A Dodge Journey oil life reset clears the oil change message once the scheduled maintenance is finished.
The steps below come from Mopar owner’s manuals and user’s guides for the 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017 and 2018 Journey, plus a copy of the 2010 owner’s manual. The 2009 and 2019 to 2020 model years were not verified, so check your own manual first.
What the Oil Change Message Means
The Journey’s oil change indicator shows a service reminder with a single chime when an oil change is due, according to Mopar’s 2014 user guide.
The wording depends on the instrument cluster. On EVIC-equipped vehicles, Oil Change Required appears in the EVIC. On non-EVIC vehicles, Change Oil flashes in the odometer. Both come with one chime.
| Instrument display | What you see | Alert |
|---|---|---|
| EVIC equipped | Oil Change Required in the EVIC | Single chime |
| Non-EVIC | Change Oil flashes in the odometer | Single chime |
The 2017 and 2018 Owner’s Manuals call it Oil Change Due and say it shows in the instrument cluster display for five seconds after the chime. The 2014 guide says it flashes in the EVIC for about 10 seconds.
The system is duty cycle based, so the interval changes with driving style. Severe conditions such as frequent short trips, trailer towing, extremely hot or cold weather, and E85 fuel can bring the message on as early as 3,500 miles after the last reset.
Mopar asks owners to have the vehicle serviced within the next 500 miles once the message appears. The message stays on until it is reset, and it returns each time the ignition is turned to ON/RUN.
Run the Dodge Journey oil life reset only after the scheduled maintenance is done. Resetting first would clear the reminder before the service it is meant to track.
The 2017 and 2018 manuals also describe a temporary dismissal that is separate from the Dodge Journey oil life reset. Push and release the up arrow button to turn the message off for now. Unless the system is reset, the message returns each time the ignition is cycled to ON/RUN, so dismissing it does not count as a reset.
Dodge Journey Oil Life Reset Steps
To run a Dodge Journey oil life reset on a button-start Journey, cycle the ignition to ON/RUN without starting the engine, press the accelerator three times within 10 seconds, then return the ignition to OFF/LOCK.
- Without pressing the brake pedal, push and release the ENGINE START/STOP button and cycle the ignition to ON/RUN. Do not start the engine.
- Fully press the accelerator pedal, slowly, three times within 10 seconds.
- Without pressing the brake pedal, push and release the ENGINE START/STOP button once to return the ignition to OFF/LOCK.
Timing matters in the accelerator step. The 2014 guide says to fully depress the pedal slowly, and the three presses must all fall inside the 10-second window.
The Mopar 2018 Journey Owner’s Manual adds a check. If the message still appears when you start the vehicle, the system did not reset, and you should repeat the procedure.
The 2011 User’s Guide describes the same sequence with ignition-switch wording and no brake or button step: turn the ignition switch to ON/RUN, press the accelerator fully three times within 10 seconds, then turn it to OFF/LOCK. A copy of the 2010 owner’s manual gives the same ignition-switch wording and ends with the LOCK position. Match that wording to your own key or button setup, and follow your owner’s manual if it differs.
Which Steps Match Your Model Year
The Mopar manuals checked for 2013 through 2018 give the same button-based three-step reset, while the 2010 and 2011 manuals use ignition-switch wording. Use the table to confirm which Dodge Journey oil life reset wording applies to your model year before you start.
| Model year and source | Reset wording | Message timing |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 User’s Guide, PDF page 70 | Ignition switch to ON/RUN, three accelerator presses, then OFF/LOCK | Not stated |
| 2013 User’s Guide, PDF page 74 | ENGINE START/STOP steps, brake not pressed | Not stated |
| 2014 User’s Guide, PDF page 80 | ENGINE START/STOP steps, brake not pressed | About 10 seconds in the EVIC |
| 2017 Owner’s Manual, PDF page 255 | ENGINE START/STOP steps, brake not pressed | Five seconds after the chime |
| 2018 Owner’s Manual, PDF pages 137 and 138 | ENGINE START/STOP steps, brake not pressed | Five seconds after the chime |
| 2010 Owner’s Manual (third-party copy), printed pages 188, 205 and 461 | Ignition switch to ON, three accelerator presses, then LOCK | About 12 seconds on the odometer, 5 seconds in the EVIC |
| 2009 | Not verified | Not verified |
Two things decide which Dodge Journey oil life reset wording fits your Journey: whether the cluster has an EVIC display, and whether the engine starts with a key or an ENGINE START/STOP button. Check both before you run the sequence, because the cluster decides where the message appears and the start method decides how you cycle the ignition.
The 2011 guide also covers Keyless Enter-N-Go and an ENGINE START/STOP button, so its ignition-switch wording may not describe every key setup. This check did not find a separate key-ignition section for any year.
No manual checked here covers model years after 2018, and no 2009 manual was found. Confirm the Dodge Journey oil life reset against the owner’s manual for your exact model year before you start the sequence. If you also own a Honda, the Honda Accord oil life reset guide shows a different system, the Maintenance Minder.
How Often a Dodge Journey Needs an Oil Change
Mopar’s manuals say oil change intervals should never exceed 10,000 miles or twelve months, whichever comes first, even when the message has not appeared.
The Mopar 2014 Journey User’s Guide states this limit in its maintenance section, and the limit applies whether or not you run a Dodge Journey oil life reset. The 2017 and 2018 Owner’s Manuals repeat it and add a 350-hour engine run limit, which is mainly a concern for fleet customers.
A copy of the 2010 owner’s manual is stricter than the later manuals. It says oil change intervals should never exceed 6,000 miles or six months, whichever comes first, so a 2010 Journey should follow that limit between each Dodge Journey oil life reset instead of the 10,000 mile figure. Severe use is a separate schedule. The 2014 guide says to change engine oil at 4,000 miles if the vehicle is operated in a dusty and off-road environment. The 2017 manual also lists operation mostly at idle or very low engine RPM as severe duty.
Use the message and the calendar together. The indicator follows driving conditions, so it can arrive early, while the twelve-month ceiling applies no matter what the display shows. A Dodge Journey oil life reset clears the reminder, but it does not extend the time allowed between changes.
When the Message Comes Back
If the Oil Change Due message appears again after you start the engine, the reset did not take, and the manuals say to repeat the three steps.
Check the basics before you repeat the Dodge Journey oil life reset. The engine must stay off during the sequence, the brake pedal must stay up for both button presses, and the three accelerator presses must fit inside 10 seconds.
The Dodge Journey oil life reset is complete only when the message stays off after you start the vehicle. The manuals say an authorized dealer resets the message after the scheduled oil change. If someone else did the service, the steps above are the reset method the manuals describe. For another make with a different system, see how the Honda Pilot oil life reset works.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Dodge Journey oil life reset change the oil change schedule?
The manuals do not describe the reset as a schedule change. They tie it to scheduled maintenance, and the 10,000 mile or twelve month ceiling still applies after the reset.
Why does the message come on before 10,000 miles?
The system is duty cycle based. Severe operating conditions can bring the message on as early as 3,500 miles after the last reset, according to the 2014 guide.
Should I reset the message without an oil change?
No. The manuals tie the reset to scheduled maintenance, so run the Dodge Journey oil life reset sequence only after the oil change is finished.
Do I need to press the brake pedal?
For the 2013 through 2018 Dodge Journey oil life reset steps, no. Those steps say to keep the brake pedal up when you press ENGINE START/STOP. The 2010 and 2011 manuals show no brake step.
What if the message appears after I start the vehicle?
The Dodge Journey oil life reset did not take. Turn the engine off, repeat the three steps, and check the cluster again after starting the vehicle.
Can I turn the Oil Change Due message off temporarily?
Yes. The 2017 and 2018 manuals say to push and release the up arrow button to turn the message off for now. It is not a reset, so the message returns the next time the ignition is cycled to ON/RUN.
Does a 2010 Journey use the same reset?
A copy of the 2010 owner’s manual shows the same three steps with ignition-switch wording, ending in the LOCK position. The 2009 model year was not verified, so use the owner’s manual for your year before you press the accelerator in the sequence.
Before you run the Dodge Journey oil life reset, match your Journey’s model year, cluster and start method to the table above. If your owner’s manual gives different wording for your year, follow the manual, because it is written for your exact vehicle.
