These instructions apply to the Subaru WRX Mk1 (VA) 2015-2021.
For other models, please choose your vehicle here.
After an oil change or service on your Subaru WRX / WRX STI (2015–2021) — the VA — you can clear the maintenance reminder yourself through the instrument-cluster menu. No diagnostic tool needed. The reminder that appears in the cluster display is exactly that: a scheduled-maintenance prompt, not a warning that something has failed. It shows up when the interval you last set has counted down, and clearing it tells the car to start tracking toward the next service.
What the Maintenance Reminder Means
The VA-generation WRX and WRX STI use a menu-based maintenance reminder rather than an automatic oil-life calculation. When you complete a reset, you actually enter the distance and time until the next service, and the car counts down from those figures. That is why the reset flow asks you to set an interval at the end — you are re-arming the reminder, not just switching it off.
This is a maintenance prompt, so it is separate from the car’s genuine warning lights. If a red or amber warning symbol appears alongside or instead of the maintenance message — oil pressure, check-engine, AT temperature, and so on — that is a fault to investigate, and clearing the maintenance reminder will not make it go away.
Getting Ready
Only reset after the service is done. You’ll use the trip/display switch on the instrument cluster.
- Do the reset after the oil change or service is finished, so the new count starts from the correct point.
- Park safely, apply the parking brake, and leave the transmission in Park (auto) or neutral (manual).
- Switch the ignition on with the engine off — on push-button cars press start without the clutch/brake so the dash powers up but the engine does not fire.
- Locate the small display switch (the trip/info stalk or button) that scrolls the cluster menus — that single control drives the whole reset.
Resetting the Maintenance Reminder
- Switch the ignition on (engine off).
- Pull and hold the display switch to enter the menu, then select ‘MAINTENANCE’ (pull the switch to choose).
- Select ‘Maintenance schedule’.
- Set the distance and time until the next service, then pull the switch to confirm — the reminder is reset.
Take your time on the last step: if you do not set the interval and confirm it, the display simply exits and the old reminder stays armed. Enter the figures your service schedule calls for, then confirm before you switch the ignition off.
If the Reminder Won’t Clear
- Stay in ignition-on, engine off.
- Confirm the interval at the end.
- Make sure you selected Maintenance schedule and not another menu item before setting the interval.
- If the menu closes early, switch the ignition off, back on, and work through the steps again without rushing.
- A separate warning light? A fault stores a code — look it up on autodtcs.com.
What Happens Next
Once you confirm the interval, the maintenance message disappears and the cluster begins counting down from the distance and time you entered. The reset only affects the maintenance reminder — trip meters, radio settings, and driver profiles are untouched. The next prompt will appear when the new interval you set has counted down.
How Often It Comes Up
Reset the reminder after every scheduled service or oil change. Because you enter the interval yourself, use the figures from the maintenance schedule in your owner’s handbook — these depend on model year, market, and how the car is driven. Hard, track, or short-trip use generally calls for shorter intervals, so follow the handbook rather than guessing a distance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I reset the maintenance light on a Subaru WRX?
Ignition on, pull/hold the display switch, select MAINTENANCE > Maintenance schedule, set the next interval and confirm.
Do I need a diagnostic tool?
No — it’s an owner menu reset.
Is the STI different?
No — the WRX and WRX STI use the same menu reset.
It came back — why?
The interval wasn’t confirmed; repeat the steps.
Why does it ask me to set a distance and time?
The VA WRX counts down from a target you enter, so the reset asks for the distance and time until the next service. Set those to your schedule and confirm, and the car tracks toward the next reminder.
Will this clear a check-engine or other warning light?
No. The menu reset only clears the scheduled-maintenance reminder. Any genuine warning light is a separate fault that stores its own code and needs to be diagnosed 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 Subaru. Always follow your official service manual and safety precautions. Read our full disclaimer.