Which radio is in your Audi A3?
The A3 has had 3 sets of radios since 1996, from the Chorus, Concert and Symphony to the MMI systems. Find yours by year below, but go by the serial: radios get swapped, and the free check reads it for you.
How to find your Audi A3 radio serial number
On the label
- Check the radio card in the handbook wallet first.
- Otherwise take the radio out with radio removal keys.
- Copy the serial from the label: 14 letters and numbers starting VWZ, AUZ, SKZ or SEZ.
Photograph the label rather than copying it by hand — 0 and O, 1 and I are easy to mix up.
It comes out with a pair of radio removal keys. Which keys, and where they go: how to remove a car radio.
Tips for your Audi A3
- Look for the radio card in the service wallet before taking anything out.
- Concert, Chorus and Symphony radios use a code; MMI cars don’t have one.
- RNS-E sat nav radios are double height and need four keys; on later software the serial shows on the SAFE screen.
How to enter your Audi A3 radio code
VW group (Beta, Gamma, RCD, Concert…)
- Buttons 1 to 4 set each number (press again to count up).
- Hold one of the arrow (seek) buttons for 2 seconds or more to finish.
If your Audi A3 radio says LOCKED, WAIT or SAFE
| Radio | What to do |
|---|---|
| VW group (Beta, Gamma, RCD, Concert…) | SAFE — leave the radio on for 1 hour (the ignition must stay on), then try again. |
What LOCKED, WAIT and SAFE mean, and how long to wait →
Audi A3 radio code questions
Where is the serial on an A3 radio?
On the label on the radio, or on the radio card that came with the car. It starts AUZ and is 14 characters.
My A3 has MMI — can you help?
No. MMI is matched to the car, so there is no serial code. An Audi dealer is the route there.
Does a Bose system change anything?
No. The radio itself is still the part with the code.
Can you do every Audi A3 radio?
For 1996–2003, 2003–2012, yes: the code appears on screen as soon as you have paid; for 2012 on, not at the moment. The free check tells you which yours is before you pay.
Which radio does my Audi A3 have?
It depends on the year. 1996–2003 (A3 8L): Chorus, Concert and Symphony. 2003–2012 (A3 8P): Chorus, Concert, Symphony and RNS-E sat nav. 2012 on (A3 8V): MMI systems. Radios were often swapped, so the serial on yours is what counts.
What does the serial look like on an Audi A3?
1996–2003: 14 characters starting AUZ, on the label or the radio card. 2003–2012: 14 characters starting AUZ. For example VWZ1Z2S4292662.
Do I have to take the radio out of my Audi A3?
Yes: the serial is on the label, not the screen. It comes out with a pair of radio removal keys.
How do I enter the code on an Audi A3?
Button 1 sets the first digit, button 2 the second, and so on, pressing repeatedly to increment. Confirm by holding either rocker switch for more than two seconds.
Another Audi?
Every Audi radio we can unlock is on our Audi radio code page. Close to this one: A4, A6, Concert, Symphony.
Updated October 2026