Alternator died in my car so I got a new one fitted. Got the car back from the garage and the stereo was asking for the code (since they obviously must have disconnected the battery).

Checked my owner’s manual and discovered that the little card with the code on has fallen out at some point and is lost somewhere in the vast entropy of our filing system. 🙁

Fortunately we live in the internet age, so once I had the serial number off the radio it didn’t take too long to find someone who could sell me the code for less than £3.

Which makes me wonder… what exactly is the point of that code then? 😕

If the codes are so readily available then it doesn’t seem to be much of a theft deterrent. Does it now purely exist so dealerships can charge a massive premium for looking up a number in a database?

It is anti-theft, yes. Less of an issue these days with in-built systems, but used to be a massive problem when DIN-E fittings ruled the world.

The last time I lost one, the local dealer recovered it for me for free.

It’s like having specific key tools to remove them, when you can buy them from Halfords for a couple of quid.

Yeah discovered when I bought the removal keys from Halfords that they are now mostly standardised as well.

I found those keys to be useless. I made a pair from an old wire coat-hanger which worked far better.

Jamie – Member

It’s like having specific key tools to remove them, when you can buy them from Halfords for a couple of quid.

Same as “security bolts”, the only people ever to be inconvenienced by these things are legitimate owners.

@Cougar

Up until a couple of years ago, our car stereo was still a radio / cassette – how the children loved that. Not. With a removable little front panel, and coast hangers to remove the whole unit (which I’ve only just thrown out..)

😆

Same as “security bolts”, the only people ever to be inconvenienced by these things are legitimate owners.

Indeed, it’s security through obscurity, I suppose really they are at best tamper-proof rather than secure. I’ve got a large box of security bits for most eventualities, probably cost about ten quid; they’d be a lot more secure if sale of the tools was restricted.

In early days I recall having a terrible trying trying to get access into an original Macintosh (I think) – there were secured with Torx bolts I think, which were quite hard to find relevant bits for..

I need to get a replacement built in stereo unit for Old Faithful. They’re available in good nick on eBay for about 25 – 30 quid but have to be coded in to the VIN of the car!!!

Crazy idea for a built in unit that would only fit into certain cars.