Saving the radio code during battery disconnect

[eltax91]

Hi folks

The wife has a 2.0 petrol qashqai. It's suffering the early stages of a duff battery and I want to swap it out. A new one is on order.

Problem is, I cannot for the life of me locate the radio code. I've searched everywhere. I'd like to also give the terminals a good scrub too as they are covered in crud. In fact the battery looks original (2008 car) so i doubt they've ever been off.

Anyways, how do I keep the car live whilst I change it over? The cig socket is switched live so that's no good.

I have a spare battery and jump leads, but they will hamper access if I clamp them over the terminals. Is there anywhere else sensible to put them? Starter motor +ve and an earth on the engine perhaps?

I've also got a ctek trickle charger if that could be employed to good effect?

The only restriction on other suggestions is it needs to be something I can cobble together tomorrow or buy locally as I need to get the car fixed tomorrow, even if that means nobbling the radio in the short term.

Thanks in advance for the help

[Willy Nilly]

The question really should be, why does a built in radio need a code?

[jwilliamsm3]

i have a ctek charger with a supply mode, haven't tested it out yet though to see if attaching that to the cables then removing the battery would keep all the clock settings etc

[Momentofmadness]

Usuall over-pricing by Halfrauds but this maybe?

http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/tools/socke...

Mains version if you can buy one from the local factors?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gunson-Vehicle-Car-Batte...

Edited by Momentofmadness on Tuesday 9th May 22:51

[Who me ?]

Willy Nilly said:

The question really should be, why does a built in radio need a code?

or WHY buy a vehicle that needs coding when battery dies. I've got a little VAG where the radio is coded to the ECU. Whenever battery is reconnected, ECU talks to radio, and radio switches back on.
Message to other makers( as heard on sea side puppet shows)

"THAT'S THE WAY TO DO IT".

But, if you have one of the older cars, where you need a radio code, and can't find it- your friendly dealer ( for a fee, so now becomes a not so friendly dealer), should be able to get it from maker.

Edited by Who me ? on Tuesday 9th May 22:51

[angels95]

I had the same with my old 306 when I replaced the battery. Couldn't find the radio code anywhere. In the end I went to my local Peugeot dealer and after proving I was who I said I was and that I owned the car, they obtained the code for me through some kind through their computer and didn't charge me a penny!

Provided the radio in your car is the same one fitted to it from new, I would recommend trying the same with your local Nissan dealer.

[toohuge]

Leave the engine running and swap the batteries over.

[eltax91]

Regarding the radio needing a code. I'm not 100% sure it does. When I was researching the fault that might have caused the battery failure, I found a few posts on the qashqai forum where people were suggesting they had to go to Nissan and pay £35+ for the code.

As far as the cig lighter maintainers go, I don't think that will work as the cig lighter in the car is switched live (not permanent) so it won't work will it?

Good call on the ctek supply mode. I think mine has that too. Where should I connect to if it does?

[eltax91]

As an out-there idea, could i rig up a spade connector and my 12v battery via the obdII port? +ve battery to pin 16, and negative to a suitable body earth in the foot well? Should work shouldn't it?

Edited by eltax91 on Wednesday 10th May 10:58

[Dr Doofenshmirtz]

eltax91 said:

As an out-there idea, could i rig up a spade connector and my 12v battery via the obdII port? +ve battery to pin 16, and negative to a suitable body earth in the foot well? Should work shouldn't it?

Yes.
Another option is the cigarette lighter socket, but not if it only works with the ignition obvs.

[eltax91]

Thanks for the replies here.

In the end after a lot more digging, the radio code is for nav equipped cars. This one is Pov spec so it's standard radio. It was indeed coded to the ignition and therefore it doesn't have a code

Changed the battery over yesterday with no ill effects