 

Royal purple & nothing but the Denso made factory large filter part # 90915-YZZF1with the patented anti rollback valve. Thats hold oil in the filter for start up, so no dry starts

 

Can you change the filter without changing the oil? I thought the oil would drain out if you take the filter off.

 

Thanks for posting this, I had just taken mine to the dealer for servicing, and they never reset the light. Getting back to them in a PITA, so I was going to ignore it

 

yeah.. it's 1K marks... from 1-5K

 

In theory yes but I let mine count back to just 2 marks once to see if I could use it to keep track at 3000 mile intervals and it's not accurate. I don't remember when it actually came on but it was not close to the 3000 mark I was hoping for.

 

the light first starts coming on 500 miles before the set trip point.. (i.e. if you set it at 5000.. it'll start flashing at 4500, and then stay solid at 5000)