Generally speaking, a wrench icon on your car means that it’s time for some scheduled maintenance. However, some manufacturers use the wrench icon to indicate issues with the throttle control, battery charger, or parking brakes, so refer to your manual for more information.
Chevrolet
The wrench indicator is a sign you need routine maintenance. Chevrolet vehicles have built-in maintenance reminders based on the mileage of the car. Don’t ignore these indicators and get your vehicle inspected by a mechanic soon, but this isn’t a huge deal. Your car will be fine. You may need to have your spark plugs swapped out, your brake pads replaced, or your coolant flushed. In any case, it’s not going to be a particularly expensive or serious. There are three different wrench indicators, but they all mean the same thing. Depending on when your car was manufactured, your wrench indicator may look like a wrench pointed upwards, a wrench with a line running through it, or a wrench inside a car outline. These are all identical.
Buick
When paired with a lightning bolt, this indicates throttle control issues. Your gas pedal and throttle are not physically connected. You press the pedal and your vehicle’s computer receives the message to accelerate. The throttle control helps this process by controlling the amount of air and fuel that enters the engine whenever you press the gas pedal. In Buicks, a wrench indicator will appear alongside a lightning bolt (and sometimes a check engine light) if your vehicle’s throttle control is encountering errors or failing. What if there’s no lightning bolt? This is probably just a reminder to see a mechanic for routine service, but it doesn’t appear this indicator pops on alone in most Buick models. How do you fix throttle control issues? See a mechanic. They’ll either recalibrate the throttle control or replace it. How much will this cost? A simple recalibration may only run $100-200. If you need a new throttle body, it may run up to $1,000.
Cadillac and GMC
The wrench likely means your parking brake needs to be serviced. On Cadillac and GMC vehicles, the wrench will likely illuminate alongside the parking brake light (which looks like a P with a circle around it). This indicates that your electronic parking brake needs to be serviced soon. See a mechanic to have the parking brake inspected and reset. Is the wrench flashing alongside the parking brake light? This indicates that your parking brake has failed. You can still park 99% of the time—the electronic functions just aren’t working correctly. If you can’t park, drive to a mechanic immediately. Is the wrench light on but not the parking brake light? In this case, the wrench indicates that you need mileage-based service soon.
Ford and Lincoln
For Ford vehicles, the wrench reflects a transmission issue. This may indicate an issue with your throttle control, but most of the time the wrench indicator kicks on due to a problem with your transmission. See a qualified Ford mechanic to have your transmission inspected, repaired, and replaced, if necessary. Why is my car not going as fast as normal? Ford vehicles have a setting known as “limp mode” that turns on automatically whenever the vehicle detects an issue with the transmission. How do you fix transmission issues? Unfortunately, transmissions are difficult to work on. See a mechanic to have them determine what kind of work needs to be done. It could run you $200-400 for a basic valve replacement, while a new transmission may run $1,800-3,400.
Honda and Acura
The wrench is the logo of your Maintenance Minder system—you need basic maintenance. Honda (and Acura) have a system known as the “Maintenance Minder.” Basically, your vehicle is equipped with a bunch of sensors that monitor when components need to be replaced or inspected. If one of those sensors detects a minor issue, you’ll see the wrench icon pop up alongside an error code. This is likely something extremely minor. You may need an oil change, new brakes, a coolant flush, or a tire rotation. Don’t ignore the maintenance, but you’re okay to drive a short period. What does the number next to the wrench mean? This is a code that refers to a specific maintenance issue. The codes are listed in your manual, so if you’re a gearhead feel free to reference the code to see if it’s a DIY job!
Kia, Hyundai, Genesis, Toyota, and Lexus
The wrench indicator is a friendly reminder to get an oil change or tire rotation. For cars manufactured by Hyundai or Toyota, the wrench is a basic maintenance reminder. See a mechanic to get your car serviced. Alternatively, you can change the oil yourself or rotate the tires yourself and then reset the error light by turning the car off, waiting 5 minutes, and turning the car back on. How do I know if I need an oil change or tire rotation? This is a simple exclusion test. Check the sticker on the top left of your windshield or ask yourself when the last time you got an oil change was. If it has been 6 months or 6,000 miles (9,700 km), you need an oil change. If that isn’t the case, rotate your tires. One major exception for Toyotas: a red wrench. The yellow wrench is a basic maintenance reminder. If it’s red though, it’s a sign something serious is wrong. See a mechanic ASAP.
Volkswagen
The meaning of the wrench depends on whether there are other lights illuminated. For Audi and Volkswagen models, the meaning of the wrench light on your dashboard depends on whether the light appears on its own or alongside other lights. Here’s what they mean: If the light is on and nothing else is illuminated: This is a basic service reminder. See a mechanic to have your oil changed, fluids topped off, or tires rotated. If some other light is illuminated: The wrench light is now a modifier. Your vehicle is basically saying that there is a serious malfunction with whatever other light is on. For example, if your check engine light is on and the wrench appears, it indicates there’s a serious issue with your engine. See a mechanic to have your car serviced as soon as you can.
Dodge, Chrysler, Fiat, and Jeep
The wrench is a basic service reminder to get maintenance done. Don’t worry! This is a basic reminder that your vehicle requires mileage-based maintenance. In most cases, you just need an oil change. However, your vehicle may need some other minor work done (like a coolant flush or brake inspection). Why isn’t there anything in the OBD-2 scanner or manual about this? We can’t figure this one out. It’s possible that when Stellantis purchased Dodge, Chrysler, and Jeep that they never updated their software or manuals regarding the wrench icon.
BMW
The wrench icon indicates a problem with your EV charging port. It looks like there is no wrench warning light for older ICE models. There is a wrench light in BMW’s hybrids and EVs, though. This indicator usually appears when the charging port isn’t inserted all the way, so if you’re charging your battery just reconnect the cable. If you aren’t charging your car, see a mechanic. The port may be damaged. Do you have reduced engine power as well? Some BMW drivers have encountered engine issues alongside the wrench light. This is probably an issue with your throttle control, EV engine, or air valve. Don’t take your time on these repairs—continuing to drive may cause serious damage to your engine or transmission.
Mitsubishi
Appearing alongside the word “service,” this is a basic maintenance reminder. Like Stellantis vehicles, Mitsubishi only uses the wrench indicator to remind you that you need an oil change, tire rotation, or some other mundane service. Hat’s off to Mitsubishi, though—they include the word SERVICE next to the wrench so you’re unlikely to mix this on up for anything else.
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