Sorry if this has been posted before, but the maintenance required light will randomly flash on for a couple seconds in the middle of driving and then will promptly turn off. This just started happening yesterday. It doesn't come on when I start the car and I am not due for maintenance quite yet. Has this happened to anyone else before? Anyone have any idea what the problem could be?

 

its normal, it blinks for a few second after 5000 miles and stay on after 7000 miles. you can reset it by having your car off, with the key in the ignition. hold the trip and reset button at the same time and turn your key to acc. hold it for about 5-8 seconds and the light should turn off.

 

the ONLY thing that light does is count miles since last reset
it may have a loose wire?

tip for reset: put key ignition
put left hand thru upper section of steering wheel-
use left hand to press and hold in BOTH trip buttones
with right hand turn key to ON,, not to start
mait light will flash 10 times and go off
release buttons- turn key off- remove hand- done

 

The Maintenance Required light should NOT flash on and off while driving. It will ONLY blink and then eventually stay lit while initially starting the car, not while driving.

 

It definitely blinks on and off intermittently. I know what you mean about the routine service and how it is only supposed to come on when you start the car, but this is different. It seems to be an electrical problem. When I drive the car during the day, no warning lights will come on. If I try to drive it at night with my headlights on, all the lights will come on. First the maintenance required light will flash on and off, then the abs and tcs light will come on and stay on. The electricity on the interior will dim for an instant and then return to normal. Maybe a bad alternator, because my battery is relatively new and the car starts fine. I'm guessing over time my aftermarket sound system drew too much power from the alternator. Of course this happens right when I go on autotrader to list the car for sale.

 

parts stores will test the system for free
could be alt or even bad ignition switch, but with new batt (which could still have a problem) a full sytem test is your first step

battery wires can be bad too