Conference terri::cars_uk

    Putting it in the freezer does'nt work ( well it did'nt on the radio in
    the Rover ).  I had to return the radio to Phillips to get it sorted.
    
    Shaun.

Only one way, and you won't like it.

Each code is three digits where each digit is 1,2,3,4 or 5. The numbers
0,6,7,8 & 9 are not used. You may try one (usually. Sometimes two) codes every
two hours. You'll get there in the end, and honestly, there is no other way.

Oh and two other points...

1) write the code down when you find it.

2) for 25 quid I'll put it in my Cavalier and do it for you. ;-)

    There are 2-3 people who advertise in the LOOT paper, specialising in
    radio de-coding.  They look like small one man outfits, so the charge
    shouldn't be much.
    Looks like the only option left if the deep-freeze method fails!
    
    ..Craig

�    You may try one (usually. Sometimes two) codes every two hours. You'll
�    get there in the end, and honestly, there is no other way.
    
    With my Phillips radio, the delay before re-entering doubles after
    every unsuccesful atempt !
    
    You could be busy for a *L O N G* time !!!
    
    
    Shaun.
    

    Re: .2
    
>Each code is three digits where each digit is 1,2,3,4 or 5. The numbers
>0,6,7,8 & 9 are not used. You may try one (usually. Sometimes two) codes every
>two hours. You'll get there in the end, and honestly, there is no other way.
    
    My Astra has a 4 digit code, and includes digits other than 1,2,3,4,5.
    (I hope I'm not giving too much away there).
    
    But in the car audio manual, it says that if you lose the number you should
    contact Vauxhall, who I think have a database of all the numbers for all
    the cars.  I don't know what they charge, or whether you have to prove
    it's your car
    
    nick

	It let me have three goes then it locked up. I dis-connected
	the battery and had three more goes. By my calculation's I have about
	240 more permutation's to go..and 80 more battery dis-connections !

	Thanks for your inputs.

	Looks like I know what I'm doing at the weekend...

	When Ruskins wiped mine clean, they faxed Rover with the chasis number,
	and Rover faxed the number back.............

	................wouldn't this be quicker (well not if you use Ruskins,
	because they seem to loose faxes, but I'd have thought it was worth a 
	try).

	Heather

    
    When all else fails...
    
    
    Take your Cassette player to a *good* Electronics Engineer/Hi-Fi 
    Specialist etc. and they *can* [ rat-hole alert ] by-pass all of
    the "Code Check" chippery.
    
    I've actually seen it done to a *BECKER*, no less !
     
    

    The only instance when Vauxhall wont be able to tell you is if the
    radio is not the original one supplied (The phillips on my Rover has
    been changed twice in ther first 3 months from new!).
    
    Phillips should also be able to tell you the code by the radio serial
    number!. Their copy of it has the code as an extras 4 digits.
    
    So persevere with the dealer or Phillips.
    
    Richard

�    The only instance when Vauxhall wont be able to tell you is if the
�    radio is not the original one supplied (The phillips on my Rover has
�    been changed twice in ther first 3 months from new!).
    
    
    Or if you have changed to number !
    
    Shaun.

My opinion

If at the end of the day, the only solution is to pay the radio manufacturers to
fit a new chip (or whatever they do), and

if the only reason you need to do this is because the garage disconnected the
battery,

then insist that the garage foot the bill for the new chip, as it's their
negligence (providing that the radio was standard equipment, or if not that you
made them aware this type of radio had been fitted) that's to blame.

I'd also insist that the garage do all the running around to get the problem
fixed.

Easier said than done, I know...

    
    Re .12
    
    I noticed that the GM dealer in Newbury have a sign up stating that it
    is your responsibility to know the code for your radio as they may have
    to disconnect the battery at any time in the course of their work on
    the car.
    
    Mark

re .13

I think you'll find such disclaimer notices have no legal validity.

ie their liability is the same regardless of what notices they display.

However, you have a point that it is probably reasonable of them to
assume that owners know their own radio codes...

	Disclaimers may indeed have no legal basis, however it's
	quite clearly your responsibility to know your own code
	and there's no way a garage is going to sort out and/or
	pay for this.

	Disconnecting batteries is standard practice for many servicing
	operations, and could never be considered negligent.

	-John

	I do not and will not hold the garage responsible.

	The garage did there best to sort out the problem but it appears
	one of the previous owners has changed the code.

	It is beginning to look like buying a new radio is the easiest
	option left as I have got fed up with guessing !

	-Ralph

Personally, I don't see why garages have to "disconnect" the radio from it's
power at all.

All they need to do, is provide the radio with an alternative source of power
before disconnecting it from the car's own battery...

Re -1

I think, maybe they ought to change your tablets. :^)

Alex 

    If the previous owner could change the code then it is an old stereo
    with the code stored in RAM. In that case freezing will clear it and
    allow you to enter a new code.
    
    Brian

    When I bought my car it had a code radio in it which suffered the same
    problem when I disconnected the battery. What I did was, take out the
    radio connect it to a 12V supply and enter a new code every 6 hours!
    (could have been 3 codes every 6 hours). It only took 5 days to hit the
    right code (which was 351; I've changed it since justin case anyone
    wants to borrow my radio :-). It was tedious and inconvenient but it
    rescued �100 worth of radio from the bin. The radio in question was a
    Phillips (model 731, I think).
    
    Hope this helps,
    Barry.

    ... and a good source for a constant 12v is your Scalextric power unit!

... but none of my Scalextric cars have coded radios

:-)

    Ralph,
    
    I'm intrigued to know how you got or are getting on with this 'ere code
    number.
    
    Rich
    

	Following me saying that every time I disconnected the battery
	it would allow me to put a new code in, the next time I tried, it just
	locked up with CODE displayed steadily and refused a new code.

	It now appears to let another code be entered at random intervals
	between 12 - 124 hours.

	So I put it in the freezer @ regulo -5 for 24 hours and when powered
	on it....

	Displayed CODE steadily and would not even allow another attempt at
	'busting' in to it.

I have heared that the code can be defeated by hoting two points together on
the circuit board. eg IC pin to ground.

Simon

	The irony of this is that the anti-theft device has effectively
	stolen the radio.

	-John

See if you can send it to the company to have it re-coded.

It might cost a couple o' quid, but at least the thing will work!  I'm sure that
they won't tell you the procedure over the phone because then you could go and
steal radios all over town and reset them...

Self defeating is the term that I would use.

-Al

>	It now appears to let another code be entered at random intervals
>	between 12 - 124 hours.

I was under the impression that they measured the amount of time powered, not
elapsed time.

    When I couldn't remember the code on my radio, it was a case of
    turning it on and leaving it a couple of hours still turned on and then
    trying the code again once the "Code" display started flashing. Its no
    good turning the radio off and waiting, it HAS to be powered up. Its
    also well worth making a note of the codes as you try then, so you
    don't keep repeating your self and wasting a lot of time.
    
    Have fun..
    
    Neil

For anyone interested, I now have the service manual for Ralph's radio. The 
code is stored in a General Instruments ER1400 EARROM. This is a serial I/O 
device, making it a bit tricky to read/program without a suitable prom-blower.
DOes anyone have one?

Simply replacing the EAROM with a blank is no good, as the EAROM is primed with
a special, unknown value by the maker, which is checked by the micro to ensure
that it is a pukka EAROM! I am going to see if Phirrips will supply me with
the correct part.

BTW, the latest micro's in these radios have a 120 minute timeout between
attempts!

Dave

    .9 refered to a BECKER. I gather these radio/cassettes are very
    expensive (approx �1000). What's so special about them ?
    
    Thanks
    
    ---Rhys