[hmedlock]

Hi, I've just bought a 1st Gen Japanese import. It was 1st registered in Apr 2000.
I have no radio code and am concerned that the radio will get locked out if I ever disconnect the battery.
Can anyone tell me if the Audio System fitted to these cars in the year 2000 were security code protected?
Many thanks Harry (Yorkshire, UK)

 

[rwaddington]

It's been a long time since I had the stock head unit in, I honestly don't remember, but I don't think so - but that could be different since yours is an import.

My advice would be get a new head unit asap, they're cheap and significantly better than stock.

Welcome to the community.

 

[hmedlock]

Thanks for your reply, I'm very keen to keep to keep the original unit I like the look of it! Also being a bit long in the tooth, it does everything I want - cassette player, CD player and wireless!

 

[mudder]

The 2000-2003 OEM head units (tape player) have no lock code. Not sure about the 2004-2006 (cd player) units, but I believe they're the same as the S2000, so you can check that out.

 

[davenm]

My 2006 car definitely has a radio code for the OEM radio/CD unit. Luckily the full owner's manual/paperwork packet came with my car and the code was written in the manual. I have had to enter it a few times after disconnecting the 12V battery.

 

[mudder]

Now we know! Who in their right mind would steal an OEM G1 radio?

 

[hmedlock]

Thanks everyone for your help. Sounds like it's most unlikely to have a code. I've now just got to pluck up courage and disconnect the Battery!

 

[Tony Jackson]

I have a Kenwood radio/CD in my 2001 car, but it is impossibly difficult to use when driving along, and needs degree-level button-pushing to get it to do what you want (I guess).

In my parts car I have a Honda set which looks a lot better organised, and I'm much inclined to put this into my daily driver.

I'm not deaf (and quite happy to stay that way), so 30 or 40 watts is all I want in the car, but I've found nothing positive in the forum about the Honda (made by Pioneer?) original equipment. Is there some reason for the total disrespect for the Honda audio set-up, or should I just go ahead and fit it?

In general I try to keep my car as original as possible, it is an important historical classic in my view, so I want to conserve it for posterity, within the limits imposed by my wish to use it daily. Could the Kenwood radio/CD in the car have been supplied with the car when it was new? The car came with no handbook, but among the other original service books etc there was a manual for a Honda cassette radio, so I think it probably wasn't. The car spent its first year as a demonstrator - perhaps the dealer installed a CD set to make it look more up-to-date? The instructions for the radio cassette make no mention of a security code. So I think it is possible that my Honda radio CD may be intermediate, and perhaps not have code number theft protection. I will hopefully know tomorrow!

Perhaps early cars like mine came with the radio cassette, and the radio CD set came later? Does any one know?

I disconnected the 12-volt battery early on when I got some fault codes. This got rid of the fault codes, which have not returned. But the Kenwood radio started up again when I reconnected with no problem.

However, if you look in the online downloadable handbook you'll see a radio pretty similar to the one in my parts car, and towards the end of the section (on page 90) you'll see a description of the theft protection system. And yes, you need a five-figure code. Apparently your dealer should be able to give you the code if you give them the serial number of the system.

Best regards, T.

 

[Rainsux]

The stock radio has only a cassette and no aux input. That's why I replaced both of mine. It doesn't have a security code. Your Kenwood did not come from the factory. Honda changed from cassette to CD in 2004.

Sam

 

[rschaffrath]

This is something that had confused me when I originally got the car which had been a dealer demo car. When I got first got the car home, I decided to run a vacuum through just to be extra clean. Under the seat I found a card with a radio security code on it. That lead me to believe the radio had a code and I never thought anything more about it. A few months later, I was browsing eBay and saw a brand new Insight radio for sale for about USD$18 that had been pulled for an audio upgrade. I contacted the seller to make sure he had the radio code. Long story short, he checked with the dealer and I subsequently learned, there was no radio code and whatever that card was that I found in my car had nothing to do with my vehicle.

BTW, this past spring I swapped in that new radio as my original radio buttons had become faded and it did not look as sharp as when it was new. I figured that new radio, packed away safely, was not going to do any good just sitting on the shelf unused.

 

[Tony Jackson]

Hi Sam,

The stock radio has only a cassette and no aux input. That's why I replaced both of mine. It doesn't have a security code. Your Kenwood did not come from the factory. Honda changed from cassette to CD in 2004.

So the CD in my spares car must have been a dealer-upgrade? (Given that the car is a Citrus, albeit with a peculiar VIN number).

And darn-it, I've just spotted a little 'Anti-theft' light! So this looks to be a feature of both of the CD versions I know of!

 

[Rainsux]

The only ones I have experience with are the cassette ones. The European/Japanese ones may be different. There's probably a way around the security code, but I have no idea how it's done.

Sam

 

[rschaffrath]

Hi Sam,



So the CD in my spares car must have been a dealer-upgrade? (Given that the car is a Citrus, albeit with a peculiar VIN number).

And darn-it, I've just spotted a little 'Anti-theft' light! So this looks to be a feature of both of the CD versions I know of!

Is it a Honda radio with CD player? My car came with just the stock radio. I added the Honda 6 CD changer that goes in the rear myself, buying the player off of eBay and getting the wiring harness and installation kit from what was then HParts.com. I do not use it much anymore opting to use a cassette audio adapter with my iPhone.

 

[Tony Jackson]

Hi Robert,

Is it a Honda radio with CD player?

Yes - pretty similar to the one in the online handbook, but a bit more restrained (solid black knobs etc.), and it has Long, Medium and FM, whereas the one in the later handbook only has AM/FM. Also, the channel-selects are on rockers, so three oblong buttons deliver six choices, unlike six buttons on the later (?) type.

Sorry, still haven't figured how to put a picture in the text, but here is the link to a little collection of pictures of this set and its mounting:

[url]https://flic.kr/s/aHskoDykQn[/URL]

Alas, it is a few ounces heavier (even if you include the two adapter leads the Kenwood needed). Still, the mad boom boxes which have been skidding around the luggage compartment all this time are now removed. They weighed an ounce short of three pounds each.

My car came with just the stock radio. I added the Honda 6 CD changer that goes in the rear myself, buying the player off of eBay and getting the wiring harness and installation kit from what was then HParts.com. I do not use it much anymore opting to use a cassette audio adapter with my iPhone.

I just listen to the radio, Radio 4's talking usually keeps me awake best, if not I'm over to Radio 3. A week of Handel on at the moment - yum!

But it will now have to pause. My 'new' radio is winking at me annoyingly with its 'Anti-Theft ' light, and if I turn it on it says 'CODE'. Here's hoping Mr Honda will still have access to its numbers. Otherwise..?

Best, T.

 

[Tony Jackson]

Yes, there are people on the internet who will supply me with a code if I send them my radio plus £20, together with another £10 for postage.

On the other hand Honda

North America Inc.

offer a code service if you can give them a VIN number and the serial no.

Alas, I can't make it work, perhaps because I am in the UK? So it may be no help to Harry, who first posted this thread.

Best, T.

P.S. So I rang my friendly local Honda dealer (Devonshire Motors) this morning.

They took the VIN number of the car the radio had come from, and the serial number of the radio (which I'd copied from the label on the bottom of the radio - where it says 'Serial Number. This, however, didn't get the Code number from the Honda intranet.

So I was asked to turn on the ignition and press keys 1 and 6 before turning the radio on. Up popped another, related but not identical, serial number. "Ah, that looks right!"

Alas, by then he'd used up the three tries the system allows him in one day. He promises to call back tomorrow with the answer.

Free of charge!

 

[andrewdonald1]

While there is something to be said for originality, I am not sure this is the car for that.

Why not just put in an aftermarket head unit that brings the car into the 21st century? I really does make a big difference from an enjoyment factor, at least for me anyways. My head unit is in the signature, and while they discontinued these - you can still get them. Its a GREAT digital media player (about $350 or more originally and you can get them for a 1/3 of that now). It doesn't appear to me, they are making this sophisticated of a digital media head unit now-a-days and it really is a bargain! I just picked a second one up for a used truck I purchased in Sept and installed it and to my delight it was a steal for the current pricing! I looked at the newest digital media units and nothing compares in features regardless of price. It turned a 1997 low mileage F250 with archaic cassett player into a 21st century electronic vehicle with blue tooth calling, etc etc.. for next to nothing. The only thing you don't get is built in NAV (I move my TOMTOM with lifetime maps and traffic between vehicles to SAVE money). An amazing bargain. I just pulled the original head unit and keep it in case I ever sell the car and someone wants originality.

On top of all its great features, what I really like: it has an internal bay to store your ipod or MP3 flash drive with your music on it - so its all hidden and no wires. Usually I just keep a flash drive with MP3's on it for my basic music and if someone steals it, they don't get the ipod. On longer trips or if I want more music selection, I bring out the 100+ GB ipod classic and plug it in and its hidden away inside the head unit.. very clean. You can also stream music via blue tooth etc. A lot of great features!

I am looking at picking up a used wake-board boat next year and if the stereo is archaic, I'll probably purchase a 3rd one of these for it.
Its that good of a unit.

But if you want originally, I get it, enjoy yourself.

Andrew