just bought a 97 a4, and the battery was dead, had to jump it, and now the radio is on safe mode....


so i need the code.... previous owner does not have it, and he said he'd call the dealer and give them the vin and get me the code....


so he called yesterday and the dealer told him they needed the serial number off the actual radio

so i pulled the radio out today and got the code off it


so i called the dealer and the service tech tells me that they cant do it by the vin or the serial number

he says i have to bring the car to the dealer .... over an hour away, and have them hook it up to there computer... so they can get the code


he also said i'll get charged at least 30mins labor which is $40...


do i have any other alternatives or is there another way to go about it... so i dotn have to drive over and hour and spend 40$....all for the stock radio

 

well if you can't find the code in the owners manual, or in the spare tire well area then you are SOL my friend.

 

BS...they can tell you with just the VIN. That dealer rep was probably told not to do it and to charge for that service. Call around and see if you can find a place that'll give ya it over the phone..

otherwise ya..guess its time to boney up..make sure to write that puppy down!

-T

 

Check the spare tire well in the trunk. there should be a vehicle ID sticker. In the lower left corner of the sticker should be a 4 number code. That should be the radio code.

If not, get out your flashlight and carefully search the top metal part of the interior of the trunk . Hidden up there often is a small white paper sticker about 1/4 inch x 1/2 inch with a hand written code for the radio. This sticker is often partially obscured by the trunk brace.

If this is the only sticker you can find, be aware that a hand written european 1 looks something like an american 7.

 

nothing in the trunk....


anywhere else it would be on the car... its not on the trunk lid or in the spare tire well, nothing there at all...


do you have a recomended dealer that you use that i should try calling to get the code, i talked to a service tech at the one closest to me, and he said they have changed there policy or something and you have to bring it in.... and that they cant actually get it from the vin or serial number on the deck, it has to be hooked up to there computer...

 

They can get it from the VIN, without problem.

The fact that they changed their "policy", means theu don't do it for free anymore and want to charge you for service.


Are you sure there is no vehicle ID sticker in the spare wheel well? Remove the tire and look around. If not, crawl in your trunk with a flashlight and check the metal deck. Look through the large "holes" near the rear speakers. Mine was quite well hidden and I didn't find it until the second time I searched. It is not easily seen. You may have to look from several different angles.

If not, you are SOL and you will have to go in.

 

I had that same problem... wanna know how i fixed it ? I just took the car to a stereo shop and had them trow an aftermarket deck in.. WaaLaa fixed

 

The sticker I found (near the spare tire in the spare wheel well) is about 6 inches wide by 4 inches tall, with lots of info. Is this the sticker you're talking about?

Both dealerships near my house want to charge $100 to unlock my radio!

 

Check in the lower left corner and see if there is a 4 number code with numbers between 1 and 6, If so, you have it.

If not remove the spare and look around for another white sticker. If it isn't there, check on the trunk surface of the shelf.

 

Yes, that was it, but the code I found didn't work. I tried twice (using this as a guide http://www.ibiblio.org/tkan/audi/radios/concert.html) but no luck. Hmmm...