Odyssey/Honda Radio Question

Hello. Hoping that someone out there can help with a problem. My wife and I
purchased a '98 Odyssey about four years ago. Two years ago we had the
battery changed at a local and well respected garage. The problem is that
when the battery was changed it affected the factory radio. When the power
button is pressed for the radio we are prompted to punch in a code.
Needless to say, since we are not the original owners, we don't have the
code and have been without 'tunes' for two years now. I have thought about
going to the dealership, but I don't want to pay a hundred dollars or more
just to get the radio to work. Could anyone here tell me how to get around
the code or is there a standard code for Honda factory radios?

--- Chris

 

Every radio has a different code.
The best(and I think the only) way of getting the code will be to go to
the dealer with a proof that you are the current owner of the car and he
will decipher the code for you.
If that does not work for you, try call Honda Customer Service helpline.
(the number should be somewhere in your manual).

Rich

 

Every radio has a different code.
The best(and I think the only) way of getting the code will be to go to
the dealer with a proof of ownership for the car. With this he will be
able to decipher the code and enable the radio.
If that does not work for you, try call Honda Customer Service helpline.
(the number should be somewhere in your manual).

Rich

 

===================

Bobby.

The code is five digits long, and came printed on a white HONDA 'credit
card' that should be tucked inside your owner's manual... Look to see if
previous owner WROTE it down in the manual, either at the front cover or
in the chapter about 'radio security'. It also may have come with two
white stickers which some folks stick to the inside of the glove box or
inside the fusebox door. I've written it with marker pen inside the
fusebox, as well as in the manual.

The dealer who serviced the Ody probably has the number in his computer,
and will give it to you when you explain that you bought JoeBlow's
Odyssey. You need to do that anyway so they have a way of tracking you
down for free recalls / safety notices.

Contact Honda (national) to make sure your name appears with the VIN for
that vehicle. ..dealerships are notorious for not passing that kind of
info to the MOTHER SHIP.

'curly'

 

Wow, that sucks. You could always put an aftermarket radio in....but
read on.

Well, there may be some cost involved if they have to pull the radio,
but...

Here's what's going on. The radio has an anti-theft feature. It needs
a code to work after the power has been interrupted.

You may not know the code, but the dealer can get the code if he has the
radio serial number. One way to get that is to pull the radio ($$).
But if you're lucky, the previous owner did what the manual told him to
do; he took the radio serial number sticker that came with his car, and
he stuck that serial number somewhere around the inside of the glove
box. It's just a white sticker with some numbers on it.

If he did, you simply take that serial number to your dealer. He'll
look it up in his computer, give you the code, and there you are. That
would be at no cost.

 

As was mentioned you can pull the radio and get the serial number off the
back. Take it to the dealer and they can feed it in their system and get the
code for you. Some will do it for free and some will charge but if you pull
the radio and get the serial yourself it should be cheaper. They will
probably request proof of ownership. For lots of information on this and any
other Odyssey question go to www.ODYCLUB.COM and search the forum. You will
find threads on almost any subject..........

 

Open the rear tailgate door and check for a small white tag on the top of
the opening. The code should be there

 

I ran into this exact problem with my '95 Odyssey. Had to pull the radio
for the serial number. On the '95, I had the radio out in 15 minutes. The
dealer did not ask for proof of ownership, giving me the code over the
phone. So what good is the code if the dealer will give it to anyone,
including a thief who may have taken the radio?

- Phil

 

radio codes are not cataloged by VIN number! you have to have
the serial number off of the radio itself. pull the stereo out and
find the serial number, post it here and i'll see what we can do for
you.

the problem with the vin theory is radios get replaced all the
time, and honda has no idea which one we put in. on the 2002's and up
it's a whole lot easier to get the serial from the lcd screen. but you
have to pull the old ones.
Chip

 

radio codes are not cataloged by VIN number! you have to have
the serial number off of the radio itself. pull the stereo out and
find the serial number, post it here and i'll see what we can do for
you.

the problem with the vin theory is radios get replaced all the
time, and honda has no idea which one we put in. on the 2002's and up
it's a whole lot easier to get the serial from the lcd screen. but you
have to pull the old ones.
Chip

 

I am not talking about the VIN. There is a separate sticker on the car on
car opening for the back tailgate. The salesman said that label had the
code

 

That sticker comes on a sheet with the car from the factory; it's
entirely up to the original owner as to where he puts the sticker.

Most people put it in the glovebox somewhere. I think in the tailgate
is a weird choice for any owner to make.

 

anyone with a taste for audio would not steal a honda stereo. the
sticker is not supposed to be put on the car for obvious reasons, we
do it because people don't keep track of their stuff.
Chip