How do you reset the maint light on a 2003 4 Runner after the oil has been changed. The car manual does not show it.

TSB EL002-03 has these instructions:

1. Turn ignition switch to "ON" position
2. Set odometer/trip display to "ODO" mode
3. Turn ignition switch to "OFF" position
4. Depress and hold the Trip Meter "RESET" button while turning the ignition switch to the "ON" position
5. The service maintenance reminder light will:

i. Illuminate solidly for 3 seconds
ii. Blink for 2 seconds
iii. Illuminate solidly for 1 second
iv. Turn off

6. Release the Trip Meter "RESET" button
7. Turn the ignition switch to the "OFF" position
8. Turn the ignition to the "ON" position and confirm that the service maintenance reminder light goes out.

Let us know if this works, because I've not had to try it yet.

The instruction for resetting the maint light on a 2003 4 runner works . Thanks

PB

Thanks -- I just had to reset it, too -- they forgot to reset it on the 3000 mile oil change, and at 5000 miles it started showing up.

Thanks for posting this. It came as no surprise that the Toyota service dept forgot to reset the light when they did my first oil change. Just out of curiosity, why are you doing you oil changes at 3K when the most frequent recommended interval is 5K?

Two reasons:

1. I grew up doing oil changes at 3,000-mile intervals, and old habits are hard to break.

2. I usually put less than 7,000 miles a year on a vehicle. So 3,000 miles is about every 6 months.

I wonder, can it be set to flash at 3 or 4 thousand miles, instead of the 5000 miles???

No but since it has two Trip OD's then just reset TripA or TripB each time you change oil.

I assume that the "MAINT" light is set just to mileage - and not to the condition of the oil. Mine came on last summer at around 7,000 miles, even though my Mobil-1 synthetic had been changed at 5,000 miles and still looked nearly new. (My stepmom's 1994 Cadillac tells you the percentage of the life remaining on your oil - which is kind of a neat feature.)

My Toyota's "MAINT" light blinked twice last Saturday when I started my 4Runner, so I suppose it is going to have to be reset once again in the coming weeks. I am taking a trip to Florida in June and will change the oil and filter (Mobil-1, of course) before we leave. Maybe I can "reset" it before it needs to be done. Can I do that?

I am approaching 12k miles on the truck, but still only have about 3k on the oil. I know I could go much longer between changes with Mobil-1, but I guess I am still "old school" and would rather have the peace of mind that comes from changing the oil frequently. Whomever gets my vehicle after my lease expires is going to get one heck of a 4Runner!!
:awais:



P.S. I have changed the oil at 1,800 miles -- with dino oil at the stealership, and then again at 5,000 and 8,500 with Mobil-1 synthetic 5w30. I always use the OEM filters from Toyota, which cost about five bucks apiece. Having the filter on top of the engine is a nifty idea and saves a lot of messy drips and burned hands!


UPDATE:

My "MAINT" light flashed a few times this afternoon when I started it, so I opened the owner's guide and it does have instructions on how to reset it (around Page 145 - 150). Apparently, it only counts the mileage and has nothing to do with the "life" remaining in the oil.

I used these same instructions to reset the Maint. light on my '05 Sport. They still work!!

It should be turned to ACC and not off. I just did this to my sisters 08 4Runner. :-)

For 2008 models, maybe the instructions have changed -- they should be in the owner's manual. But for the 2003 models (remember the post you quoted was done in 2003), the latest version of the referenced TSB still says to switch the ignition off.

This actually does work on a 2008 4-runner !!!!

These steps didn't work for me on a 2003 Sport. If I leave off steps 1 and 2, then it works. I found another post on this site saying to simply hold the reset in while turning the key to "on". When I tried it, it worked.

If you have the '03 owners manual, the procedure is in there. I don't remember the exact page at the moment, but I believe it is in the section about dash indicators. Or, you could do a search on this issue, it has been discussed many times.