Got my A1 due soon after just over 6400 miles

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Zor

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So I got my oil change notification today. I have used about 13 gallons of gas and am about to fill up my tank for the 2nd time since owning the car.

I near the honda dealer I bought the car at at so I took it in over lunch and questioned them. I talked momentarily with the service departments manager who basically said the Maintenance Minder is always right, it takes into account all your drivings habits and heat and ware and knows when your oil needs to be changed. Honda can deny warranty coverage if you do not change your oil on time. Basically totally ignoring my concern.

So as I left, I called Honda Corporate. Honda Corporate said that didn't really sound right and I should try another dealer and ask them to do the recall software updates as well. So that will get done Monday. If they don't do anything, I will call back corporate and see what my options are.
 
Lots of other threads (and opinions!) on the topic. If it's been 9 months that's probably why you got it. Even with infrequent use aged oil is less effective. Even the best synthetics recommend a change after a year.
 
Brian Harrison said:
Lots of other threads (and opinions!) on the topic. If it's been 9 months that's probably why you got it. Even with infrequent use aged oil is less effective. Even the best synthetics recommend a change after a year.
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6 months. I do plan to make a bit of a fuss about it. My old Subaru required less frequent oil changes then this plug-in hybrid that doesn't even use its engine 90% of the time.
 
The Mileage Minder doesn't care how much time the engine has been running or how many gallons of gas have been consumed.

You said you got an A1 notice. That would be the tire-rotation code. However, because you've driven 6,400 miles, I believe you probably got an A01 code, like the people in the other threads on this subject report when they achieve that approximate mileage. A01 is for both an oil change and a tire rotation. In your case it the Mileage Minder is paying attention only to the odometer.

However, the Mileage Minder in our case is paying attention to the calendar. We've driven our Clarity PHEV for a year, but for only 3700 miles. Almost exactly on our Clarity's first anniversary date we got the A0 code telling us to change our oil, even though we've burned less than 30 gallons.
 
insightman said:
The Mileage Minder doesn't care how much time the engine has been running or how many gallons of gas have been consumed.

You said you got an A1 notice. That would be the tire-rotation code. However, because you've driven 6,400 miles, I believe you probably got an A01 code, like the people in the other threads on this subject report when they achieve that approximate mileage. A01 is for both an oil change and a tire rotation. In your case it the Mileage Minder is paying attention only to the odometer.

However, the Mileage Minder in our case is paying attention to the calendar. We've driven our Clarity PHEV for a year, but for only 3700 miles. Almost exactly on our Clarity's first anniversary date we got the A0 code telling us to change our oil, even though we've burned less than 30 gallons.
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Actually, the "A" refers to an oil change, and the "1" is a sub-code for the tire rotation. The "0" is for fluids check, brake pads check, suspension components inspection, etc.

So A1 is oil and oil filter change as well as tire rotation. Your A0 is oil + oil filter change and the other "0" items I mentioned above.

http://owners.honda.com/vehicles/in...-In-Hybrid/features/Maintenance-Minder-System
 
insightman said:
The Mileage Minder doesn't care how much time the engine has been running or how many gallons of gas have been consumed.

You said you got an A1 notice. That would be the tire-rotation code. However, because you've driven 6,400 miles, I believe you probably got an A01 code, like the people in the other threads on this subject report when they achieve that approximate mileage. A01 is for both an oil change and a tire rotation. In your case it the Mileage Minder is paying attention only to the odometer.

However, the Mileage Minder in our case is paying attention to the calendar. We've driven our Clarity PHEV for a year, but for only 3700 miles. Almost exactly on our Clarity's first anniversary date we got the A0 code telling us to change our oil, even though we've burned less than 30 gallons.
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No 0 on mine. Just A1. I do agree that it is really for the tires being the likely cause or just it using mileage alone . That still leaves the A for the oil. One of the selling points for me was a reduced maintenance schedule. I am on an accelerated maintenance schedule instead.
 
Zor said:
No 0 on mine. Just A1. I do agree that it is really for the tires being the likely cause or just it using mileage alone . That still leaves the A for the oil. One of the selling points for me was a reduced maintenance schedule. I am on an accelerated maintenance schedule instead.
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You don't have to change your oil yet. It's telling you it's due soon. You should get another notification closer to 7500 miles. Under warranty, change it every 7500 miles or 12 months, whichever comes first for non severe driving. After you're out of warranty, you can change it however you'd like.
 
Ray B said:
Actually, the "A" refers to an oil change, and the "1" is a sub-code for the tire rotation. The "0" is for fluids check, brake pads check, suspension components inspection, etc.

So A1 is oil and oil filter change as well as tire rotation. Your A0 is oil + oil filter change and the other "0" items I mentioned above.

http://owners.honda.com/vehicles/in...-In-Hybrid/features/Maintenance-Minder-System
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Thanks for explaining those details. I learn something new every day on this forum.

Is it possible that the OP actually did get an A1 code and not as I assumed an A01 code? Is it possible to get just an "A" code or just a "0" or "1" code, or does the oil-change "A" always come with a number and a number code always comes with an "A" code?
 
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insightman said:
Thanks for explaining those details. I learn something new every day on this forum.

Is it possible that the OP actually did get an A1 code and not as I assumed an A01 code? Is it possible to get just an "A" code or just an "0" or "1" code, or does the oil-change "A" always come with a number and a number code always comes with an "A" code?
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Hmmm ... all good questions. I wish we had a Honda engineer to check in with us occasionally to address some of these questions. As I mentioned in another thread, my strategy is to rotate my own tires and handle the "0" service items myself and reset those on the MM system and see if that extends my rarely used ICE's oil change until I hit 12 months like yours did. But I think if I do not reset the "0" and "1" items before I hit 6000 - 6500 miles it will automatically call for a "1" at a minimum and then tag on an "A" so that it is not neglected.

I have an algorithm in my head to explain my interpretation of what the car does to decide on what service items are due and when, but I'm not sure I can properly explain it, nor do I know if it is correct.

Electra - do you have a link that confirms the 7500 miles? I can't find anything on it, but I haven't looked exhaustively.
 
As a point of reference, I've owned two Volts prior to getting a Clarity in September (and my wife is now driving her second Volt). With my driving pattern, I drove gas-free 90% of the time, and my wife about 95%. Our maintenance schedule was tire rotation every 7500 miles and an oil change every two years as well as an annual change of the cabin air filter. I've driven about 5000 miles on the Clarity since September and no maintenance prompt yet
 
Thanks and here is your maintenance trivia question for the day...answer in next post.
Why is there no number 6 code for the Clarity?
 
Because it’s for replacing the rear differential fluid on all wheel drive models and the Clarity has no rear diff being front wheel drive only.
 
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