Here's What The Honda A12 Service Code Might Be Trying To Tell You

If you own a Honda from 2005 or later, chances are you've used (or at least been notified by) the company's Maintenance Minder system at some point — which includes a letter and number, preceded by a small wrench icon. It's somewhat similar to the various warning lights one might see on any given vehicle's dashboard (Check Engine, Oil, etc), but since it's integrated with a digital display rather than prefab symbols with a light behind them it can provide more detailed info on what might be wrong. The system also monitors scheduled maintenance and current conditions in order to sometimes overlap some maintenance warnings (say, if something is due for a change in another few hundred miles but your oil needs servicing now) in order to save you an extra trip to the mechanic.

The letter of the code (either A or B) tells you what main systems require attention, with A representing the car's engine oil and B standing in for just about everything else (oil filter, suspension, fluid levels, etc.). Each number (from 1 to 5, 6, or 7 depending on your model) equates to a sub-system like coolant, transmission fluid, tire rotation, and more. Your owner's manual should have a full code list you can consult at any time, but several official Honda dealerships have lists available to browse online as well.

Something to keep in mind is that, while Honda's Maintenance Minder is intended to offer a consistent code system from model to model, it's always recommended to double-check your vehicle's manual to verify things. WIth that in mind, an A12 code generally means one or more of a few things. Think of it as a combination of the A main system code prefix, plus both the 1 and 2 the subsystem codes.

An engine oil change is likely as that's the primary code (A), but the engine air filter — or even the cabin air filter — might also need to be changed out. You may need to rotate the tires as well, or it's possible your Honda needs all of those things, or a combination of two or three of them in some fashion. You can use Honda's MyGarage website with your vehicle's VIN number (or enter in the year, model, and trim) to check your model's specific Maintenance Minder codes, as well as find nearby service centers, too.

Ultimately, no matter what code you see next to that wrench icon on your Honda's display it's important that you take it in for servicing at an official dealership when you can. Preferably sooner rather than later.