How to enter your Honda radio code

Why is my Honda radio asking for a code?

Your Honda audio system disables itself any time it is cut off from electrical power. Until the correct five-digit code is entered on the preset buttons it will not produce sound. It is an anti-theft measure — a radio pulled out of one Honda is worthless in another.

It normally shows up after one of these:

• The battery went flat or was disconnected
• The battery was replaced
• The radio fuse was pulled or blew
• The car has been standing long enough for the battery to drain
• You have just bought the car and never got the code

What does COdE mean on a Honda radio?

COdE in the frequency display is the system asking for its five-digit unlock code. The radio is not faulty and does not need replacing — it is doing exactly what it was designed to do.

Honda uses a five-digit code. If someone has handed you three digits for a Honda, that is not the unlock code.

How do I enter the code on a Honda radio?

1. Turn the audio system on. COdE appears in the frequency display.
2. Enter your five digits using the preset buttons — the same buttons you use to store stations.
3. Enter it correctly and the radio starts playing immediately.

Afterwards you will need to store your stations again and reset the clock. Those were lost when the power went, not by the unlocking.

Made a mistake? Do not start over

This is the single most important thing on this page, and it is the opposite of what most people do instinctively.

If you press a wrong digit part-way through, finish the full five-digit sequence anyway, then enter the correct code from the beginning. Abandoning the sequence and starting again is what burns through your attempts and locks the radio out.

How many tries do I get?

Between three and ten attempts, depending on the model. If you use them all up, leave the system switched on for one hour before trying again. The hour has to elapse with the system powered — turning the car off and coming back later does not count.

This is why guessing is a bad idea. A handful of guesses can use most of your allowance for nothing.

Where do I find my Honda radio serial number?

For Honda we work from the radio serial number. It is printed on a label on the radio casing, which on most models means the unit has to come out of the dash to read it. On some units the serial can be brought up on the display instead.

Send us that serial and we match your code to it.

Does this cover Acura too?

Acura systems work on the same five-digit preset-button principle. Acura codes are ordered separately — see the Acura page for that brand's details.

Questions we get asked

How long does a Honda radio code take?
Usually 30 minutes to 24 hours once we have your radio serial number. Express orders are prioritised.

How will I get the code?
By email, to the address on your order.

It has been 24 hours and nothing has arrived.
Usually the serial never reached us, our reply bounced as undeliverable, or there was a typo in the email address or serial number. Check your spam folder, then contact us and we will chase it.

Will the same code work if I fit a different radio?
No. The code belongs to that individual unit.