Radio Security Code Issues

[jerryn]

Tired of your local stealership charging you $45.00 for your
Radio's security code? This could be a problem when you change
your battery, or if your battery dies and you need a jump. You'll find that your radio is in safe mode and needs a security code to work. Well here's what I "stumbled upon". If you open your hatch and remove your spare tire, you will see a sticker on the left (driver's side) that has the exterior paint code, interior code, etc. And on the side of the paint code there will
be a 4 digit code with no label. This 4 digit code is the radio's security code! Enter this code and hit scan, the scan on the passenger side. Bingo.. your radio will be enabled again!

[AmyJane]

Thats pretty cool!
Nice find!

[analogmax]

Is the code specific to that radio?

[mezonesxbox]

I use VAG-COM and clear the code and no problem...

[Duffy]

How?

[jerryn]

The code is for the factory installed radio.

Also.. I had something wierd happen.

Safemode tripped again. I removed my cassete adapter, shut the radio off, truned the radio on, pressed the radio button and the stereo was usable again. Wierd.

[GatorBeetle]

That is where I found the code for my ife's NB Radio...also there was another sticker with the same info, I have been told the stealership is supposed to put in your owner's manual when you buy the car. Go figure...

I have also heard stories of even stranger things being found under the spare, including empty Mexican cigarette packs and full packs of Mexican Gum...

[vgmnstr]

Originally Posted by GatorBeetle

I have also heard stories of even stranger things being found under the spare, including empty Mexican cigarette packs and full packs of Mexican Gum...

Ahh, a wonderful addition to taking the car apart and trying to find a label that does not say mexico on it!

[vgmnstr]

I guess this would be the thread I should ask this question in. I plan on upgrading my stereo to something aftermarket. I take it I need to make use of the code to put the factory stereo back in should I ever decide to sell it (very very unlikly)???

[Audiophil]

Originally Posted by vgmnstr

I guess this would be the thread I should ask this question in. I plan on upgrading my stereo to something aftermarket. I take it I need to make use of the code to put the factory stereo back in should I ever decide to sell it (very very unlikly)???

Yep!

[mgwerks]

Bear in mind that that sticker is not present in ALL NBs...

[GatorBeetle]

Originally Posted by mgwerks

Bear in mind that that sticker is not present in ALL NBs...

absolutely...but many of us have found one there, so its a better place to start than the Stealership...

[vgmnstr]

I found the sticker in my NB and I found the number. I also looked through the owners manual for the radio card that displayed the code, yet it was missing (go figure, it says not to leave it in there). Next to it, it does say "Should the 'radio card' be lost, contact the dealer... they will be able to help you FREE of charge" I'm going to take the owners manual down to them and show them that. I'll let you all know how it goes.

[Pulgamovil]

Better to find a pack of cigarretes or gum than 4:20 special tea, dont you think?

[GatorBeetle]

Originally Posted by Pulgamovil

Better to find a pack of cigarretes or gum than 4:20 special tea, dont you think?

Depends on who you ask, I would suppose....

[vgmnstr]

Took the car to the dealer and had them get the code for me. Turned out the code on the sticker wouldn't work, since the radio had been replaced by a former owner of the vehicle. But it satisfied my curiosity of a 4 digit code written in permanent marker in the tire well. It was the code to the replacement stereo that is currently in the car. And since I showed them the owners manual (where it said FREE) they didn't charge me! I kinda feel good that I made them work for 40 minutes on my car and not make a penny.

[GatorBeetle]

stick it to the man...weird where they wrote the new code, though...

[vgmnstr]

well, it was right where near where they would find the old code, so I guess it works. But why do they even bother looking it up if it is labeled on the car? Unless they are so shady they don't want to share the secret that the answer is right under your nose. I guess we're just smarter.

[slpopp]

Originally Posted by jerryn

Tired of your local stealership charging you $45.00 for your
Radio's security code? This could be a problem when you change
your battery, or if your battery dies and you need a jump. You'll find that your radio is in safe mode and needs a security code to work. Well here's what I "stumbled upon". If you open your hatch and remove your spare tire, you will see a sticker on the left (driver's side) that has the exterior paint code, interior code, etc. And on the side of the paint code there will
be a 4 digit code with no label. This 4 digit code is the radio's security code! Enter this code and hit scan, the scan on the passenger side. Bingo.. your radio will be enabled again!

I could have used this info about 4 weeks ago. The dealer was going to look up the info based on the VIN, but found out the car was not prepped properly when it arrived at the dealership (it was a dealer trade). The dealer is supposed to remove the two stickers (one being the radio code and serial number, and the other being the extra paintcode and option stickers) and stick them in the appropriate place in the manuals.

The original dealer did not do this, my stickers were still in thier original location. The paint/options sticker was to the left of the spare tire well, and the radio code/serial sticker was actually taped to the left side of the spare tire well.

[FallinApartBoy]

Originally Posted by GatorBeetle

stick it to the man...weird where they wrote the new code, though...

they wrote the new code so they wouldnt go back in and make them work for 40 more minutes for free. it makes sense. i killed my battery by leaving my lights on once (i had to go in through the trunk) but my radio had that lock thing on it until i actually got the car started and then it went away. i figured they all did it. i have the security code in my owners manual though. but that brings me to another question also....

if you dont have a rear lock because its a newer model, and your drivers side door lock is ran by power, how do you get in if you kill the battery?

i detailed a porsche once and the battery died. they had power switches to open the hood and trunk (where the battery is located) so when it died you couldnt get to the battery. we had to find a power thing in the fusebox that would give it enough power if you hooked the cables to it just to pop the hood to jump it. it was a pain but is there something like this on the beetles to get into them?