My daughter had a battery fail on her September 2005 Volkswagen Polo, sadly the radio code card is lost. As a result her car radio has lost its code. As she lives away I am going to have to make a special trip to sort it. I understand that the radio has to be removed then taken to a dealer to be sorted. Is this true? If so will I need any special tools to remove the radio? If not what is the process. TIA
Broadback coughed up some electrons that declared:
I suspect just taking the car and (or possibly only) the registration document and proof of identity to the dealer should be sufficient. Chances are it's all on their database, but if the radio needs removing, they'll pop it out on the spot. I'd recommend giving the nearest VW dealer a ring first - they'll tell you what's what.
Don't know about the Polo, but the unit in my Touran simply needs the trim around the radio gently prising off and that will reveal some screws. That's not a "standard DIN format" radio though - it's a built-in.
Cheers
Tim
Have a look on the front of the radio ( remove any removeable face first) and see if there are two holes at either end .If so then you'll either need a couple of the tools made specifically for removing car radios ( widely available and they look like U shaped pieces of heavy wire with slight pointed ends) or make something up using wire coathangers . You insert these in to the holes and that releases the clips that hold the radio in place and you pull the radio out .On the other hand your car/radio might use a different method .
See here for whats available
If it's the type where a code is entered, a main dealer should be able to provide it - if the radio is original.
If it's the type where you need a memory card inserted to allow it to work initially (some aftermarket types) you'll need to contact a dealer for that make of radio. Both will hopefully need proof of identity as these are theft prevention measures.
Not normally, go to a dealer with ID and proof of ownership (V5) they'll look the number up on the computer and tell you. The user handbook should tell you how to enter the number.
The message from Broadback contains these words:
Others have answered with regard to how to remove the radio physically. However VW should cough up the radio code the radio is an orignal fitment. If all else fails, put the radio in the freezer for a day
-- or that's what the mechanics around here do :-)
Tell the dealer the serial number of the radio and the VIN. (According to Google) that should enough for him to look it up (of course if you satify his checks on your identity to be asking).
This can get a bit silly. My Mum unfortunatly had one of her VW car keys stolen and the idiots appointed by the insurers stated they could only take the car to a garage to get the door locks changed, if they also could take her _Passport_ with them. She refused.
I would hope that the dealer would be more willing to give you the code for a radio that is still fitted in the car, rather than a loose one that could have been acquired from anywhere. When I bought my Mondeo at auction with no paperwork I had to take the car to the local Ford dealer who charged me a tenner (plus vat) for providing the code, no removal required.
You would be surprised how many radios, when thus removed, have the code scrawled on them.
Chris
An urban myth that has been doing the rounds for more than twenty years. Like most urban myths it is completely wrong.
Peter Crosland
Well don't s'pose we should be surprised at that last bit .:-)
When I had exactly the same problem on a Volvo V70 I rang my nearest dealer (70 miles away), gave them the registration number and got the code. Time elapsed: 30 seconds.
Ian
I bought a car where it had helpfully been written down in the service book.
I'd not heard that one, so I typed 'car radio in freezer' into Google. Shopzilla came in third place offering to 'Compare thousands of deals online Car Radio In Freezer'.
I hate those bloody shopping sites, a right PITA.
In message , Tim S wrote
If its anything like a radio fitted to a Ford - just get a bit of software from the web (or pay someone on Ebay a couple of quid for it)
You then enter the serial number of the radio and hey presto it comes back with the security code.
I think it always is with new cars. You are supposed to detach it, but few people do.
So not much use as theft prevention, then?
That's the whole idea of this code. If anyone can obtain it via details on the radio itself, it's pointless. It should only be available to the registered keeper of the vehicle.
The rather expensive Blaupunkt DAB unit I fitted to the old car has a clever idea. It uses a memory card for initial powering up. Once this is done you remove it and keep it somewhere safe. You can then fit a blank card to the slot and record to it - quite useful if listing to a play, etc and your journey finishes before it does.
"Dave Plowman (News)" gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:
...and who can spot the major flaw in that theory...?
Thanks one and all for the advice. I will contact the dealer when I get to my daughter's and take it from there.
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