These instructions apply to the Peugeot 308 Mk3 (P5) 2021-Present.
For other models, please choose your vehicle here.
The spanner symbol on your Peugeot 308 Mk3 (P5, 2021–present) means the maintenance counter has run out. It is the car’s way of telling you that the distance or time it was set to track since the last oil change has now elapsed. This is a routine service reminder, not a fault — nothing has broken, and the car will drive normally. All it wants is for the scheduled maintenance to be carried out and the counter to be zeroed again. It’s a quick fix from the driver’s seat with the trip-reset button — no diagnostic gear required. Carry out the oil and filter change before you reset it.
What the Spanner Light Means
On the 308 Mk3 the spanner (a small wrench outline) is the service-due indicator. It works from a counter that watches how far you have driven and how much time has passed since the last reset. When either limit is reached, the spanner lights up — usually accompanied by a ‘Service due’ or maintenance message on the driver display when you switch the ignition on. Because the counter is based on distance and elapsed time rather than a live measurement of the oil itself, clearing it does nothing to the oil; it only restarts the clock. That is exactly why the light should only be cleared once the maintenance has genuinely been done.
Follow the service schedule in your Peugeot handbook for the exact distance and time limits, as these vary by engine and by market. If you are not sure whether a service is actually due, treat the spanner as a prompt to check — it is telling you the interval it was set to has elapsed.
First, a Few Checks
Reset the indicator only after the oil and filter change (or whatever service the reminder was set for) is complete. Resetting early just hides the reminder while the oil keeps ageing, and you lose track of when the next service is genuinely due. A few practical points before you begin:
- Park on level ground with the handbrake or electronic parking brake applied.
- You need the ignition on but the engine off for the reset — the procedure below explains how to reach that state with the trip button held.
- No tools, no scan tool, no garage visit — everything is done with the trip-reset button and the start/stop button.
- Have a minute of uninterrupted time; the countdown needs to run fully to zero.
Reset Only Once the Work Is Done
The counter simply tracks distance and time since the last reset, so clearing it early just hides the reminder while the oil keeps ageing.
How to Reset the 308 Service Indicator
- With the engine off, turn the ignition off completely.
- Press and hold the trip-reset button (the one you use to zero the trip distance).
- Still holding it, press the start/stop button to bring the ignition on (don’t start the engine).
- The spanner appears and a countdown runs — keep the button held.
- When it reaches ‘0’ and the spanner clears, let go. Done.
If It Won’t Clear
If the spanner is still showing after your first attempt, work through these before assuming anything is wrong:
- Released too soon — the countdown must run all the way through to ‘0’ before you let go of the trip button. Letting go early cancels the reset.
- Wrong ignition state — you want the ignition on with the engine off. If the engine started, switch it off and begin again with the trip button already held.
- Button not held from the start — press and hold the trip button before you bring the ignition on, then keep holding throughout.
- It’s another warning — a non-service symbol (as opposed to the plain spanner) is a fault, not the maintenance timer, and won’t clear with this procedure.
- Still stuck? Turn everything off, wait a few seconds, and repeat the full sequence from the start.
Once the Reset Is Done
Once the countdown reaches zero and the spanner disappears, the reminder is cleared. The next time you switch on the ignition the driver display should come up without the service message, and the counter has restarted for the next full interval. If the light stays off through several ignition cycles and a short drive, the reset has held.
Reset Frequency
Reset the indicator after every service — each time the oil and filter are changed, or whenever the scheduled maintenance the reminder tracks is carried out. The 308 Mk3 uses a distance-and-time interval, so it will reappear whenever the next limit is reached, whichever comes first. For the exact figures that apply to your engine and market, follow the maintenance schedule in your Peugeot owner’s handbook rather than a fixed number, as these differ between petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid variants.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I reset the service light on a Peugeot 308?
Ignition off, hold the trip-reset button, press start/stop to switch the ignition on, and hold until the countdown hits 0.
Is a diagnostic tool needed?
No — the dashboard trip button does it. The reset is fully owner-doable from the driver’s seat.
Which button resets it?
The trip-reset button — the one that zeroes the trip distance — held while you switch the ignition on with the start/stop button.
Why did the spanner come back?
The countdown didn’t finish. Repeat the procedure and keep the trip button held until the display reaches ‘0’ and the spanner clears.
Does the engine need to be running?
No. You want the ignition on with the engine off. Starting the engine during the sequence will stop the reset from completing.
Will resetting clear a fault warning as well?
No. This only zeroes the maintenance counter. A separate fault warning stores a code and needs to be diagnosed on its own.
If a warning light came on with the service message, identify it on autodtcs.com. After battery work, see our 308 Mk3 battery guide.
Independent guide — not affiliated with Peugeot. Always follow your official service manual and safety precautions. Read our full disclaimer.