shamma1977

While cruising on the highway yesterday, the Maintainance Required light flased a few times then went off. There after it would do the same everytime I start the car. My local dealership said it was an early notification for the 7500Mi scheduled service (current milage is at 6041), they then proceeded to tell me that they turned it off!. Wasn't satisfied with the explanation, so I was wondering if anyone else has seen or experienced the same thing. When I asked how come I never got the warning as I was approaching the 3750Mi service, the answer was that these early warnings start after the first scheduled service.

The main reason I took the car to the dealership was to perform the 1st-2nd TSB, however, upon test driving my car, the scenario couldn't not be replicated, so nothing was fixed.

Being in the furious state of mind that I was in, (maybe combined with the fact that I just spent an hour and a half driving back from NYC, traffic everywhere), I jumped in my car, and immediately stormed out of the parking lot (didn't wait not one second for my engine to warm up). The dealership is on a local highway, so as soon as I exited the parking lot, I mash the gas pedal in first gear (thats when I was thinking to myself that I'll replicate the problem for them, stupid I know) as the engine's RPM hit 6k, I experience a sudden cut-off in power (similar to the 9k rev limiter I guess). So I release the gas and pull over to the shoulder right away, turn on my hazards and wait till she's warm (which I always do, I feel terrible that I was taking out my frustration on her), I then proceed for a normal drive home.

Is there some kind of another limiter to protect the engine while cold? Any one experinced that either?

ceo2b

Shamma,

The Maintenance Req'd light comes on to notify you every 7500 miles. You'll notice that at about 6000 it flashes for a second and at 7499 it's flashing for a loooooonnnnnnng time. This is the 'regular driving' maintenance schedule as posted in the owners manual. Service every 3750 is recommended only for extreme driving conditions. (What driving in the s2k isn't extreme, right?) This is why the light only comes on every 7500.

There is a limiter that prevents the engine from going vtech until it is warm enough. Don't worry about it -- just let your car warm up before you leave the idiot dealer the next time!

Dave

Radster

[QUOTE]Originally posted by ceo2b
[B]Shamma,

The Maintenance Req'd light comes on to notify you every 7500 miles.

temin

Hold down the trip button. Turn the key from lock to on. Wait. It should go out after 10 seconds.

Temin

Radster

Thanks, I hope this is actually re-setting the system, and not just turning it off till next time you start the car...... Kevin

temin

Yes. It resets the system. It won't bug you again until ~13500 miles.

Temin

Radster

Great!!!!! Thanks for your help..... Kevin

smyroad

Did you find out why it flashed while you were driving? Was it low oil?

shamma1977

Dave, Temin, thanks for the info and feedback.

Smyroad, no it wasn't a oil related problem. As Dave mentioned, it turns out this light will flash soon after you hit 6k miles to remind you that a 7500 Mi service is coming up.

The dealer's explanation was not clear in the sense that they said that it would not do that for the first scheduled service (3750Mi), instead it would start for the 7500Mi and for every scheduled service after that.

smyroad

I haven't seen mine flash while I was cruising. As the car approached 7500 and 15,000 miles, check engine flashed for a while right after I started the car. Does it flash as you cross 6000 while cruising?