These instructions apply to the DS 5 Mk1 (K) 2011-2018.
For other models, please choose your vehicle here.
After an oil change or service on your DS 5 (2011–2018), the service reminder stays on until you clear it. The spanner symbol is a maintenance prompt, not a fault: the car counts down the distance and time to the next service and then displays the reminder to tell you it is due. You can clear it yourself with the trip/reset button — no diagnostic tool needed. Here’s the method.
What the Service Spanner Means
On the DS 5 the maintenance spanner is driven by a counter set at each service. As the car covers miles and time passes, the remaining allowance falls; when it reaches its limit the spanner appears, sometimes with a distance-to-service readout, to prompt the next service. It is a scheduling reminder rather than a live measurement of oil condition, so the symbol keeps returning at start-up until the counter is reset — changing the oil alone will not turn it off.
Keep the spanner separate in your mind from the car’s warning lights. The service reminder is routine; a red or amber warning symbol points to a fault that should be looked at. The reset below clears only the service reminder and does nothing to a genuine warning.
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). A few things to line up first:
- Park on level ground, apply the parking brake and leave the car out of gear or in park.
- The sequence starts with the ignition off and the button already held, so know where the reset button is before you begin.
- You only switch the ignition on — the engine stays off and no tools are needed.
- Give yourself an unhurried moment, as the button must stay pressed through an on-screen countdown.
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.
If the Reminder Won’t Clear
Nearly every failed attempt comes down to the order of the steps or letting go of the button too soon. Check these before trying again:
- Keep the button held the whole time — releasing before ‘0’ cancels it. Watch the countdown and only let go once the spanner has gone.
- Hold the button first, then switch on — the order matters; the button must already be pressed as the ignition comes on.
- Don’t start the engine — ignition-on only; starting the engine interrupts the countdown.
- A separate warning light? A fault stores a code — look it up on autodtcs.com.
If it still will not clear, turn the ignition off, wait a few seconds, and start the sequence again from holding the button.
After the Reset
Once the countdown reaches zero and the spanner disappears, releasing the button and switching off completes the reset. At the next start-up the reminder should be gone and the display returns to normal, with the counter restarted toward the next service. If the spanner is still there, the countdown did not finish — repeat the sequence and keep the button held all the way to ‘0’.
How Often You’ll Need This
Reset the reminder each time the DS 5 has its scheduled service and the oil is changed. The correct interval depends on the model year, engine (petrol, diesel or the diesel-hybrid) and how the car is used, so follow the schedule in your owner’s handbook rather than a fixed number — short-trip and heavy-traffic driving usually calls for more frequent servicing. Noting the mileage at each reset makes the next due point easy to track.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I reset the service light on a DS 5?
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 with nothing plugged in.
Which button is it?
The trip-reset button on the instrument cluster.
It didn’t work — what went wrong?
Usually the button was released early or pressed in the wrong order; repeat carefully.
Does the engine need to be running?
No — the reset is done with the ignition on and the engine off. Starting the engine interrupts the countdown.
Will this clear a warning light on the dash?
No. It only clears the service spanner. A genuine warning symbol points to a fault and needs diagnosing, not resetting.
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.