My Car Radio is ban-jacked. Help!!!

francie brady · 26-01-2003 8:13pm #1

I own a 99 ford feista. I noticed last night that my car radio wouldn't turn off, nor would it turn on. Strange thing to say i know. But all i had was the display with the radio station but no sound. And cos i couldn't turn it off i feared it would drain the battery. I didn't have a look at it till this afternoon. I decided to remove the fuse hoping it would turn it off. It worked, so now i need not fear about the battery.
But when i turned the radio back on it asked me for a code, and i been a very bad hacker i failed to do anything. The display then read "wait 30" then "wait 29" and so on till it went back to "code".
Does anyone know what i can do? I don't have a feista manual that came with the car. And i'm thinking of trading it in soon so going to a ford dealer will not be a option.

Turner · 26-01-2003 8:19pm

Most car alarm/stereo shop will find you the code for it. Not sure how legal it is but most will do it if you wave enough money in their face. It takes from 12-48hrs to decode so you will have to leave it in over night.
I know a place so pm me if you want name etc.

Borzoi · 27-01-2003 10:42am

If you bought the car off a dealer he should be able to get you the code.

Alternatively, talk to Ford Ireland, quoting the chassis number, and they should be able to help.

I had this experince lately of hassling SAAB for the code, but they got it, despite the car being an import.

Chimaera · 27-01-2003 6:40pm

Among the manuals you got with the car, you should have the radio keycode somewhere. This is the code you need to enter into the radio to re-enable it. The audio manual should have the correct instructions for doing this.

As for what caused the radio to act the maggot in the first place, it's very hard to tell from your description of the fault. A dealer visit or a trip to an auto-electrician might be in order.

francie brady · 28-01-2003 4:08pm

Thanx lads. Don't know what to do cos i'm trading her in soon. Just hoping there was a quick solution.

Hellrazer · 28-01-2003 4:15pm

Im assuming its a genuine Ford radio.And they have a habit of just not working.All you should need is the code to get it working again.
Heres what you do for me to get the code:::::

Take the radio out of the car and theres a bar code on the side with a number near it that starts some thing like 95AP/95AC/95AD then something like 18k867/18k810 then another letters like ac ad ab.
So you`ll have something like

98ab-18k876-ca(It wont be this just something like it)

Then under that theres another number with ONE letter followed by FIVE OR SIX NUMBERS. eg c123456

So what I need is something like 95ac-18k876-ab
and then c123456

Pm the two of these to me and Ill try and get you the code before the end of the day!!!Just make sure you write it down 100%

Richie

************PS VERY IMPORTANT*********
DO NOT KEEP TRYING RANDOM NUMBERS IN THE RADIO.IF YOU PUT THE WRONG CODE IN TEN TIMES IN A ROW THE RADIO WILL LOCK OUT AND YOU WILL NEED TO BUY A NEW RADIO.
Richie

francie brady · 28-01-2003 5:10pm

I wouldn't know how to take the radio out. But thanx for the offer. It's a standard ford radio that came with my car.

Hellrazer · 28-01-2003 5:25pm

Ford usually leave the tool for taking the radio out of the car in the glove box.Its a "u" shaped thingy!!

If not then where are you based?????Maybe I can give you the name of someone who`ll take the unit out for you.
Richie

francie brady · 28-01-2003 6:16pm

Thanx Richie. No U-shape thing in the glove conpartment. The car is due it's NCT next month. An di'm gettin her service before then so i guess i can get it fix by then. Thanx again for your help.

Turner · 29-01-2003 7:34pm

Nearly ever stereo has 4 holes on the front of it. 2 either side. Get something to stick into each hole (like a cocktail stick) and pull the radio gently. Out she pops.
Or you could just do what a car thief does. Stick your fingers into the tape drive and pull like fupp.
Either way will get your stereo out.

leeroybrown · 29-01-2003 8:12pm

I've seen a similar problem with car radios before. The last time it happened it was due to a dodgy connection making the radio lose power. A friendly mechainc should be able to give you the code no problem.

As for having the code written on the manual ... not a great idea

Chimaera · 30-01-2003 11:24am

As for having the code written on the manual ... not a great idea

Erm, Ford always put the keycode on a card in the manual folder thingy. You're not supposed to keep the manual in the car anyway :P

leeroybrown · 30-01-2003 12:47pm

And what percentage of car drivers leave it in the car???

Obviously, if you leave the manual somewhere safe thats grand, but I know loads of people who just leave them in the Glove-Compartment.

Chimaera · 30-01-2003 1:50pm

Well, that's their look-out - iirc there is a warning in most manuals to keep them in a safe place away from the car.

DivX · 30-01-2003 10:43pm

i remember changing the radio in my ford sierra years ago (same ford radio) I never knew the code for unlocking it, but when i popped the radio out to put in a new radio, i discovered that the previous owner had written the unlock code on a sticker on the radio! t'would have been useful information for a thief

JabbaTheHut · 31-01-2003 11:58pm

Here's a long shot.when the car came new,the ford dealer was issued with a 2 part sticker.Both parts had the code on it.One was stuck to the manual,the other was supposed to be stuck to the shut panel on the boot.Depends on the dealer though,but it was SUPPOSED to be stuck there.If it's not there,take out the radio,and hand in the lot to a Ford dealer.It's the handiest.

Hellrazer · 01-02-2003 10:05am

People read the thread.Ive already offered to get the code for Francie.
1.What most dealers do with the 2 part sticker is put one half in the manual and the other part ON THE UNDERSIDE of the front ashtray.
2.Its useless handing the radio in to a main dealer as all that will achieve is getting the code.And some dealers will not give the code out if you hand in just the radio and dont have the car with you.If that was the case a thief could go around robbing stereos all day.
3.Francie---The offer still stands--If you want me to get the code for you I will.If you dont want to give me the numbers for security reasons Ill PM you my mobile number and sort it out that way.As well as that I wont charge you €30 like most dealers do!!!!!!!!!

Richie

JabbaTheHut · 01-02-2003 7:03pm

Oh yeah!I never thought of the possibility that handing in the radio could mean that it's stolen.:rolleyes: Too innocent me;)
I often did find the sticker on the shut panel though,but on the older models.Ashtray sounds good.

Pimp Ninja · 02-02-2003 2:58am

I bought a second hand fiesta (01) about 7 months ago from a renault dealer. I dont have the keycode for the radio and never got it. I have all the manuals, but the place where the radio keycode should be is left blank... I dont need it at the moment, just wondering how should I go about getting it.

Hellrazer · 02-02-2003 11:12am

Pimp ninja.Read the rest of the thread.Take the radio out get me the numbers of the side and Ill get the code for you.
Richie

Chimaera · 02-02-2003 7:58pm

Another place the sticker was put on some models was the back of the flap covering the chassis number, on the floor beside the driver's door.

Pimp Ninja · 03-02-2003 12:56am

Originally posted by Hellrazer
Take the radio out get me the numbers of the side and Ill get the code for you.
Richie

Thanks for the offer. Will do as soon as I get a chance.

[added]
The point I wanted to make was, shouldnt I have got the keycode along with all the manuals et al.. including the keycode when I got the car.. and couldnt I go back to the Renault dealer I bought the car from and make them get the keycode from Ford.

francie brady · 03-02-2003 12:32pm

Originally posted by JabbaTheHut
Here's a long shot.when the car came new,the ford dealer was issued with a 2 part sticker.Both parts had the code on it.One was stuck to the manual,the other was supposed to be stuck to the shut panel on the boot.Depends on the dealer though,but it was SUPPOSED to be stuck there.If it's not there,take out the radio,and hand in the lot to a Ford dealer.It's the handiest.

Here lays the solution to my problem, thanx Mr The Hut. I found the code on a stricker on the shut panel of the boot. Minute later i had my radio working again.

Thanx for the offer Richie, i know it was a genuine offer and thanx.

And thanx to everyone else to tried to help along the way.

Pimp Ninja you should chect the shut panel of your boot for the code, piece of P if you think about it. Don't know why it took me so long to do it. Just a lazy git at times.

My Car Radio is ban-jacked. Help!!!

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