These instructions apply to the DS 3 Mk1 (A56) 2015-2019.
For other models, please choose your vehicle here.
After an oil change or service on your DS 3 (2015–2019), you can clear the service reminder yourself with the trip/reset button — no diagnostic tool needed. Here’s the method. The whole job takes under a minute from the driver’s seat, using the same button you press to zero the trip meter, so there is nothing extra to buy or connect.
What the Service Reminder Means
The spanner symbol on the DS 3 is a maintenance reminder, not a fault. It shows when the car reaches the distance or time set for its next routine service, and it stays on the display at each start-up until you reset the counter. It doesn’t mean something has failed — it means a service is due, or has just been done and the reminder still needs clearing.
The service indicator on this generation counts down on a fixed schedule based on mileage and elapsed time, prompting you when either limit is reached, whichever comes first. Because it works to a set interval rather than measuring the oil directly, reset it only once the service has genuinely been carried out, so the next reminder appears at the correct point. For the exact mileage and time figures that apply to your car, check the maintenance schedule in your owner’s handbook.
Before You Begin
Only reset after the service is actually done, so the interval stays accurate. You’ll use the reset button on the instrument cluster (the one you press to zero the trip).
- Complete the service first — oil, filter and any other due items — before clearing the reminder.
- Park safely on level ground with the parking brake applied.
- No tools needed — just the trip-reset button and the ignition.
- Don’t start the engine during the procedure; the sequence uses ignition-on only.
Resetting the Service Indicator
- Turn the ignition off.
- Press and hold the reset button on the instrument panel.
- While holding it, turn the ignition on — the ‘maintenance’ spanner appears and a countdown starts.
- Keep the button pressed until the countdown reaches ‘0’ and the spanner disappears.
- Release the button and turn the ignition off — the system is reset.
The order is important: hold the button down before switching the ignition on, and keep it held all the way through the countdown. Letting go early, or pressing it only after switching on, stops the countdown completing and the reminder stays.
If the Reminder Won’t Clear
- Keep the button held the whole time — releasing before ‘0’ cancels it.
- Hold the button first, then switch on — the order matters.
- Make sure the ignition is fully on (dash lit), not just at accessory position, or the countdown may not run.
- Cycle and repeat — switch everything off, wait a moment, and run through the sequence again from the start.
- A separate warning light? A fault stores a code — look it up on autodtcs.com.
After the Reset
When the countdown reaches zero and you release the button, the spanner goes out and the service counter returns to a full interval, counting down again to the next service. At the next start-up the reminder should not reappear. If it does, the countdown was interrupted — repeat the procedure and hold the button steadily until the display shows ‘0’.
How Often You’ll Need This
Reset the service indicator after every service — once per scheduled maintenance, straight after the work. The car then counts down again to its next due point. Use the service schedule in your owner’s handbook for the exact mileage and time intervals, since these vary with market, engine and how the car is driven.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I reset the service light on a DS 3?
Ignition off, hold the reset button, switch on, keep holding until the countdown reaches 0, then release.
Do I need a diagnostic tool?
No — the button sequence is owner-doable from the driver’s seat.
Which button is it?
The trip-reset button on the instrument cluster (the stalk-end or dash button you use to zero the trip meter).
It didn’t work — what went wrong?
Usually the button was released early or pressed in the wrong order; repeat carefully, holding it before you switch on.
Do I need to start the engine?
No — switch the ignition on so the dash lights up, but leave the engine off throughout.
Is the spanner light a fault?
No — it’s a routine service reminder. A separate coloured warning light indicates a fault and needs looking into on its own.
If another warning light appeared with the service message, our sister site autodtcs.com can help you decode it.
Independent guide — not affiliated with DS. Always follow your official service manual and safety precautions. Read our full disclaimer.