Just noticed that it blinks about 6 or 7 times once the car is started. Never noticed it before.... stays on longer than the abs light too. Is it supposed to do this, and then STAY lit afterwards if its serious or turn off sooner thanks

 

this light is activated by mileage. I think at either 5m or 7500 it does blink for a few seconds, that info should be in owners manual. There is a reset button right under the dash on the right side of the steering wheel. press and hold until light lights, and then goes out. This resets it.

 

yea cuz i just changed the oil last week, and am tuning a tuneup this week... creeped me out. Why wouldnt it stay on the entire time? lol its only blinks like 5-10 once the car is started, and then goes away.

 

If i'm not mistaken, that's just what it does. The "Maint. Req'd" light is, as Dr0lds said, activated by mileage, and nothing else, so you don't really have to worry about it. It blinks 10 times after you turn the car on just to let you know to take it in for regular maintenance.

just to expand on what Dr0lds said, to reset this light, if you look in the driver's side footwell, and look up on to the back of the panel right below the steering column (parallel to your lower legs when you're driving), you'll see a little blue button...when your car's on, wait for the light to go out, then press this button until the light lights up then dies again, and poof, it's reset.

here's a pic of what you're looking for:

 

When it approaches a set amount of miles close to the scheduled interval, it will remain on. It will blink as more of a warning that scheduled maintence should be done.

Luckily, with a car as old as mine, I can just reset the light since I know that I have done these tuneups myself recently.

 

sweet. ill look for that tom mornin while the car warms up!

 

Damn nice picture Kablookie! The last time I saw that switch, I was changing the brake light switch, and I NEVER want my body to be bent like that again!