so i disconnected my battery the other day and now my radio is on safe mode and needs the code. the only problem is i was never given the booklet with the code in it when i purchased the car(2001.5 S4). the dealership wants $120 to give me the code. is there any way around this?

 

yeah, get an aftermarket head unit. or call another dealer in a different state, then claim to be a custom stereo shop. tell them you disconnected the battery to safely install an amplifier, but now the stereo won't turn on and you need the code before your customer comes to pick up the car. they should help you. If not, actually go to a shop and ask them to make the call, this way they actually have the right credentials. Normally, a dealer will just give up the code if you do that.

this is what they had to do on an episode of tuner transformation when they did the sound system on an audi a4 1.8t. I've never had to, but it worked for them. $120 for something that is already yours is stupid. It's called customer support and your dealer should not be charging you for that.

If it comes down to it. Tell them that your car is making a weird spark sound under the battery and ask if they'll check it out to see if it needs to be repaired. Once they disconnect the battery, getting the code will be on them.

cheers!

 

P.S.They can't possibly charge you more than $20 bucks for looking under the battery just to find out that there's nothing wrong.

 

the dealership wants $120 that's ridiculous many places in the UK even the dealer only charge £15 that's $30 approx I would take the radio out and have the code deleted by those who do it over there its stored on an EEPROM chip so easly flashed with the right equipment ( a full working VAG can access it? )

 

Thanks for the help guys. on monday i'm gonna try the "pretending i'm an audio shop tech who needs the code trick". i hope it works cause $120 is ludacris! And by the way yhe dealership that is charging me $120 is Rusnak in Pasadena California.

 

That is weak! My dealer here in Seattle charged me $35, which I thought was reasonable since they had to pull the radio to get the S/N. Sounds like they are charging you for an hour of work. Tell them that if it really takes their techs 1 hour to pull a radiothat they need to stop getting drunk at work.