About Alfa Romeo radio codes
Alfa Romeo never made its own radios — they come from the Fiat group parts bin, which is good news, because those are the units we know best. The MiTo and Giulietta carry the Daiichi unit with a short serial on its label, and the same cars later carry the Continental VP1 and VP2 whose label reads A2C and a long number. Both are ones we can do. The 147, 156, 159, GT and Brera of the Blaupunkt years are the exception: their serial starts BP and runs to 14 characters, and those Fiat-group Blaupunkts use a scheme of their own, so we look them up by hand rather than guess.
How to find your Alfa Romeo radio serial number
The serial isn’t shown on the screen: it is printed on a label on the radio itself. The serial tells us exactly which code your radio needs.
On the label
- The serial is not shown on screen.
- Take the radio out with 4 removal pins (2 each side).
- Read the serial on the label on the radio (on a Grande Punto it is on the back, by the plug).
- Type in the last 4 numbers, or the letter and 4 numbers.
Take a photo of the label rather than copying it by hand: it’s easy to mix up 0 and O, or 1 and I.
This radio comes out with four removal pins, two in each end of the front. Push them in until they click, then ease the radio forward.
What your serial looks like
-
8573Fiat Daiichi / 199 CD4 numbers, or a letter and 4 numbers Instant -
A2C53108793 1234Fiat Continental VP1 / VP2A2C and a long run of numbers By email
Can’t find it or can’t read it? Send us a photo of the label: £9.99, with a full refund if we can’t find your code.
Which Alfa Romeo radio do you have?
These are the radios Alfa Romeo fitted we know about, and whether we can unlock them. Not sure which is yours? Type the serial in: the free check works it out for you.
8573
Fiat Daiichi / 199 CD
Serial: On the label on the radio
InstantGuide
Locked display
CODE ----
Serial A2C53108793 1234
Fiat Continental VP1 / VP2
Serial: On the label on the radio
By emailGuide
Popular Alfa Romeo models
Step-by-step help for the Alfa Romeo models people ask us about most:
We also cover:
- 156
- 159
- GT
- Brera
- Spider
Years: Up to about 2016. The serial is what counts, as radios are often swapped between cars.
How to enter your Alfa Romeo radio code
Once you have your code, key it in like this. The example below shows the button presses. Your order page shows the same steps next to your code.
- For each number in your code, press the button with that number on it, once.
- There is no OK button: the radio takes the code after the 4th number.
- You have about 20 seconds for the whole code.
- For each number in your code, press the button with that number on it, once.
- Confirm with the key on the right of the fascia, or by holding the last button.
If your Alfa Romeo radio says LOCKED, WAIT or SAFE
Each wrong code makes the radio wait longer before the next try, and some radios lock for good after too many. Don’t guess: get the right code first, then follow the steps for your radio.
| Radio | What to do |
|---|---|
| Fiat Daiichi / 199 CD | WAIT — the delay grows after each wrong try. Leave the radio on until it clears. |
| Fiat Continental VP1 / VP2 | CODE — wrong tries are counted and the wait between goes grows quickly. |
What LOCKED, WAIT and SAFE mean, and how long to wait →
Why we use your radio’s serial, not your number plate
A radio code belongs to the radio, not the car. A dealer usually looks it up from the Alfa Romeo’s number plate or VIN (the 17-character number in your logbook), which only works if the car still has the radio it left the factory with. Radios are often swapped under warranty, upgraded, or changed by a previous owner.
The serial number is printed on the radio itself, so the code we give you matches the radio in front of you. It is also how we can check it for free before you pay. Main dealers often charge £30–£130, and you usually have to book the car in.
What we can and can’t do
We can do
- Daiichi / Mopar units — MiTo, Giulietta and their Fiat cousins
- Continental VP1 and VP2, labelled A2C
We can’t do (yet)
- Blaupunkt serials fitted to Fiat-group cars (BP…) — we check these by hand
- Bosch radios (serial starting 815CM)
- Continental A3C units, which are a newer scheme than the A2C ones we do
- Connect Nav+ and later touchscreen systems
We always tell you before you pay. Not sure? Send us a photo of the label.
Alfa Romeo radio code questions
Where is my Alfa Romeo radio serial?
It is not shown on screen. The unit comes out on four release keys and the label is on the top, side or back of the case. Take a photograph of it rather than copying it out.
My label says A2C and a long number.
That is a Continental VP1 or VP2. Type the whole thing in — only the last 4 numbers are the serial, and we take them for you.
My serial starts BP.
That is a Blaupunkt unit. The ones fitted to Alfas, Fiats and Lancias run a different scheme from every other Blaupunkt, so we will not guess at a code — email us and we look it up by hand.
My Alfa radio says CODE.
It is waiting for its code. Press the preset button bearing each number once. Wrong tries are counted and the wait between goes gets long quickly, so get the right code first.
How much is an Alfa Romeo radio code?
£9.99 per code. The free check comes first, so you only pay once we know we can do it, and you get your money back if the code doesn’t work.
How long does it take?
Most Alfa Romeo codes appear on screen the moment you’ve paid, and we email you a copy. If yours has to be looked up by our team, we email it within 2 hours and tell you before you pay.
What if the code doesn’t work?
Check the serial first: 0 and O, or 1 and I, are easy to mix up. Still stuck? Tell us from your order page and we’ll put it right or refund you in full.
Updated September 2026
