Which radio is in your Rover 400?
Rover fitted different radios over the years. Find your 400’s years below, but go by the serial: radios are often swapped, and the free check reads it for you.
How to find your Rover 400 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.
- Copy the serial from the label: 14 letters and numbers starting AR or RG.
- It is also on the Security Information card, if you have it.
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 Rover 400
- Two release keys; the serial is on the label or stamped into the side.
- Take the whole 14 characters, letters included.
- A later Blaupunkt CD has a BP serial instead — the free check reads either.
What your serial looks like
-
AR570WX8146086Rover / MG / Mini Philips14 letters and numbers starting AR or RG 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 Rover 400 radio code
Once you have your code, key it in like this. Your order page shows the same steps next to your code.
Rover / MG / Mini Philips
- The screen shows CODE (or -C-).
- Press button 1, set the first number with the tuning buttons, then press button 1 again.
- Do the same for all 4 numbers. Two beeps mean it worked.
If your Rover 400 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 |
|---|---|
| Rover / MG / Mini Philips | Err or WAIT: the wait gets longer each time. Keep the radio switched on. |
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 Rover 400’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.
Rover 400 radio code questions
Do I have to take the radio out?
Yes. These radios don’t show their serial on screen.
AR or RG — does it matter?
No. Both are genuine Rover Group serials and both are covered.
How long does the code take?
Seconds: the free check reads the serial and we send the code straight away.
How much is a Rover 400 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 Rover 400 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 Rover?
See every Rover radio we can unlock on our Rover radio code page, or pick a model: 200, 25, 45.
Updated September 2026