Audi main dealer on radio PINs - can anyone explain?

[zeduffman]

To cut a long story short I needed to get the PIN for the radio in my RS3.

I went to the Audi dealer I bought my car from and they said it needed to be booked into the workshop and connected to a computer in Germany to generate the PIN code. The soonest they could book it in was next Tuesday (another dealer said next Friday) which I didn't fancy much so I decided to try the specialist that looked after my R32. He took the chassis number of the car and the ID of the RNS-E unit and gave the details to a bloke on the phone. A couple of hours later I get a phone call back with a PIN that worked fine, which I've now put in the front of the service book where it belongs in case I or any future owner needs it again.

If I had gone to Audi would they have given me my PIN code? Or is the idea that you book the car in every single time you need the PIN entered? Any particular reason or is it just to get money?

Cheers

[va1o]

I think there might be a loophole somewhere to obtain the codes from just the serial and model number. Quite a few sellers on eBay and elsewhere online offering that service

VW used to supply the codes with cars at time of delivery but this stopped around 2007.

[cuprabob]

The reason VW stopped giving out codes was that the unit is paired to the car, so the code is only needed if the unit is fitted into another car. If the unit remains in the car it left the factory with, you will never need the code.

Some VW dealers will give you the code if you give them the VIN and prove you are the legal owner. I would have thought Audi dealers would be the same.

[va1o]

True but there are some exceptions, like if you fit a new instrument cluster the radio loses the pairing and asks for a code. My biggest annoyance is if you upgrade the unit, the old one should be yours to sell but without needing to go through the hassle of obtaining a code

[zeduffman]

va1o said:

True but there are some exceptions, like if you fit a new instrument cluster the radio loses the pairing and asks for a code.

I guess this is what happened with me. The instrument cluster was removed, but the same one was put back in and the radio was untouched, so I'm annoyed it tripped something.

It seems a bit odd to not print four extra numbers in the front of the service book when it wouldn't do any harm. The dealer certainly wasn't going to do it for free and said it would take an hour, and I was kinda irritated when it seemed like I was going to be radio/navless for a week... Just smells of trying to rip me off.

Anyway guys, thanks for the replies.

Edited by zeduffman on Tuesday 18th November 20:04

Edited by zeduffman on Tuesday 18th November 20:07

[Rich_W]

Audi would have given you the PIN code IME.

Strange they didn't just say "pop down today and we'll do it whilst you wait" Takes all of 10-15mins depending on car

[Dr G]

cuprabob said:

The reason VW stopped giving out codes was that the unit is paired to the car, so the code is only needed if the unit is fitted into another car. If the unit remains in the car it left the factory with, you will never need the code.

Some VW dealers will give you the code if you give them the VIN and prove you are the legal owner. I would have thought Audi dealers would be the same.

Service advisor will probably not want to get involved. Simply not worth him/her getting yelled at over.