Cars need regular maintenance to keep running smoothly. Ignoring your vehicle’s periodic “checkups” can easily burn a hole in your pocket through costly repairs later. This makes reminders about your car’s scheduled maintenance helpful.
Is this what your Mitsubishi’s Routine Maintenance Required warning is all about?
How does its reminder system work?
Keep reading as we take you through the Mitsubishi maintenance reminder system.
This Article Contains:
- What Does the Mitsubishi Routine Maintenance Required Light Mean?
- How to Address the Mitsubishi Routine Maintenance Required Warning?
- How Does the Mitsubishi Mileage-based Reminder Work?
- Guidelines for Resetting the Mitsubishi’s Routine Maintenance Reminder
- 3 FAQs about the Routine Maintenance Required Light
Let’s get to it!
What Does the Mitsubishi Routine Maintenance Required Light Mean?
The Routine Maintenance Required message on your Mitsubishi’s dashboard indicates that it’s time for you to service your car as per its regular maintenance schedule. An illuminated wrench symbol also usually accompanies it.
It’s a preventive maintenance reminder that helps you avoid costly repairs through regular inspection and servicing of various vehicle components.
Let’s find out what you should do if this dashboard light appears on your car.
How to Address the Mitsubishi Routine Maintenance Required Warning?
Tackling the Routine Maintenance Required light involves tasks like an engine oil change, brake pads inspection, air and oil filter replacement, etc. A mechanic will perform them depending on the mileage your Mitsubishi has.
Here’s why your car may need these routine maintenance services:
1. Engine Oil and Oil Filter Change
Engine oil loses its lubricating ability over time due to oxidation and contamination by debris. An oil filter can get clogged due to impurities in the motor oil, reducing the oil supply to the engine. Both bad engine oil and clogged oil filter can damage the engine due to overheating and increased frictional wear.
2. Tire Rotation
Rotating the tires on your Mitsubishi as per the maintenance schedule specified by the vehicle manufacturer will help them wear evenly, extending their life. You’ll also need to check the tire pressure and tread depth periodically according to the owner’s manual.
3. Fluids Level Check
Your Mitsubishi’s scheduled maintenance inspection will include checking the level and quality of various fluids on your car:
These levels can get low over time due to leaks or get contaminated by debris, affecting the normal operation of your vehicle.
4. Brake System Inspection
Having your car’s brakes in perfect condition is crucial for your and others’ safety on the road. A brake inspection will include checking the brake pads and rotors for wear and brake hoses for leaks.
5. Engine Air Filter Replacement
A dirty engine air filter can lead to several problems, such as reduced engine performance, poor fuel economy, unusual engine noises, etc. You’ll have to replace it more often if you frequently drive in dusty conditions.
6. Cabin Air Filter Replacement
A bad cabin air filter can make the ride for you and your fellow passengers uncomfortable due to reduced airflow and an unpleasant smell. Here again, dusty conditions can lead to an earlier replacement of the filter than usual.
Note: In addition to the routine maintenance, it’s a good idea to check a few basic things yourself, like engine oil and coolant level, tire pressure, etc. You can do it as per the interval specified by the vehicle manufacturer in the owner’s manual.
Now, you may be wondering how your Mitsubishi knows when to bring up the warning light. Here’s how!
How Does the Mitsubishi Mileage-based Reminder Work?
The Mitsubishi mileage-based reminder system tracks the number of miles covered since the last service of your vehicle. It uses this information to bring up the maintenance light on your dashboard as per a pre-set interval.
This reminder system doesn’t account for parameters like driving habits and conditions. Unlike other advanced reminder systems on some vehicles, it only relies on the mileage of your car.
Since mileage is the deciding factor here, let’s see what should be taken care of when resetting the reminder.
Guidelines for Resetting the Mitsubishi’s Routine Maintenance Reminder
Your mechanic will manually reset the reminder’s time interval after performing a maintenance service on the vehicle. For a maintenance task like an engine oil change, the mechanic will consider factors that can affect the oil life, like your driving habits, the model, age, and general condition of your car, engine oil type, etc.
Here’re the approximate intervals (miles) for an oil change based on the kind of use your Mitsubishi may experience.
1. Light Use: Oil Change Every 7,500-10,000 Mile Interval
If you:
- Only drive in plain terrains
- Experience moderate outside temperatures
- Don’t idle for extended periods
- Don’t tow or have heavy loads
2. Moderate Use: Oil Change Every 5,000-7,500 Mile Interval
If you:
- Occasionally drive on hills or off the road
- Experience hot or cold outside temperatures
- Idle for extended periods
- Tow sometimes and have moderately heavy loads
3. Heavy Use: Oil Change Every 3,000-5,000 Mile Interval
If you:
- Frequently do hill-driving or off-roading
- Experience extreme outside temperatures
- Idle for extended periods
- Tow frequently and have heavy loads
Note: Your mechanic will also consider other routine maintenance tasks along with the oil life to decide the interval after which the warning light should appear. These tasks can be:
- An inspection of the brake system
- Tire rotation
- Fluids level check, etc.
Coming up next are a few questions you may have about the routine maintenance reminder on your vehicle.
3 FAQs about the Routine Maintenance Required Light
Here are answers to three common questions about the maintenance light on Mitsubishi vehicles.
1. Can You Drive with the Routine Maintenance Required Warning?
Yes, you can drive your Mitsubishi with a Routine Maintenance Required light. However, it’s best to get it serviced by an auto repair professional soon enough to avoid serious problems like engine damage or brake failure.
2. How is a Routine Maintenance Required Warning Different from a Check Engine Light?
The Routine Maintenance Required warning:
- Is part of your Mitsubishi’s maintenance reminder system
- Alerts you when it’s time for your vehicle’s regular maintenance
- Doesn’t necessarily indicate something wrong with your vehicle
The Check Engine Light:
- Is part of the Onboard Diagnostics (OBD) system
- Comes up when your car’s computer detects a fault with its engine or emission control system
- Can be triggered by a variety of issues, such as a loose gas cap, engine misfire, etc.
3. What Is the Difference between Preventive Maintenance and Reactive Maintenance?
Preventive car maintenance helps ensure the normal operation of a vehicle (or other equipment) by addressing its issues (if any) before they lead to a malfunction. E.g., scheduled engine oil change, tire rotation, etc.
Reactive maintenance includes those repair tasks carried out after something on a vehicle or equipment completely fails. E.g., rebuilding a seized engine, replacing a failed catalytic converter, etc.
There’s another category between preventive and reactive maintenance – corrective maintenance. A maintenance task carried out after symptoms of a malfunction appear, but the component hasn’t failed, falls under corrective maintenance.
Wrapping Up
The Mitsubishi Routine Maintenance Required warning is a handy reminder about when to get your car serviced. You shouldn’t ignore it and get your vehicle serviced soon after it appears on the dashboard.
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