These instructions apply to the Lexus NX Mk2 (Z2) 2022-Present.
For other models, please choose your vehicle here.
When the maintenance / service reminder appears on your Lexus NX (2022–present), you can clear it yourself after a service from the dashboard menu — no dealer and no diagnostic tool. It’s the same on the NX 350h hybrid and the NX 450h+ plug-in hybrid. Here’s how.
The spanner symbol — sometimes accompanied by a ‘Maintenance’ message or a distance/day countdown — is the second-generation NX’s service reminder. It is a schedule counter, not a fault. Nothing has gone wrong and no trouble code has been stored; the car has simply reached the mileage or time it was set to flag for routine servicing. Because the reminder is only a counter, the vehicle cannot tell that the oil has been changed. It keeps displaying the symbol until you confirm the service is complete by running the reset below.
What the Maintenance Light Means on the NX
The NX uses a fixed-interval maintenance reminder: it counts down from a set distance or a set number of months and lights up when whichever comes first has been reached. On a low-mileage car it is usually the time element that triggers it. The reminder works the same across the range — the NX 350h hybrid and the NX 450h+ plug-in hybrid both track the conventional engine oil and general inspection schedule, since the high-voltage hybrid components are maintenance-free. On the plug-in, charging habits make no difference to the reminder; it is still following the engine-service clock.
Keep the routine reminder separate in your mind from a genuine warning. The spanner/maintenance symbol is scheduled servicing and is what this page clears. A red or amber warning — oil pressure, check-engine, hybrid-system, brake — is a different matter and will not be removed by a maintenance reset; the underlying issue has to be resolved first.
First, a Few Checks
Reset the reminder only after the service has actually been done. You’ll use the instrument-cluster menu, powered up but not in READY.
Set the car up before you dive into the menu:
- Do the service first. Complete the oil and filter change and any other due work — the reset only zeroes the counter, it does nothing to the oil.
- Park safely. Level ground, transmission in P, electronic park brake on.
- Power up, don’t drive off. Press START once without your foot on the brake so the dash lights up but the car does not enter READY. The engine/system must not be running.
- No tools needed. The whole reset is done from the steering-wheel buttons and the multi-information display.
Resetting the Service Indicator
- Switch the ignition on — press START once without the brake so the car powers up but doesn’t enter READY.
- Using the steering-wheel controls, scroll the multi-information display to the settings/vehicle menu.
- Select ‘Maintenance’ (under Settings/Vehicle Settings).
- Follow the prompts to reset the maintenance schedule; a confirmation appears on the display.
If the Reminder Won’t Clear
- Be in ignition-on, not READY — don’t press the brake when you press START.
- Confirm the reset prompt fully rather than just viewing the menu.
- Use the right menu item. The reset sits under the Settings/Vehicle ‘Maintenance’ entry — opening a nearby menu isn’t the same as selecting and confirming it.
- Don’t let the car go into READY mid-reset. If the system starts up, switch off and begin again from ignition-on.
- Cycle the ignition and repeat. Power fully off, wait a few seconds, power back up (not READY) and run through the steps once more.
- A separate warning light? A fault stores a code — look it up on autodtcs.com.
Once the Reset Is Done
Once you confirm the reset, the spanner symbol or ‘Maintenance’ message disappears and the schedule restarts from full. If the display carried a distance or day count, it should now show the full interval again. Power up normally afterwards and check the cluster; the reminder should stay gone and not reappear at the next start. If it does come back, the confirmation step wasn’t completed — simply run the reset again.
Reset Frequency
Clear the reminder every time the NX is serviced, and at no other time. The interval is a fixed distance or period set by Lexus for this model; because the exact figures vary with market, model year and how the car is used, check the maintenance schedule in your owner’s handbook for the precise mileage and time that apply to your car. Resetting the reminder early just to clear the display defeats its purpose — it hides a prompt you actually want and lets the service slip past its interval.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I reset the maintenance light on a Lexus NX (2022 on)?
Ignition on (not READY), use the dash menu to go to Settings > Maintenance and confirm the reset.
Do I need a diagnostic tool?
No — the dashboard menu reset is the owner method.
Is the 450h+ plug-in the same?
Yes — the menu reset is identical on the NX 350h and NX 450h+; just power up without entering READY.
The reminder came back — why?
The reset probably wasn’t confirmed; repeat it through Settings > Maintenance.
Does the engine or hybrid system need to be running?
No. Power the car up with the ignition on and the engine off — press START once without the brake so the dash lights up but the car doesn’t go into READY.
I’ve just been serviced but the spanner is still on — is that a problem?
No. The reminder is a counter that has to be reset by hand as part of the service. If it wasn’t cleared, the symbol stays lit even though the oil is fresh; just carry out the reset above.
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.