About Honda radio codes
Honda radios work differently from most: the codes come from Honda’s own records rather than from the serial, so our team looks yours up by hand. You’ll need the two short numbers the radio shows (one starting U, one starting L), or the serial from the label or touchscreen menu. Early-1990s Hondas with a Philips-made radio are done straight away.
How to find your Honda radio serial number
Most Honda 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
- Check the handbook wallet for the anti-theft card first.
- Turn the ignition on and leave the radio off. Hold buttons 1 and 6, then press the power button. Two numbers appear, one starting U and one starting L: write both down. The letters are only labels for the top and bottom halves — the numbers together are the serial.
- Touchscreen (2013 on): go to Settings, then System, then Detailed information.
- Older sat nav cars (2003–2012): hold MAP/GUIDE, MENU and CANCEL together.
- Nothing on screen? Look inside the glovebox door: dealers were asked to stick a label there with the serial on it, written as a B and then eight numbers.
- Off a label, the numbers may sit behind three letters or a B, and sometimes there is one more letter after them. Type the lot — we take the serial out of it.
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.
Photograph the label rather than copying it by hand — 0 and O, 1 and I are easy to mix up.
What your serial looks like
-
U2154 L2135HondaThe U and L numbers, or the serial on the label By email -
HO681AA9170550Honda Philips (early 1990s)14 letters and numbers starting HO Instant -
GNB22005937Honda sat nav8 numbers, sometimes with 3 letters in front 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.
Screen shows nothing and the radio has to come out? How to remove a car radio shows which release keys you need and where they go.
Which Honda radio do you have?
These are the radios Honda 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.
U2154 L2135
Honda
Serial: Hold 1 + 6
By emailGuide
Locked display
CODE ----
Serial HO681AA9170550
Honda Philips (early 1990s)
Serial: On the label on the radio
InstantGuide
Popular Honda models
Step-by-step help for the Honda models people ask us about most:
- Honda Civic radio code
- Honda Jazz radio code
- Honda CR-V radio code
- Honda Accord radio code
- Honda Factory Radio radio code
We also cover:
- HR-V
- FR-V
- Insight
The serial is what counts, as radios are often swapped between cars.
How to enter your Honda 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.
- Most codes are 5 numbers. Press the button with each number on it, once.
- Touchscreens: use the on-screen keypad and press ENTER.
- Usually: press button 1, set the number with the tuning buttons, then press button 1 again.
- Do the same for all 4 numbers. The exact steps vary from radio to radio.
If your Honda 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 |
|---|---|
| Honda | ERR — leave the ignition on for 1 hour. |
| Honda Philips (early 1990s) | Each wrong try adds a longer delay. Keep the radio switched on while it counts down. |
| Honda sat nav | After several wrong tries the sat nav stops accepting codes for a while. Leave the ignition on and try again later. |
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 Honda’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 is printed on the radio itself, so the code matches the radio in front of you. It is also what lets us check 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
- Honda radios with a U and L serial, or a plain number on the label
- Early 1990s radios built by Philips, Blaupunkt or Clarion — from the label serial
- Honda sat nav codes, on their own or with the radio code
We can’t do (yet)
- Cars from about 2016, where the system is matched to the car and asks for nothing
We always tell you before you pay. Not sure? Send us a photo of the label.
Honda radio code questions
How do I find my Honda radio serial?
Turn the ignition on with the radio off. Hold buttons 1 and 6 and press the power button. Two screens appear: one starting U and one starting L. Type both — the letters only label the top and bottom halves, and the numbers together are your serial. On a touchscreen: Settings, then System, then Detailed information. Or look inside the glovebox door: from 1998 dealers were asked to stick a label there, written as a B and then eight numbers.
Can you do my Honda sat nav code too?
Yes. After the free check, tick “Add the sat nav code too” and type the sat nav serial. Both codes cost £14.99. Just the sat nav? Use our Honda sat nav code page.
Why isn’t Honda instant?
Honda codes come from Honda’s own records, so we look yours up by hand. It’s done within 2 hours and costs the same.
What if my serial has letters in it?
Type it in as it is. Three letters in front mean a sat nav unit, a B in front is the glovebox label, and a single letter after the numbers is not part of the serial at all — we drop it for you, and you should leave it off if you ever type the serial anywhere else.
My Honda radio says ERR.
Too many wrong tries. Leave the ignition on for an hour, then try again.
How much is a Honda 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?
Our team looks your code up and emails it within 2 hours.
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 October 2026
