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Quick answer
- Turn the ignition on and switch the radio on.
- Hold presets 1 and 6 together for 2–5 seconds. Nothing? Try 2 and 6.
- Write down what appears — letters and numbers exactly.
- Still nothing? Check the radio card in your handbook wallet, then the label on the radio.
Where it is, by brand
| Brand / radio | On screen? | How | Looks like |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford (up to 2008) | Yes | Radio on, hold presets 1 + 6 (or 2 + 6) for 2–3 seconds | M123456 or V123456 |
| Renault, Dacia, Vauxhall Vivaro, Nissan vans | Yes | Radio on, hold presets 1 + 6 for 5 seconds | A123 (precode) |
| Toyota / Lexus | Yes | Locked radio: hold 1 + 6 (some: DISP first) | 16 characters, 0–9 A–F |
| Jaguar | Yes | Presets 2 + 6 (Ford unit) or PTY + EJECT (Alpine) | M123456 or 5 digits |
| Land Rover | Yes | Presets 2 + 6 or 1 + 6 | M123456 |
| Honda | Often | Ignition on, radio off: hold 1 + 6, press power | U1234 L5678 or S/N |
| Blaupunkt | Sometimes | Press DISP (hold); otherwise the label | BP3782R3701682 |
| Volkswagen, Audi, Škoda, SEAT | No | Radio card in the wallet, or the label on the radio | VWZ… / AUZ… / SKZ… / SEZ… |
| Vauxhall CDR500 / CDR2005 | No | Label on the radio casing | GM0205Y9019162 |
| Fiat, Peugeot Boxer, Citroën Relay | No | Label on the radio (4 release pins) | 8573 or A8573 |
| Rover, MG, classic Mini, Volvo (Philips) | No | Label or stamped case; security card | AR…, RG…, VO… (14 chars) |
| Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge | No | Label on the radio casing | 4–5 digits |
Removing the radio
If the serial isn’t on screen, slide the radio out and read the label on the top or side.
- Buy a pair of DIN release keys (a few pounds at any motor factor).
- Push them into the holes at each side of the radio until they click.
- Pull the keys outwards and ease the radio forward.
- Photograph the label — don’t copy it out by hand.
Mistakes to avoid
- Part numbers aren’t serials. Numbers like 97KP-18C838-AA or 7 643 782 010 are part numbers.
- O and 0. On Ford serials the letter O is a zero. On VW and Philips serials letters are letters.
- Handbook numbers can be wrong. Radios get swapped — the unit itself is what counts.