Which radio is in your Clarion Barcode Units?
Clarion fitted different radios over the years. Find your Barcode Units’s years below, but go by the serial: radios are often swapped, and the free check reads it for you.
What is printed on the label
People look these up because they are the only numbers on the radio that mean anything. A part number identifies the unit and is the same on every one ever built; the serial is yours alone and is the one we need. They are easy to mix up, so here is what to expect on a Clarion Barcode Units.
| Printed on the unit | What it is |
|---|---|
| The barcode numbers | What the code is worked out from — the digits printed under the barcode. |
| PN-xxxxx | A Clarion model number. It names the unit, not your copy of it. |
| CL-xxxx, PP-xxxx | Other Clarion model prefixes in the same range. |
A part number on its own cannot produce a code — every radio of that model shares it. If the number you have is one of the part numbers above, keep looking for the serial: it is the longer one, and usually on a separate line or a barcode label.
How to find your Clarion Barcode Units 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
- Take the radio out.
- Find the barcode label (use the bottom one if there are two).
- Type in its last 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.
Most radios slide out with a pair of radio removal keys (a few pounds from any car parts shop). Push them into the slots on the front until they click, then ease the radio forward. Some have screws to undo first.
Tips for your Clarion Barcode Units
- Take the radio out and photograph the whole label. The barcode and the numbers under it are what matter.
- Do not use the model number printed above it — that names the model, and every unit of that model has the same one.
What your serial looks like
-
4471Clarion (barcode)Last 4 numbers of the barcode Instant
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.
How to enter your Clarion Barcode Units 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.
Clarion (barcode)
- Buttons 1 to 4 set each number. Clarion codes only use the numbers 1 to 6.
If your Clarion Barcode Units 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.
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 Clarion Barcode Units’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.
Clarion Barcode Units radio code questions
Why does Clarion use the barcode?
Because that is where the number the code is derived from lives on these units. It is unusual, and it catches people out.
Which cars have Clarion radios?
Nissan, Subaru, Suzuki, Peugeot, Renault, Vauxhall, Saab and Isuzu among others, plus Clarion’s own aftermarket range.
How much is a Clarion Barcode Units 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 Clarion Barcode Units 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.
Another Clarion?
See every Clarion radio we can unlock on our Clarion radio code page.
Updated September 2026