Which radio is in your Jaguar XJ?
The XJ has had 3 sets of radios since 1997, from the Jaguar radios made by Alpine to the Older Jaguar radios. 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 Jaguar XJ radio serial number
On the screen
- Try this free trick first: hold SEEK ▶, PTY and A.MEM together.
- To see the serial, press PTY and EJECT together. 5 numbers appear.
- Cars with Premium Sound: press buttons 2 and 6 instead.
- See an M and 6 numbers? That is a Ford-made radio: type it in for an instant code.
On the label
The serial is also printed on a label on the top or side of the radio. It comes out with a pair of radio removal keys. Which keys, and where they go: how to remove a car radio.
Photograph the label rather than copying it by hand — 0 and O, 1 and I are easy to mix up.
Tips for your Jaguar XJ
- Press PTY and EJECT together first — it saves taking the radio out.
- A touchscreen sat nav car has a different radio, which isn’t one we can do.
- Wrong tries make the radio pause, so get the code first.
What your serial looks like
-
12345Jaguar Alpine5 numbers By email -
M123456Ford M-series (Visteon)M and 6 numbers Instant
How to enter your Jaguar XJ radio code
- Press the button with each number on it (the 9 buttons work like a phone keypad).
- A beep means it worked.
- 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.
Every button press, and what the screen does if the code is wrong: How to enter an Alpine radio code.
If your Jaguar XJ radio says LOCKED, WAIT or SAFE
| Radio | What to do |
|---|---|
| Jaguar Alpine | PLEASE WAIT — leave the radio on for at least 30 minutes. |
| 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 →
Jaguar XJ radio code questions
Which XJ radios can you do?
The Alpine radios from about 1997 to 2009, and Premium Sound radios with an M serial.
Where is the serial if the screen won’t show it?
On the label on the radio, which means taking the radio out.
Is a Daimler the same?
Yes — same cars, same radios.
Can you do every Jaguar XJ radio?
For 1997–2003, 2003–2009, by email within 2 hours; for Before 1997, not at the moment. The free check tells you which yours is before you pay.
Which radio does my Jaguar XJ have?
It depends on the year. 1997–2003 (XJ X308): Jaguar radios made by Alpine. 2003–2009 (XJ X350 and X358): Alpine CD, cassette and MiniDisc radios, touchscreen sat nav on many cars. Before 1997 (XJ40 and XJS): Older Jaguar radios. Radios were often swapped, so the serial on yours is what counts.
What does the serial look like on a Jaguar XJ?
1997–2003: PTY and EJECT: 5 numbers, or the label on the radio. 2003–2009: PTY and EJECT: 5 numbers; Premium Sound: hold 2 and 6. For example 12345.
Do I have to take the radio out of my Jaguar XJ?
Usually not: with the radio on, hold PTY and EJECT and the serial shows on the screen.
How do I enter the code on a Jaguar XJ?
This unit has nine presets in a 3×3 grid that doubles as a phone keypad. Press the key bearing each digit directly — for 1234, press 1, then 2, then 3, then 4. A beep confirms.
Another Jaguar?
Every Jaguar radio we can unlock is on our Jaguar radio code page. Close to this one: S-Type, XK, X-Type, Alpine Unit.
Updated October 2026