Home Diagnosis and TroubleshootingVehicle Model Specific Problems B13 Service Honda Civic – What Does This Code Mean?

B13 Service Honda Civic – What Does This Code Mean?

by Jordan Harris
B13 Service Honda Civic

Have you gotten the message “B13 Service Honda Civic” on your gauge cluster? And you want to learn more about what is this type of service all about? Well, if that is the case, then you are at the right place because, in this article, there will be quite a lot to cover when it comes to the B13 service.

Doing your own research when it comes to problems like these, is a really important thing to do. Since you want your car to be properly maintained and you don’t want to leave things to chance. And in the end, end up with a vehicle with a failing engine.

So, informing yourself properly about the service or warning codes that your Honda shows is always a good thing to do. And honestly, there are more than a few of these codes that indicate a different need for a service.

There are codes that start with A and codes that start with B. Also, there are different numbers following these letters that indicate different services that have to be done to your vehicle. But you shouldn’t worry since we are going to cover everything.

First, we are going to learn what is the Honda Civic and the pros and cons of owning one of these models. Then, we will cover more about vehicle maintenance and what is the Honda Service Minder.

Once we go through that, we will cover the service codes and what they mean. And the cost to do the B13 service Honda Civic. So, if you want to learn more, feel free to follow along till the end.

What Is The Honda Civic

Now before we dive into more complex topics like the B13 service Honda Civic, let’s first take a look at what is the Honda Civic in general. So, we need to further elaborate on the model so people have a clear understanding of what exact model is the Civic.

So, what is the Civic? Well, the Honda Civic is probably one of the most legendary car models in the world. The production of this model spanned over 5 decades and is probably one of the most popular products Honda ever produced.

In total, there are eleven generations released on the market from the Civic, with the most recent one being released recently in 2021.

B13 Service Honda Civic

In the early 70s, the Civic was marketed as a subcompact car. But as of 2000, the model increased in size and became a compact vehicle. Which made the Civic even more popular since you had the ability to accommodate people more comfortably and also had more place for storage.

And also, this current model comes in various styles. But Honda has reduced the body styles only to a 4-door sedan and 5-door liftback for the latest model. Even though, we quite expect that Honda will introduce a different model in the following years.

What is important about the Civic is that the model is quite affordable. Starting at around $25,750. The price is very competitive and probably one of the best deals around. But what are the cons of owning a Civic? Well, let’s elaborate more on the pros and cons next and then we will discuss the B13 service Honda Civic.

Pros & Cons Of Owning A Honda Civic

Now that we introduced ourselves to the Honda Civic before we dive into more complex topics like the B13 service Honda Civic, let’s discuss more about the pros and cons of owning a Honda Civic.

Why do we think that this is necessary? Well, a lot of people are still considering whether or not to get the Civic and this is a good place to start. Once we cover this topic, we will jump into the maintenance and the B13 service Honda Civic.

And if you’re still unsure, we’re written an abundance of resources and guides on the Civic. That includes looking into specific issues such as the electric parking brake problem on the Honda Civic, the Honda Civic air conditioner recall, and the 2017 Honda Civic oil type, as well as faults where your Honda Civic won’t start.

Besides these, we’ve also looked into buyer’s guide-type articles, such as comparing the Honda Civic vs the Honda Insight. Or, we’ve further answered questions like how long do Honda Civics typically last, in addition to whether the Honda Civic Si comes with an automatic.

Pros

Now let’s first cover the pros of getting a Honda Civic before we dive into the B13 service Honda Civic. What are the positive sides of owning a Civic in your garage?

The biggest positive of owning a Civic is the value. A Civic is not an expensive car to own or maintain. Especially when you purchase a Civic brand new, you basically have the ability to have 10+ years without headaches. Except for regular maintenance.

And maintenance also is not crazy expensive. It’s one of those cars with the cheapest maintenance costs. And what is good about the Civic is that it informs you when you need to do any maintenance on it. Like in our case with the B13 service Honda Civic.

B13 Service Honda Civic

Another perk of owning a Honda Civic is that these vehicles are really durable. They can be pushed for quite a bit of mileage compared to other similar models on the market. They are proper workhorses that simply do not give up – definitely worthy contenders among those cars that can last 300 000 miles or more.

So, you can still see some of the 90s models driving on the street. Which are extremely popular among car guys who modify them and install crazy mods in order to gain power. The Civic guy stereotype was not invented for nothing.

But stereotypes aside, the Civic is a really good and reliable car that can be pushed to great lengths. But what about the cons of having a Civic? There should be some cons, right? Well, let’s cover more on the cons before we learn about the B13 service Honda Civic.

Cons

Now that we covered the pros of owning a Civic, let’s now discuss more about the cons of owning a Civic before we discuss about the B13 service Honda Civic.

Frankly, the Civic does not has many downsides. Except for the fact that it still uses a 1.5L engine. While you’re here, be sure to check out our guide on the Honda 1.5 turbo engine problems to learn more about it. Even though turbocharged, for many people this engine could feel underpowered.

This is the case since the car grew up in size a little bit and the power numbers have not changed. So, it might feel a bit on the slower side compared to its predecessor.

In addition to this, the lack of manual transmission on the sedan is also a downside. Not all people love to drive an automatic. Some of us still enjoy driving a manual on a sedan.

So, if you intend to buy a Civic with a manual transmission, you are probably interested in the hatchback version with 5 doors that now is known as the liftback. But what about the B13 service Honda Civic? More on that, next.

Why Car Maintenance Matters

Now let’s take a look at why car maintenance matters before we dive into the B13 service Honda Civic. So, why do we think that this is necessary? Well, mainly because we need to inform you about the importance of doing your services on time.

As you probably know, on the car, there are a lot of components that have a service life. And once this service life reaches the end of its operation, you basically never know when a component will fail. But one thing is for certain and that is that the performance of the component will be poor.

So, if you have an oil life of 9,000 miles. If you decide to push this oil up to 12,000 or 15,000 miles, you risk problems to happen on your car. It’s a fact that you should never question what happens if you don’t change your oil, as testing how many miles can you go over an oil change is always disastrous.

For example, once the engine oil goes above 9,000 miles, the oil will start to turn into sludge and will basically lose its lubricating properties.

Once the lubricating properties are lost, you risk increased bearing wear and also damage to other mechanical components like the piston rings and cylinder walls. So, you get an idea why this service is needed.

Also, there are other components that have to be replaced when they reach the end of their lifespan. Namely, the timing belt, or chain, depending on the engine design, water pump (to find out more, check out our guide on what does a water pump do for your car), drive belt, coolant, tires, brake pads, rotors, and so on.

And if you are a Civic owner that cares about their Civic, you should buy yourself a notebook and list every maintenance that you have done to your Civic each year. So, you don’t forget when it was the last time that you did the maintenance. But what is the B13 service Honda Civic? More on this, in a moment.

Honda Maintenance Minder

Now let’s take a look at what is the Honda Service Minder before we start learning about the B13 service Honda Civic. We need to cover the service minder because this is the system that delivers these service codes. So, what is the service minder?

Well, the service minder is a special feature that is installed on Honda vehicles. This feature simply makes sure that your Honda gets all the necessary services on time.

How it works is really simple. The computer, which is the ECU monitors all the sensors, systems, and operating temperatures and evaluates when it is time to do a service on a Civic.

So, this system does not follow strict intervals for doing services. But it requires service once the computer evaluates that there is a need for service on your car.

And if the computer detects the oil life depletion faster because you use your car heavily (or faults such as the Honda oil dilution issue), you will get the service minder that you need to do an oil change.

Also, the Service Minder by Honda will inform you to do other services as well if there is a need to do so. Later on, we are going to explain more about each of these codes that appear.

The important thing is that before the number there is a letter. A or B. So, what do these letters mean? Well, the letter A refers to the need for an oil change. While the letter B means that the oil and filter have to be replaced and inspections on a lot of other various systems have to be done. For example, the Honda B16 service code.

There are also messages, like Oil Life 15%, Oil Life 5%, and Oil Life 0%. When the oil reaches zero, you have to do an oil change.

Honda Maintenance Codes

Now let’s discuss more about the maintenance codes of the Honda Civic, including the B13 service Honda Civic.

In the following chapters, we are going to elaborate on all of the types of services that your Civic might require from you, including the B13 service Honda Civic. So, if you want to learn more on this topic, follow along closely.

B13 Service Honda Civic, Maintenance Codes #1: Honda A1 Service

Now let’s start with the A1 service before we dive into the B13 service Honda Civic. What is an A1 service?

Well, an A1 service means that you need to replace the oil, plus rotate the tires, and also to verify the tire pressure. Tire rotation is not something quite essential to do since tires are rotated when you replace them. But keeping the right tire pressure is mandatory if you don’t want to face increased fuel consumption and tire wear.

B13 Service Honda Civic, Maintenance Codes #2: Honda A12 Service

The second type of service before we learn about the B13 service Honda Civic is the A12 service. So, what does A12 means?

This means that you need to perform an oil change, rotate the tires, and check the tire pressure and condition. Also, to replace the air cleaner element, inspect the drive belt, and replace air and cabin filters.

B13 Service Honda Civic, Maintenance Codes #3: Honda A13 Service

Now let’s take a look at what is the A13 service on your Honda Civic before we discuss the B13 service Honda Civic.

So, what does A13 stands for? Well, this code indicates that you have to do an oil change. And also to replace your transmission fluid in the process. So, to sum things up, A13 requires both the engine oil and transmission fluid to be flushed and the filters replaced.

Now let’s move on to the following code before we dive into the B13 service Honda Civic.

B13 Service Honda Civic

B13 Service Honda Civic, Maintenance Codes #4: Honda A123 Service

Now let’s cover the last A-service before we dive into the B-services including the B13 service Honda Civic.

So, what does the A123 service stand for? Well, first thing first, you need to do an oil change. The second thing you need to do is rotate the tires, and check for pressure, and tire damage.

Then you need to replace the air cleaner element, inspect the drive belt, and replace the cabin filter. And lastly, you need to flush the transmission fluid if the car is running an automatic transmission. Now let’s move on to the B-services.

B13 Service Honda Civic, Maintenance Codes #5: Honda B1 Service

Now let’s start with the Honda Civic B services and learn more about them. The first on our list is the B1 service. So, what does B1 refers to?

Well, B stands for replacing engine oil, and filters, inspection of the front and rear brakes, as well as checking the parking brake adjustment, and inspecting other components on your vehicle.

The 1 stands for checking the tire pressure, and tire condition, and rotating the tires. But what about the B13 service Honda Civic? More on that, we will learn in a moment.

B13 Service Honda Civic, Maintenance Codes #6: Honda B12 Service

Now let’s take a look at what the Honda B12 refers to. This service emphasizes the same procedure that we mentioned previously, which involves replacing the oil and filter, as well as inspecting the brakes and doing a parking brake adjustment.

Plus checking the tires for pressure and rotating them if needed. On top of that, this also requires replacing the cabin air filter and replacing the air filter (bearing in mind the cabin air filter replacement cost), as well as checking the drive belt on the car. But what about the B13 service Honda Civic? More about that, we are going to find out next.

B13 Service Honda Civic, Maintenance Codes #7: Honda B13 Service

Now let’s discuss the elephant in the room. And this is the B13 service Honda Civic. What does this service mean?

Well, the B stands for a need for replacing the engine oil and filter, also, inspecting the front and rear brakes, as well as checking the parking brake, and doing an adjustment.

Also, proper tire inspection and topping the tires with air. And tire rotation is mandatory. In addition to this, you will also have to replace the transmission fluid if you run an automatic transmission model. Overall, that’s all you need to know when it comes to the B13 service Honda Civic. Now let’s cover the last service type.

B13 Service Honda Civic, Maintenance Codes #8: Honda B123 Service

The last on our list of services that your Honda Civic might require is the B123 service Honda Civic. So, what does this mean?

This means that you have to replace the engine oil and filter. Also, inspect the front and rear brakes, adjust the parking brake and perform other small checks that are written in the owner’s manual.

In addition to this, your tires have to be checked for air and rotated. In addition to this, you need to replace the air filter, replace the cabin filter, and check the drive belt. And lastly, replace the transmission fluid on your Honda Civic.

And lastly, there are other services that begin with the number 4, which refer to replacing the spark plugs, timing belt, and water pump, and also checking the valve clearance if valve adjustment has to be done.

Service 5 refers to engine coolant replacement and Service 6 refers to replacing the rear differential fluid if the car has a rear differential.

B13 Service Honda Civic Cost

Now let’s cover more about the cost of the B13 service Honda Civic and learn how much money will you have to pay for this type of service on your car.

The answer to this question is somewhere in the range of $150 and $300. Depending on all things that are checked and replaced. With the average price being $286 as we found out from other Civic owners. Not crazy expensive.

But if you are mechanically inclined and you want to work on your car, you can do these services at your house for a fraction of this cost. But how you can reset the maintenance light on your Honda Civic? Let’s find out more about that next.

How To Reset The Maintenance Light

Now let’s see how you can reset the service light if you have already done your B13 service Honda Civic. Knowing how you can do this practice by yourself is often needed because sometimes this service appears with no particular reason or you simply decided to do the service on your own (in which case, learning how to reset the maintenance light on a Toyota Camry and how to reset maintenance light on Toyota RAV4 helps, as well as how to reset maintenance light on Toyota).

So, in the video, you can see how you can reset the computer on a 2018 Civic. You just have to navigate through the menu and find the oil life icon. Then, hold the ENTER button for 20 seconds and the service interval will reset. Now let’s conclude this article about the B13 service Honda Civic.

B13 Service Honda Civic: In Conclusion…

In this article, we covered quite a bit when it comes to the Honda Civic. First, we learned what the Honda Civic is, and then we covered the pros and cons of owning a Civic.

After that, we discussed the Honda Service Minder feature and the codes that you get from this system. Including the B13 service Honda Civic. Lastly, we elaborated more on the cost of this service and the price involved.

FAQs On B13 Service Honda Civic

Now let’s answer some frequently asked questions.

How To Reset Oil Life On Honda Civic

On newer Honda models you have to navigate into the menu, select the wrench icon and then look for the oil change service. There you will be able to check the interval and also reset the interval by pressing the Enter button for 20 seconds. Then you are good to go.

What Does 15 Percent Oil Life Mean

This means that only 15% of life is left in your engine oil. As you keep driving, this number will drop to 10%, then to 5%, and eventually to 0%. And when it reaches zero, you cannot delay your oil change.

What Does Service Due Soon B1 Mean

B1 service means that you have to replace the engine oil and filter. In addition to this, you have to check the front and rear brakes and adjust the handbrake. And also inspect the tires and top them off with air, and rotate them if there is a need to do so.

What Does B12 Mean On Honda

Service B12 means that you have to replace the engine oil and filter, and inspect the front and rear brakes. Also, adjust the handbrake. Rotate the tires and top them off with air. In addition to this, you also need to replace the air filter, and cabin filter and check the condition of the drive belt.

What Is A1 Service For Honda

A1 service is the simplest service that your Honda can require. This service requires replacing the engine oil and rotating the tires. Also, topping them off with air and inspecting for tire damage.

How Much Does Honda B123 Service Cost

This is one of the more expensive services that your Honda will require. On average the prices range from $300 to $440. It really depends on the dealership where you service your car and how much they charge for these services.

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