About Delco radio codes
Delco was General Motors’ own electronics arm, and the CDR500 and CDR500E are the units it built for Vauxhall and Opel. The later CDR2005 and CDR2005E in the same family carry a Siemens VDO badge instead, and both take the same kind of serial.
How to find your Delco 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 radio removal keys (some have extra screws to undo first).
- Copy the serial from the label: 14 letters and numbers starting GM.
Photograph the label rather than copying it by hand — 0 and O, 1 and I are easy to mix up.
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.
What your serial looks like
-
GM0205Y9019162Vauxhall CDR500 / CDR200514 letters and numbers starting GM 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.
Which Delco radio do you have?
These are the Delco radios 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.
Radios and cars
Covers:
- CDR500
- CDR500E
Years: 1990s–2000s. The serial is what counts, as radios are often swapped between cars.
How to enter your Delco radio code
Once you have your code, key it in like this. Your order page shows the same steps next to your code.
Vauxhall CDR500 / CDR2005
- Hold AS and switch the radio on. The screen shows SAFE, then 10 - - - -.
- Buttons 1 to 4 set each number.
- Hold AS until it beeps.
If your Delco 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 |
|---|---|
| Vauxhall CDR500 / CDR2005 | You only get 10 tries before the radio locks for good, so please don’t guess. |
What LOCKED, WAIT and SAFE mean, and how long to wait →
What we can and can’t do
We can do
- Delco-built CDR500 and CDR500E
We can’t do (yet)
- Delco units fitted outside the GM European range
We always tell you before you pay. Not sure? Send us a photo of the label.
Delco radio code questions
Is a Delco radio a Vauxhall radio?
In this country, usually. Delco built for General Motors, so its units went into Vauxhall and Opel cars.
Mine says Siemens VDO rather than Delco.
That is the later CDR2005 or CDR2005E in the same family. Same page, same free check.
How much is a Delco 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 Delco 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