One of the benefits of owning a Jeep is the company’s attention to making sure they put the latest technology in their off-road vehicles. This includes plenty of safety and self-diagnostic features. Should your Jeep have any issues, it will likely be able to tell you to have it checked out. Still, you may be wondering why your Jeep is telling you to “Perform Service.” We have done the research and compiled it here to answer this question and much more.
When the “Perform Service” indicator comes on, this lets you know your Jeep has reached its scheduled mileage for needing regular maintenance. This means you need to take it to a professional to have specific fluids swapped, tires rotated, or something similar.
What does perform service mean? How do I reset my service light? How long can you drive with a maintenance light? Why is my maintenance required light on after an oil change? Keep reading to find answers to these questions and more!
Why Does My Jeep Keep Saying Perform Service?
As stated above, your Jeep is capable of letting you know when something is not working correctly or if it is time for scheduled maintenance. When your dash shows a “Perform Service” light, then you are due for scheduled maintenance.
Your Jeep will continue to show this indicator until you or your mechanic resets this indicator. We never recommend resetting the light on your own before your maintenance because it is there to remind you to take your vehicle in. Resetting the light can cause you to forget and end up harming your car by driving it for longer periods without an oil change or other regular maintenance.
What Does Perform Service Mean?
Most of the time, this light refers to when you need to change your oil. Other car manufacturers have similar indicators where they let you know it is time to change the oil. Specific Jeep models in certain years may differ in what this light means, but for the most part, this is telling you that you have gone over your mileage limit for your current oil change.
How Do I Reset My Service Light?
If you have found yourself needing to reset your service light, it is simpler than you may think. In most Jeep models, this is the process for resetting your service light: start by turning the ignition to “RUN” without starting the engine. This will turn all your electronics on and leave the engine off. Once this step is complete, press the gas pedal down three times within 10 seconds. After this step, turn the car off completely.
Now your light should be reset. You can start your vehicle to verify this. If for some reason, your light is still on, then you can try repeating the process above. If your light is still on, verify you follow the steps correctly and try one more time. If the light is still on, open your owner’s manual, and find the section on resetting your service light. Almost all owner’s manuals have this information and may even be able to tell you what that specific light is indicating. This will let you know if it is a good idea to reset it or not.
How Long Can You Drive With A Maintenance Light?
It is not a good idea to drive any farther than you have to with any maintenance notification. This is because you do not know how big the issue is your vehicle is warning you about. If your “Check Engine” light is on, this is a serious issue that needs to be looked at by a professional.
If your professional identifies the problem and gives you the go-ahead to continue driving for a little bit, you can defer to their judgment. However, most circumstances will call for you to fix your vehicles before continuing to drive.
There are situations where it does not hurt to continue driving your vehicle with a maintenance light on. For example, if your vehicle’s light tells you to change the oil turns on, you can manually pull over and check your oil levels. If your oil is at a normal level, it won’t hurt you to drive a few more days before scheduling an oil change. Most vehicles require an oil change every 5,000 miles, so driving an extra 50 miles won’t do damage to your vehicle.
Why Is My Maintenance Required Light On After An Oil Change?
Most likely, your maintenance required light may be on because your mechanic forgot to reset the light. This is a common mistake car shops make. If this happens, follow the instructions above for resetting the light if you drive a Jeep, or look in your owner’s manual for your specific car’s instructions.
This may also be your vehicle telling you there is a bigger issue going on. You should not ignore this warning. Take your vehicle back to the car shop you got your oil change at or a mechanic who can properly diagnose your vehicle.
Maintenance lights mean different things in different cars. One vehicle’s maintenance light may indicate needing an oil change, while another vehicle’s light may cover a wide variety of issues. If changing your oil and resetting the light doesn’t keep it from coming back on, then something else is wrong with your automobile.
Because an unknown issue is causing the light to come on, we never recommend driving it any farther than you have to. This means driving it straight to a mechanic and nowhere else.
Summary
All in all, warning lights are meant to protect you and your vehicle. As annoying as they can be, they are there to ensure you catch issues before they cause your vehicle more damage and charge you more money. Driving a car with a “Perform Service” light on to a mechanic is much better than having to pay for a tow truck because you ignored the warning light.
It is best to make a habit of getting to the root of the problem as soon as you see a warning light appear. This helps keep you, your loved ones, and your vehicle safe!
Looking for more information on Jeeps? Check out this article: How To Change A Hard Top Jeep To A Soft Top [And Vice Versa]
Having other issues with your vehicle? We have plenty of articles to help you find a solution: My Car Won’t Start But The Radio And Lights Work [8 Things To Check]