One of the most annoying things about older cars is the radio code. A security device to stop your standard car stereo from being stolen – really, who steals the stereo your car came with?! It’s more of an annoyance than a deterrent.
But if you’ve purchased your car second hand, misplaced the handbook, or the radio code was never written down/stuck in, then when it comes time to change your car battery, you’re simply left with silence…
…until you can find your radio code and enter it back in.
Here are a few ways you can try to find out what your Ford radio code is:
The owners manual
As mentioned in the intro, most often, you’ll find the radio code in your owner’s manual. It will most likely be at the front and usually stuck on a little sticker. This is typically done in the pre-delivery prep at the dealership.
Failing that, some nice person may have written it in if the code has been lost in the past.
Fingers crossed you have an owner’s manual in the glove box or the boot. If not, you’ll need to purchase one of those too, as it will probably help you at some point.
Also, if your radio unit has been changed, this code won’t work as it will be for the original head unit that came with the car.
On the radio
It might seem odd to put the radio code on the unit, but sometimes you can find a label stuck to the radio itself – although it’s less likely on original radios.
You will, however, have to fully remove or partially remove the radio to try and find it. Luckily, plenty of YouTube videos show how to remove various head units from different cars. In addition, you’ll probably need a set of radio keys to remove it, so it’s worth getting some of those.
The Internet
Probably the quickest and easiest option is to use an online service to get your radio code. They work by recovering your lost radio codes by deciphering what it would be from your vehicle’s VIN or radio serial number.
We found a few free options online, including:
Decode My Radio -which offers a free and instant decoding service.
Get My Radio Codes – which offers a free 24-hour service.
Needless to say, some services do charge a fee so it’s worth trying the free ones above first before exploring the paid avenue.
Call the dealership or manufacturer
More often than not, a dealership’s service department can help you with lost radio codes; it will likely be more expensive than free or £4.99, however. But it’s worth asking them as they’re almost guaranteed to be able to find it.
If your radio is an aftermarket one, then call the manufacturer instead – again, they’re the best people to speak to about it.
You might have to visit the dealership if you try and input the wrong code too many times. If your radio displays “LOCKED 13”, then you have no other option but to make an appointment at the dealership as the head unit is permanently locked.
In this case, you might be better off putting the money toward buying an upgraded head unit!
Try a local garage
Your run-of-the-mill local car garage is a cheaper option than a dealership. They’ll probably have some diagnostic software or hardware to figure out the radio code, or they’ll already have a third-party affiliation they can contact to get codes quickly.
