[s-cars] Radio security code

[Tom Green]

You have answered your own question, Gregg.

The PO may come up with the code if subjected to torture.

Another alternative might be to get an estimate of the cost of this  
service appointment, and then price something to replace the present  
radio-- another OEM with the code
or other option in that budget.  Some dealers charge $75 for the 30  
minute VAG 1551/2 hook-up and $45 for the code retrieval from Audi  
NA, as I understand it.
My recommendation:  If you have the code, use a permanent marker and  
write it on top of the radio and beside the battery.  No one is going  
to steal the radio anyway unless
he owns a similar year Audi, and likely not then.

The parts department may have some exchange radios that have been  
reasonably priced in the past. Some of the Bose Delta and Concert 1  
radios have the code installed by
the owner--It never requires the code until the owner installs the  
code.  My 95.5 is like this--you can change batteries all you want or  
pull the head unit and never have to use a
code.  My recommendation here:  Never install the code and don't  
leave the code card in the glove compartment with the books.  If  
found, it could tempt someone to steal the
radio that would otherwise leave it alone, thinking it needed the  
unobtainium code.  They might steal the car as well, since they know  
they need the radio in the car to get the
code, but that may be preferable to a thief ripping up the center  
console for a useless radio.

And, of course, you could steal my radio, since the code is written  
on the top of the head unit.  :-)

Tom

> Date: Mon, 23 Apr 2007 12:13:53 -0700
> From: "Gregg Dorris" <gdorris at comcast.net>
> Subject: [s-cars] Radio security code
> To: <s-car-list at audifans.com>
> Message-ID: <006901c785db$88b2a6d0$640fa8c0 at greggdesktop>
> Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> I pulled my radio after it went to SAFE mode to get the serial  
> number so I could get the security code number. My local Audi shop  
> tells me they can not access the code without "plugging the car in"  
> - thus requiring a service appointment. The previous owner lost the  
> code. This should not be this hard! I thought all I needed was the  
> SN from the radio. How do I get the code?