These instructions apply to the Lexus IS Mk3 (XE30) 2013-2020.
For other models, please choose your vehicle here.
When the maintenance / service reminder shows on your Lexus IS (2013–2020) — the IS 300h hybrid or the petrol IS 200t/300 — it is telling you a scheduled service is due, not that something has broken. It is a simple distance-and-time counter the car keeps in the background, and once the oil and filter have actually been changed you can clear it yourself in under a minute. Most cars use the Remote Touch dash menu; cars with the simpler trip display use a button sequence. Both owner methods are covered below.
What the Service Reminder Means
The spanner or ‘Maintenance required’ message on the IS is a maintenance reminder tied to the elapsed distance and time since the counter was last cleared — it is not a fault code and it does not mean the engine has a problem. When the count reaches the threshold, the message appears at start-up to prompt the next oil-and-filter change and scheduled checks. Because it is just a timer, it will keep coming back until the counter is reset, even after the work is done. Follow the service intervals in your owner’s handbook for the exact mileage or time between services; do not guess an interval from memory.
It is worth telling the reminder apart from a genuine warning. The service message is usually amber and appears briefly at start-up, then clears from the screen while you drive. A red warning lamp, a flashing symbol, or a message that stays on the whole time you are driving points to a stored fault rather than a due service, and resetting the counter will not make that go away.
First, a Few Checks
Only reset the reminder after the service has actually been carried out — clearing it early just hides the prompt while the oil keeps ageing. Park on level ground with the vehicle stationary and the transmission in Park. You need no tools for either method. Switch the ignition on, not READY (don’t press the brake when you press START), so the dash powers up without the engine or hybrid system starting. Give the instrument cluster a moment to finish its start-up check before you begin.
Which Method Applies to Your Car
The IS was sold with two dash layouts. Cars with the Remote Touch multimedia screen carry the reset inside the on-screen menu, so use Method 1. Cars fitted with the simpler trip odometer display do not have that menu item and instead use the trip-button-and-ignition sequence in Method 2. If you are not sure, glance at the reset button beside the instrument display: if pressing it toggles the trip readouts, your car uses Method 2.
Method 1 — Cars With the Multimedia Display
- Switch the ignition on (not READY).
- Open MENU > Setup > Vehicle > Maintenance (or ‘Scheduled Maintenance’).
- Select the engine oil / maintenance item and confirm the reset.
Method 2 — Cars With a Trip Display
- Switch the ignition on (don’t press the brake) and press the trip recorder button to select ‘TRIP A’.
- Switch the ignition off.
- Press and hold the trip recorder button, and while holding it, press START twice to switch the ignition on.
- Keep the button held until the display shows ‘000000’ — the reminder is reset.
If the Reminder Won’t Clear
If the message is still there after your attempt, work through these before assuming anything is wrong:
- Hold the trip button the whole time until ‘000000’ shows — releasing early on Method 2 stops the reset registering.
- Stay in ignition-on, not READY — don’t press the brake, or the hybrid/engine system starts and the reset won’t take.
- Check you are on the right menu item on Method 1 — it must be the oil / maintenance entry, and you must confirm the prompt rather than just view it.
- Cycle the ignition fully off and try again from the start if nothing happened the first time.
- A separate warning light? A fault stores a code — look it up on autodtcs.com.
Once the Reset Is Done
Once the reset takes, the spanner or maintenance message disappears from the display and does not return at the next start-up. On trip-display cars the odometer window briefly shows ‘000000’ as it confirms. The distance-and-time counter now begins counting toward the next service from zero. Nothing else on the car changes — the reset only clears the reminder, it does not alter any engine, hybrid, or safety setting.
Reset Frequency
Reset the reminder every time the scheduled service is carried out — once per service, right after the oil and filter change. Lexus sets the IS service intervals by distance or elapsed time, whichever comes first; check your owner’s handbook or service book for the figure that applies to your car and driving, rather than resetting to a number you have guessed. If you cover very high mileage or do a lot of short cold trips, your handbook may point you to a more frequent schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I reset the maintenance light on a Lexus IS?
On multimedia cars use MENU > Setup > Vehicle > Maintenance; on trip-display cars hold the trip button while switching on until ‘000000’ shows.
Do I need a diagnostic tool?
No — both methods are owner-doable with just the dash controls and the ignition. No scan tool or dealer visit is needed for the routine reset.
Which method applies to my car?
If your IS has the Remote Touch multimedia screen, use the menu; if it has the simpler trip display, use the button sequence.
Is the reset different on the IS 300h hybrid?
No — the procedure is the same across the IS 300h, IS 200t and IS 300. What decides your method is whether the car has the multimedia menu or the trip display, not the engine or hybrid system. Just remember to power up to ignition-on rather than READY.
Will resetting the reminder clear a warning light?
No. The reset only clears the service/maintenance reminder. A separate warning lamp reflects a stored fault and stays on until that fault is fixed and cleared.
The light came back — why?
The reset probably didn’t complete; repeat it carefully, holding the trip button or confirming the menu prompt to the end. If it keeps returning straight after a proper reset, a fault may be present and worth scanning.
If another warning light appeared with the service message, our sister site autodtcs.com can help you decode it.
Independent guide — not affiliated with Lexus. Always follow your official service manual and safety precautions. Read our full disclaimer.