Which radio is in your Ford Transit?
Ford fitted different radios over the years. Find your Transit’s years below, but go by the serial: radios are often swapped, and the free check reads it for you.
How to find your Ford Transit radio serial number
Most Ford Transit radios show their serial on the screen, so you don’t need to take anything apart. The serial tells us exactly which code your radio needs.
On the screen
- Turn the ignition on and switch the radio on.
- Hold buttons 1 and 6 together for 2–3 seconds.
- Watch the screen: the serial scrolls past, usually last. Write down the letter and 6 numbers.
- Nothing? Try buttons 2 and 6 instead. Still nothing? The serial is also on a label on the radio itself.
On the label
The serial is also printed on a label on the top or side of the radio. 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.
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.
Tips for your Ford Transit
- Hold buttons 1 and 6 with the radio on. If nothing shows, try 2 and 6.
- Leave the engine running or the ignition on while you do it, so the van doesn’t switch the radio off.
What your serial looks like
-
V123456Ford V-series (6000 CD)V and 6 numbers Instant -
M123456Ford M-series (Visteon)M and 6 numbers Instant -
123456Older Ford (3-number code)Last 6 numbers of the serial Instant -
Z123456Ford Z / A serials (2008 on)Z or A and 6 numbers Not available
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 Ford Transit 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.
- Press button 1 until the first number of your code shows. Do the same with buttons 2, 3 and 4.
- Press button 5 to finish (Land Rover: the right-hand arrow button).
- Code not accepted? The screen shows LOCKED and a number. Stop before it gets to 10 and read our locked radio help.
- Press button 1 until the first number of your code shows. Do the same with buttons 2, 3 and 4.
- Press button 5 to finish (Land Rover: the right-hand arrow button).
- Code not accepted? The screen shows LOCKED and a number. Stop before it gets to 10 and read our locked radio help.
- Set each of the 3 numbers with the numbered buttons.
- Finish as your handbook shows (usually button 5).
If your Ford Transit 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 |
|---|---|
| Ford V-series (6000 CD) | LOCKED 10: leave the radio and ignition on for about an hour, then try again, or hold button 6 for 10 seconds to get 3 more tries. LOCKED 13 means those tries are used up: the radio then needs a Ford dealer or a radio specialist. |
| Ford M-series (Visteon) | LOCKED 10: leave the radio and ignition on for about an hour, then try again, or hold button 6 for 10 seconds to get 3 more tries. LOCKED 13 means those tries are used up: the radio then needs a Ford dealer or a radio specialist. |
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 Ford Transit’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.
Ford Transit radio code questions
Where is the serial on a Transit radio?
Hold buttons 1 and 6 (or 2 and 6) with the radio on and the serial scrolls across the screen. It is also on a label on the top or side of the radio.
Can you do Transit Custom radios?
Not at the moment. Fords from about 2008 have a serial starting with Z, and from about 2018 with A. These work differently, and our free check tells you straight away, before you pay.
My Transit radio says LOCKED 10.
Leave the ignition and radio on for about an hour, or hold button 6 for 10 seconds to get 3 more tries. Please don’t guess: get the right code first.
How much is a Ford Transit 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 Ford Transit 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 Ford?
See every Ford radio we can unlock on our Ford radio code page, or pick a model: Focus, Fiesta, Mondeo, Ka, Transit Connect, Galaxy, Fusion.
Updated September 2026