2,600+
vehicle radios unlocked
We generate all Ford unlock codes instantly, so whether you drive a Focus or a Transit, whether you listen to Capital FM or your own tunes – we'll get you listening to your music again in minutes.
Your radio code will be instantly generated on-screen as well as automatically emailed to you the moment you pay.
When your Ford radio/stereo unit becomes disconnected from the battery, usually due to a garage service or a loss of power, it automatically locks and begins to ask for a radio code. As this is an anti-theft feature it's not possible to unlock a Ford radio or stereo without this code, but getting hold of your radio code is an easy process that can be done in minutes. Many dealerships and online generators decode the radio code from the VIN number, but there's a good chance that this code will be incorrect for your radio.
The most accurate way to get your Ford radio's code is by decoding it from the radio's serial number. This will look like one of the following examples:
There are two methods to find this serial number – a fast one and a slightly slower one.
Always double-check that the serial number you enter matches the serial number on your radio's display or sticker label, as we are usually unable to offer refunds for radio codes decoded from incorrect serial numbers.
If your Ford radio/stereo unit has number preset buttons, you may be able to reveal the serial number on the display without removing your radio. Try briefly holding down buttons 1 and 6 for at least 3 seconds. If nothing changes on your radio's display, try holding down buttons 2 and 6 instead.
If this method worked, the display will either show your radio's serial number immediately or flash through several screens for about 30 seconds, where the M or V serial number will be on one of these screens. On some radio models the serial number may display over two different screens, with the first half on one screen (starting with an M or V) and the rest on the screen directly after it. If this is the case take a picture or video of the codes on both screens, then combine them to get your full 7-character serial number. If you need help identifying your serial number, skip straight to identifying your serial number below.
If your radio doesn't change at all when holding down either 1 and 6 or 2 and 6, or your radio doesn't have any number buttons, then you'll need to remove your radio to get the serial number from its sticker label.
Don't worry – removing your radio is not as hard as it sounds, but it is the hardest part of getting a radio unlock code, which means that once you've done it the rest is easy. If you'd prefer to see this process visually, try this video.
For most Ford radio models, the only tools you will need are a cheap pair of radio removal keys that can be found at your local Halfords or not-so-local Amazon. First, look carefully around the front of your radio for two to four slots. These will be either flat and key-shaped, or square-shaped. If your radio has key-shaped slots (image 1), you'll need these radio removal keys.
If your radio has square slots (image 2), you'll need these radio removal keys. In a pinch, you can also try using everyday items that will fit into the square slots, such as barbeque skewers or screwdrivers, bearing in mind you'll need one for each hole that your radio has.
If your radio is a newer model that doesn't have any visible slots to insert your radio removal keys into, you will first need to pry away the outer plastic trim from your radio to reveal the radio removal slots underneath. You can either buy a cheap pry tool, or alternatively may be able to use the Ford removal keys for this purpose.
Once you have your radio removal keys, insert each one into your radio's removal slots until you feel some resistance or hear a click. If your radio is the flat slot type, make sure you insert each key with the rounded side facing the inside of the radio (image 3). Finally, start pulling your radio unit out while pushing up or down on the removal keys - this will give them enough grip to pull out the radio. Carefully disconnect the few wires from the back of the radio, paying attention to which one goes where for when you need to reconnect it.
Once you've removed your radio from the dash, look for a sticker label containing the radio's serial number. Your Ford radio's serial number will usually look like one of the formats listed in this section above, starting with M, V, BP or C7.
If your serial number starts with M or V it will either be displayed clearly on its own (image 4), or in a longer version where the part beginning with M or V is right at the end (image 5).
Some serial numbers may require a part number to guarantee that the radio code we generate for you is accurate. Your radio's part number is located on the same sticker label as the serial number and starts with 7 612.
Very rarely, your serial number might not have any letters at all and consist of only numbers, especially if your radio is one of the SAM/Sanyo models that are common in Australia. If your radio is one of these, simply send us a picture of your radio's label and we'd be happy to help you manually decode your radio.
Once you have your serial number, all that’s left is to enter it into our Ford radio decoder and generator at the top of this page.
Always double-check that the serial number you enter matches the serial number on your radio's display or sticker label, as we are usually unable to offer refunds for radio codes decoded from incorrect serial numbers.
At RapidRadioCodes we're able to decode many Ford radios that others aren't - our reviews are full of customers who came to us because other sites couldn't decode their radio and were surprised that we could, at a much cheaper price. This means we have one of the highest rates of success, especially for harder sat nav models like the TravelPilot series.
Ford vehicles and radios that we are able to decode include:
Unfortunately, it's not possible to unlock a radio asking for a code without entering the code. This is intentional as radio unlock codes were designed as an anti-theft feature to make it harder for thieves to steal and sell car radios. However this doesn't mean you need to be robbed by the dealership or an expensive online decoder - at just £4.99 for all of our radio codes, we've made sure our prices are far more affordable than the prices you would pay at a dealership or other online decoders.
Due to the costs of running a small business providing radio codes around the world 24/7, we are unable to offer Ford radio codes for free. Our radio codes are already priced as low as possible while still allowing us to make a modest profit, provide UK-based support to customers and continue to support new models and manufacturers at the same low price.
Not only were we the first radio decoding company to offer radio codes for all manufacturers at one fixed price, we were also one of the first to charge as low as £4.99 - before we came along virtually no decoding company offered radio codes at such an affordable price. To this day we still beat 99% of our competitors on price, without making you wait for your code when you're in a rush.
Unfortunately it's not possible to generate a Ford radio code from the registration plate at all.
Although most dealerships and some online decoding websites do use the VIN to decode the radio code, this is not reliable due to being tied to the car rather than the radio. This means that if your radio was changed since it was first manufactured, a radio code decoded from the VIN will be incorrect. For this reason RapidRadioCodes - like most online decoders - decodes the radio code from the radio's serial number, which gives us the best chance of unlocking your radio.
All our Ford radio codes are decoded instantly, displayed on the screen immediately after payment and sent to your email at the same time. To ensure that your code and receipt are sent to you, double-check that the email you enter when paying for your radio code is correct. If it's been more than 2 minutes since you purchased your code and you haven't received your email, get in touch with us so we can look into why this might be. In most cases this is down to a misspelt email address.
This means an incorrect radio code has been entered and you will need to leave the radio and ignition on for a while before you can try another code. This is usually between 30 minutes to a few hours, increasing with each incorrect attempt. Too many incorrect attempts and the radio will become locked (see below).
When a Ford radio code has been entered incorrectly 10 different times the radio will display LOCKED - we call this a "soft lock", because it's sometimes possible to bypass a soft lock by holding down button 6 for ten seconds. If this works, you will be given 3 more entry attempts - you shouldn't enter any more codes at this point until you have contacted us with a picture of your radio's serial number.
Once these final 3 attempts have been used, the radio will display LOCKED13 - we call this a "hard lock". Other decoders usually call this a permanent lock, but this is inaccurate. A hard lock can still be bypassed by physically taking the radio to a specialist with the hardware tools needed to clear the lock in the radio's chip. However, this is a much more expensive process and it can often work out cheaper to buy a new radio. For this reason you should aim to get in touch with us as soon as possible, preferably as soon as soon as it's clear your radio requires a code.
Note that for the same reason we reserve the right to decline refunds in cases where the radio has 5 or less code entry attempts remaining - for more difficult decoding cases, we require at least 5 free entry attempts in order to have the best chance of helping you unlock your vehicle's radio. If in doubt, get in touch with us as soon as possible, and avoid entering codes from multiple decoding services at the same time.
So you've located your serial number, entered it into our radio code generator, and received your decoded radio code in return. Congratulations! Now comes the best part: using your new radio code to unlock your Ford radio.
This process varies depending on your vehicle's radio. Each of our Ford radio codes come with simple instructions to enter your new code at no extra cost. To receive your entry instructions, double-check that your email address is spelt correctly at the payment stage. If it's been more than 2 minutes since you purchased your unlock code and you haven't received your email or receipt, get in touch with us so we can look into why this might be. This is usually down to a misspelt email address.
RapidRadioCodes™ is a small independent business set up in early 2023 and based out of Sheffield, Yorkshire, in the North of England. Our mission is to be able to instantly generate radio unlock codes for all cars, vans and trucks, at a single fixed price that's cheaper than both the dealerships and other third-party decoding sites. Since first being established less than a year ago, we've already helped over 2,000 drivers, garages and car dealerships unlock their radios, and received hundreds of 5-star reviews across our Reviews.io and TrustPilot pages. Still have questions? See if we've already answered them in our main FAQ section.
