If you have a Honda CR-V, you may have noticed that your owner's manual does not suggest a specific maintenance schedule to follow. Newer Honda CR-Vs are equipped with a computerized system, called the Maintenance Minder, which will alert you when it's time to take your vehicle to the dealer for service.
Maintenance Minder
Based on calculations by your car's onboard computer, the Maintenance Minder on your dashboard will regularly display engine oil life as a percentage. When your Honda CR-V requires service, a "wrench" icon indicating the Maintenance Minder will appear, and your car should be taken to the dealer for service as soon as possible. Below the percentage indicating remaining oil life, icons indicating other maintenance service items may also appear. It is important to ensure that your Maintenance Minder display is reset every time your car is serviced or the system will not indicate accurate maintenance intervals. Turning the ignition switch to the "ON" position and pressing the select/reset knob repeatedly can reset the Maintenance Minder.
Engine Oil
When the life of your oil reaches 15 percent or less, the Maintenance Minder will display the engine-oil life indicator. When the remaining oil life drops to 5 percent or less, a "SERVICE" message will also appear. Your vehicle should be serviced immediately. If the percentage drops to 0 percent, the display will show negative distance traveled, indicating that your car is passed the maintenance required point.
Engine Coolant
The Maintenance Minder will display icons for many service items, most of which can be checked manually. When service is needed, you may be able to take care of many of those items by filling reserve tanks to their proper levels. To check the level of coolant in your engine, first make sure that your engine and radiator have cooled since last being used. If the coolant level is at or below the "MIN" in the reserve tank, fill the tank with coolant until it reaches the "MAX" line. If there is no coolant in the reserve tank, the coolant level in the radiator should also be checked.