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vehicle radios unlocked
Don't pay or wait more than you need to for a Vauxhall radio code. We generate all Vauxhall codes instantly, so whether you drive a Corsa or a Vivaro, whether you listen to Heart FM or your own tunes – we'll get you back into your radio or navigation in minutes.
When your Vauxhall radio, stereo or navigation becomes disconnected from the battery, usually due to a garage service or a low battery, it automatically locks and begins to ask for a radio unlock code (sometimes also known as the authentication key). As this is an anti-theft feature it's not possible to unlock a Vauxhall radio without this code, but finding 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 this code will be incorrect if the radio has ever been changed in the vehicle's lifetime.
The most accurate way to get your Vauxhall car, van or truck radio code (also known as the authentication key or security code) is by decoding it from the radio's serial number. There are two ways to find this serial number - a fast one and a slightly slower one.
Because we incur costs and fees for every code we generate, our money-back guarantee does not usually cover codes decoded from incorrect serial numbers. For this reason you should always double-check that the serial number you enter matches the serial number on your display or sticker label. However, we will make exceptions in obviously confusing cases, such as when a Q really looks like an O or an I that looks like an L.
If your Vauxhall radio or stereo has number preset buttons, you may be able to reveal the serial number on the display without removing it. While the radio is asking for a code, hold buttons 1 and 6 for at least 5 seconds and then release them. If nothing changes on the display, try the same with buttons 2 and 6.
If this method worked the display will show your radio's serial number, also known as the precode. This will always be 1 letter followed by 3 numbers – in the example image below it is Q981.
Once you have your serial number, simply enter it into our Vauxhall decoder at the top of this page to generate your radio unlock code.
If this method doesn't show a serial number that looks like A123, or your radio/navigation doesn't have any number buttons, you'll need to use method 2.
Don't worry – removing your radio is not as hard as it sounds, and for most Vauxhall models you won't even need to disconnect any wires. Simply slide out the radio from the dash and take a picture of the label at the top or side of the radio. The exact process depends on whether your radio has removal slots or not. Look carefully around the front of your radio for 2 or 4 round holes.
If your radio removal slots are spaced apart like in image 1, you will need these single-din radio release keys.
If the slots are spaced wider apart, you will need these double-din release keys. If you're in a rush you can also try using everyday items that will fit into the radio removal slots, like thin screwdrivers or barbeque skewers, bearing in mind you'll need one for each slot.
Once you have your radio removal tools, insert them into the slots, pushing until you feel some resistance or hear a click. Finally, start pulling your radio out while pushing out on the removal tools - this will give them enough grip to pull out the radio. In most cases you won't need to disconnect any wires - simply take pictures of all the labels on the radio and click it back into the dash.
If you'd prefer to see this process visually, see this video.
If your Vauxhall navigation system looks like the one pictured below, the hardest part will be removing the outer plastic trim or fascia. This is held in place by clips at the back of the radio, as shown by the locations of the arrows (image 1). You should be able to undo these clips by firmly pulling away from the radio with your fingers or a flathead screwdriver - in a pinch you may also be able to use a bread knife. Once you've undone the clips, slowly but firmly pry the plastic trim away from the radio, revealing the 4 screws keeping the radio in place. After unscrewing these using a cheap Torx 20 screwdriver, you will then be able to slide out your radio.
If you'd prefer to see this process visually, see this video.
If your Vauxhall navigation looks completely different to the one in the image, the exact removal process depends on your radio's model. To find the easiest and most specific instructions for removing your model, search YouTube with your vehicle's model and model year - for example, how to remove Vauxhall Astra 2007 navigation. For most Vauxhall models you won't need to disconnect any wires - simply take pictures of all the numbers on the radio and click it back into the dash.
Once you've partially removed your radio from the dash and can see the sticker label on top of it, take a picture of it and compare with the image examples below to identify your radio's serial number. If you can't find a matching serial number on the radio's labels, it may also be engraved into the radio itself (images 1 and 2).
Our instant Vauxhall radio decoder currently supports the following serial numbers:
If your serial number starts with 2811, 8200 or 77 you don't need to enter the full serial number - just the last 4 characters. This will always be 1 letter followed by 3 numbers (e.g. A123).
For Daiichi/MOPAR models, make sure not to confuse the serial number with any of the similar numbers near it (image 5). Sometimes the serial number will be labeled S/N instead.
If you're still having trouble identifying your serial number, simply contact us with a picture of your radio's sticker label and we'll help you identify it at no extra cost. Once you have your serial number, all that’s left is to decode it using our Vauxhall radio decoder and generator at the top of this page.
We have one of the highest success rates in the industry for decoding Vauxhall radios and navigations, and we are currently the only instant decoder of Vauxhall Daiichi/MOPAR radios. Vehicles and radios that we are able to generate a radio code for include:
Unfortunately, it's not possible to unlock a Vauxhall radio asking for a code without entering the code. This is intentional as radio unlock codes were originally designed as an anti-theft feature to make it harder for thieves to steal and resell car radios.
Due to the costs of running a small business providing radio codes around the world 24/7, it's not possible to sustainably offer Vauxhall radio codes for free. There are many decoding services out there that attract customers with the word "free" only to reveal a price at the very last second or fail to deliver a code at all (as shown by their reviews). Our prices will always be shown up-front, and our radio codes are already priced as low as possible while still allowing us to stay in business, provide reliable English-speaking support to customers and continue adding support for more models and manufacturers.
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 popular decoding company offered radio codes at such an affordable price. To this day we still beat 95% of our competitors on price, without making you wait around for your code.
Unfortunately it's not possible to generate a Vauxhall radio code from the registration plate at all. Although most dealerships and some online decoding sites 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 decoding sites - decodes the radio code from the radio's serial number, which gives us the best chance of unlocking your radio.
All our Vauxhall 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 the code is ready to be entered, where 10 is the number of code entry attempts remaining. When an incorrect code is entered this number will decrease and you will need to leave the radio and ignition on for a while before you can try another code - how long depends on how many incorrect codes have been entered so far, starting from a few minutes up to 11 hours. If an incorrect code is entered 10 different times the radio will become "hard locked" (see below).
Hold the power button and the AS button until the display shows 10 SAFE, 9 SAFE, etc. If the display stays stuck on SAFE, this likely means an incorrect radio code has been entered 10 different times - we call this a "hard lock". Try leaving the ignition and radio on for at least an hour then press AS and the power button again. If the lock still hasn't cleared, the only way to bypass it is to physically take the radio to a specialist with the hardware tools needed to reset the lock in the radio's EEPROM chip. However, this is a much more expensive process and it can sometimes work out cheaper to buy a new radio. For this reason you should get in touch with us as soon as possible instead of wasting your code entries.
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 Vauxhall radio.
This process varies depending on your vehicle's radio. Each of our Vauxhall 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 based out of Sheffield, Yorkshire, in the North of the UK. 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 8,000 drivers, garages and car dealerships unlock their radios, and received hundreds of 5-star reviews across our TrustPilot and Reviews.io pages. Still have questions? See if we've already answered them in our main FAQ section.
