Which radio is in your Subaru Legacy?
Subaru fitted different radios over the years. Find your Legacy’s years below, but go by the serial: radios are often swapped, and the free check reads it for you.
How to find your Subaru Legacy 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.
- Find the barcode label (use the bottom one if there are two).
- Type in its last 4 numbers.
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 Subaru Legacy
- Take the radio out and photograph the label: the barcode is what we work from.
- Use the lower barcode when there are two.
- Imported cars often have no radio code at all.
What your serial looks like
-
4471Clarion (barcode)Last 4 numbers of the barcode Instant -
SU685AX9012989Subaru Philips (early 1990s)14 letters and numbers starting SU 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 Subaru Legacy 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.
- Buttons 1 to 4 set each number. Clarion codes only use the numbers 1 to 6.
- 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 Subaru Legacy 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 |
|---|---|
| Subaru Philips (early 1990s) | Each wrong try adds a longer delay. Keep the radio switched on while it counts down. |
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 Subaru Legacy’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.
Subaru Legacy radio code questions
Where is the Legacy radio serial?
On the label on the radio, after the radio comes out.
Is my Outback the same?
Yes — the Outback is a Legacy underneath and uses the same radios.
The radio never asks for a code.
Then there is nothing to buy: many imported Subarus have the code feature switched off.
How much is a Subaru Legacy 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 Subaru Legacy 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 Subaru?
See every Subaru radio we can unlock on our Subaru radio code page, or pick a model: Impreza, Forester.
Updated September 2026