How to Obtain Your Car Radio / Stereo Code from the Manufacture for FREE

If your car battery has died, you’ve been in an accident, or you purchased a used vehicle where the stereo was flashing “code” you are not alone. Every day hundreds of people search the Internet for clues on how to acquire the code for their manufacture installed stereo for free. If you call up your dealership, there is a 50/50 chance they will make you bring your car in and charge you $35-$60 to reprogram the radio for you.

I received my code free from my manufacture and had my stereo back on in less than five minutes!

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Screwdriver
• Phone
• Paper and Pen

1. 

   Remove the faceplate around your stereo. You can do this by slipping a flat object under the edge and prying up. We used a knife, but a flat head screwdriver works just as well. There will be clips holding it in place, so feel for them. You may need to move your faceplate up or down to slide out of position.

2. 

   Find and remove any screws holding the stereo in place.

3. 

   Slide out far enough to see the label on top of the stereo. You will need both of the numbers circled. Write them down.

4. 

   Locate your VIN number at the base of the front window, driver side. If you can’t read your VIN off the window, you will have it on your proof of insurance and title as well. Write it down.

5. Locate your manufacture’s toll free Customer Service number and call them. I called Mitsubishi at 1-888-MITSU2009 to get my code and they were very helpful and easy to work with. Some other manufacture’s 800 numbers include:
   
   Acura 1-800-382-2238, Audi 1-800-367-2837, BMW 1-800-831-1117, GMC 1-800-462-8782, Honda 1-800-999-1009, Isuzu 1-800-255-6727, Mazda 1-800-222-5500, Nissan 1-800-647-7263, Saab 1-800-582-7222, Saturn 1-800-553-6000, Toyota 1-800-311-4331, Volvo 1-800-458-1552.
   
   If your manufacture was not in the preceding list, check http://autopedia.com/html/Mfg800.html for a more extensive list

6. Let them know you need your stereo code and have the vehicles VIN number as well as the numbers off the stereo. They will provide you with a code. If you are unsure how to input the code; be sure to ask for support at this time.

Resources

• List of Manufacture's 800 Numbers