Radio Code Problem

Author
Discussion

skyrover

Original Poster:

12,671 posts

204 months

Wednesday 25th April 2018
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My friend recently changed the battery on her 2014 Honda Civic.

Unfortunately it was disconnected while she did it and as expected the radio is now asking for it's unlock code.

She checked her service manual and only found the radio serial number, but no code.

Upon taking the car to her local Honda dealership they told her the radio must be removed and sent to France to be "coded" as it has no radio code and it will cost her £150.

This sounds like utter nonsense to me, but I wanted to run it past you folks for opinions?

Oldandslow

2,405 posts

206 months

Wednesday 25th April 2018
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JulianHJ

8,736 posts

262 months

Wednesday 25th April 2018
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Seems odd. When I had a battery issue with my Focus a number of years ago whilst on holiday the local main dealer just put the serial number in to a database to get the code.

meehaja

607 posts

108 months

Wednesday 25th April 2018
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I needed a code for a Renault a few years back, paypal to a chap I found on Facebook (£3.50 I think) with the serial number and got the code back. If it really needs sending away just fit a new head unit!

skyrover

Original Poster:

12,671 posts

204 months

Wednesday 25th April 2018
quotequote all
Unfortunately the radio push button tricks don't work on this model as it's a touch screen radio.

She's contacted honda.co.uk through their helpline directly now so waiting to hear back from them.

David Beer

3,982 posts

267 months

Wednesday 25th April 2018
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Is it clarion navagation?

David Beer

3,982 posts

267 months

Wednesday 25th April 2018
quotequote all
David Beer said:
Is it clarion navagation?
Just to add, if it is,it is a personal code. So not on anyone’s records,apart from the person who put it in.

skyrover

Original Poster:

12,671 posts

204 months

Thursday 26th April 2018
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David Beer said:
David Beer said:
Is it clarion navagation?
Just to add, if it is,it is a personal code. So not on anyone’s records,apart from the person who put it in.
Thank you for the advice... I will have a look in her car today and see who made the radio system.

Seems incredibly odd.

Interestingly it also seems that the serial number that was included in her owners manual is only partially complete, so will require removal of the radio to get the whole serial.

The serial as written in her owners manual is... "CLACFE"

What a carry on.


Edited by skyrover on Thursday 26th April 07:48

skyrover

Original Poster:

12,671 posts

204 months

Thursday 26th April 2018
quotequote all
Yes it appears to be a personal code.

Not sure how to proceed now... Is there a factory override key or some other trick?

David Beer

3,982 posts

267 months

Thursday 26th April 2018
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Sorry is it clarion? If so a Honda dealer can sort it. Do not pay any money for a code.

skyrover

Original Poster:

12,671 posts

204 months

Thursday 26th April 2018
quotequote all
She has spoken to 2 honda dealers now.

The first quoted her £150 to sort it.. the other wanted over £200 to sort it.

Apparently the code was not entered by Honda and the radio is supplied without a code. Whoever bought the car must have entered a personal pin. They claim the only way to unlock the radio is to remove it and send it away to be factory reset.

Still struggling to get my head around it... surely there is a master override.

Hanslow

802 posts

245 months

Thursday 26th April 2018
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Have a read of http://www.ecoustics.com/electronics/forum/car-aud...

Sounds like it's chip held and needs reading/reprogramming. Unless you can find a cheap way to get it done I'd just replace the stereo

Graunching_dave

85 posts

75 months

Thursday 26th April 2018
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skyrover said:
She has spoken to 2 honda dealers now.

The first quoted her £150 to sort it.. the other wanted over £200 to sort it.

Apparently the code was not entered by Honda and the radio is supplied without a code. Whoever bought the car must have entered a personal pin. They claim the only way to unlock the radio is to remove it and send it away to be factory reset.

Still struggling to get my head around it... surely there is a master override.
Still struggling to get my head around your comment....

If there was a master override then what’s the point of a code in the first place?

skyrover

Original Poster:

12,671 posts

204 months

Friday 27th April 2018
quotequote all
Graunching_dave said:
skyrover said:
She has spoken to 2 honda dealers now.

The first quoted her £150 to sort it.. the other wanted over £200 to sort it.

Apparently the code was not entered by Honda and the radio is supplied without a code. Whoever bought the car must have entered a personal pin. They claim the only way to unlock the radio is to remove it and send it away to be factory reset.

Still struggling to get my head around it... surely there is a master override.
Still struggling to get my head around your comment....

If there was a master override then what’s the point of a code in the first place?
For situations like this?

David Beer

3,982 posts

267 months

Friday 27th April 2018
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Once again, if it is a clarion sat nav, it can only be done through clarion. Of course there is no master reset,decode , as this would make security a joke.

Graunching_dave

85 posts

75 months

Friday 27th April 2018
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skyrover said:
For situations like this?
If a code can be defeated by a ‘master override’ then said code has no use. It doesn’t matter if it’s your friend or a thief....

David Beer

3,982 posts

267 months

Saturday 28th April 2018
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Graunching_dave said:
If a code can be defeated by a ‘master override’ then said code has no use. It doesn’t matter if it’s your friend or a thief....
Quite right. There is only one way to get it cleared, that’s with Clarion, whether through a dealer or direct.