Radio code issue

vwztips

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2009
Location
Greenville, SC
TDI
2005 Passat GLS Wagon TDI 5 spd manual w/BSM delete 2011 Tiguan TDI/DSG 2005 Audi A4 Avant 6MQ TDI 2011 BMW X5 35d
Not sure where to post this and a search didn't provide anything.

I needed a radio code for a Monsoon head unit for a B5.5 Passat, so I called my buddy at the dealer and his normal access point for radio codes was grayed out on the screen. So he could not get a code. Neither could the service guy. I took the car to the dealer and the service tech could not pull a code through the system from Germany.

The dealer finally said that VW quit supporting these codes for the radios (as of last week). I even tried getting a code for a radio from a 2011 Jetta and they could not get that.

Anybody know another route to get codes, or do I have some electronic bricks now?
 

vwztips

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2009
Location
Greenville, SC
TDI
2005 Passat GLS Wagon TDI 5 spd manual w/BSM delete 2011 Tiguan TDI/DSG 2005 Audi A4 Avant 6MQ TDI 2011 BMW X5 35d
I asked and the exchange program is a new radio cost $250 - $650 depending on the radio, haha

He was serious too
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
$250 isn't bad. $650 is dumb.

I bought all the Clarion made units they had left years ago for my 1991 Jetta. I now have spares. They were $25 each. :)
 

vwztips

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2009
Location
Greenville, SC
TDI
2005 Passat GLS Wagon TDI 5 spd manual w/BSM delete 2011 Tiguan TDI/DSG 2005 Audi A4 Avant 6MQ TDI 2011 BMW X5 35d
Tried that too but the tech could not pull it out of the system
 

vwztips

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2009
Location
Greenville, SC
TDI
2005 Passat GLS Wagon TDI 5 spd manual w/BSM delete 2011 Tiguan TDI/DSG 2005 Audi A4 Avant 6MQ TDI 2011 BMW X5 35d
Hey DV, thanks for the links. I used the second one. I got the code for the Navigation unit from my 2011 Jetta for $22. Much easier and faster than the dealer for $50 that couldn't get it at all!
 

PickleRick

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2017
Location
Greenville sc
TDI
05 GLS BHW sedan 5 speed conversion. BHW Carver SantaCruz in progress
Would another radio help you? I believe i have 2 different monsoons from 04/05 you can have. These are not exactly hot sellers so id eventually toss them anyway.
 

vwztips

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2009
Location
Greenville, SC
TDI
2005 Passat GLS Wagon TDI 5 spd manual w/BSM delete 2011 Tiguan TDI/DSG 2005 Audi A4 Avant 6MQ TDI 2011 BMW X5 35d
Not really, but thanks. Just needed the code. If u have the codes for those, write it on the unit
 

PickleRick

Veteran Member
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Nov 29, 2017
Location
Greenville sc
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05 GLS BHW sedan 5 speed conversion. BHW Carver SantaCruz in progress
No idea where id find the codes. I use a pioneer head unit.
 

tdi-mb

Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2018
Location
Maryland
TDI
2010 Jetta SW, 2013 Golf
I don't have any first hand experience with this site but it looks promising.
https://www.onlineradiocodes.co.uk/vw-passat-radio-codes

Or perhaps this site..
https://www.vwcodes.org/vwcodes/

.

I used the second site above(vwcodes.org) just last week with success.

I had two tdi's - one we did the fix on(2010 JSW) and one we did the buyback(2013 Golf). The Golf had a better radio so I swapped them(along with the bluetooth modules under the passenger seat) before returning the Golf. Tried several dealers to get the keys for free, including the one I bought the JSW from back in 2010 but no luck with any of them - they all wanted to send me to service who wanted to scan it and invoice it.

So, I send vwcodes.org $12.99 via paypal and less than a day later, I had my code which worked no problem.
 

imo000

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 13, 2005
Location
Cambridge
TDI
2009 M-B ML320 Diesel & '05 Passat TDI Manual 5-Speed
No idea where id find the codes. I use a pioneer head unit.
If you still have the original user's manual folder that came with that car, it should be in there there somewhere.
 

DeliveryValve

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2007
Location
Western US
TDI
Passat GLS Wagon
Hey DV, thanks for the links. I used the second one. I got the code for the Navigation unit from my 2011 Jetta for $22. Much easier and faster than the dealer for $50 that couldn't get it at all!
Good to know it worked out. But I thought it was $12.99?
 

vwztips

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2009
Location
Greenville, SC
TDI
2005 Passat GLS Wagon TDI 5 spd manual w/BSM delete 2011 Tiguan TDI/DSG 2005 Audi A4 Avant 6MQ TDI 2011 BMW X5 35d
It is for a non-navigation radio. I did both kinds. Without nav is $12.99. With was $22.99
 

Matt-98AHU

Loose Nut Behind the Wheel Vendor
Joined
Apr 23, 2006
Location
Gresham, OR
TDI
2001 Golf TDI, 2005 Passat wagon, 2004 Touareg V10.
The dealer still can get codes for the older radios, VW corporate made a change so that it HAS to be done via the scan tool. And since dealer guys don't see as many older cars these days, many of them won't yet know the trick to doing it.

I follow a VW dealer technician's page and some of the mk4/B5 era cars require a special procedure/vehicle identification to retrieve the radio code. It's a bit of a pain in the ass and not all the techs have caught on how to do it on the older cars yet. They had to release a tech tip about it, too.

Their ODIS scan tool is sometimes a giant pain in the ass to deal with... No wonder it's so difficult to get the service you want from a dealer when the tools supplied to dealer guys and the access to information is difficult at best.
 

vwztips

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2009
Location
Greenville, SC
TDI
2005 Passat GLS Wagon TDI 5 spd manual w/BSM delete 2011 Tiguan TDI/DSG 2005 Audi A4 Avant 6MQ TDI 2011 BMW X5 35d
Yes, when I went it literally had changed over to the new system and the tech did not understand how to get to it. Said my radio was locked up and would have to buy a new one. Of course I should be thankful as it saved me $50. Instead I paid $12,99 for a code from the comforts of my couch. LOL
 

odeanono

New member
Joined
Oct 29, 2017
Location
Seattlelish, WA
TDI
10 Jetta 6Spd CJAA/06 Jetta DSG BRM
I was looking at replacing my dead "Premium 8" OEM head unit with OEM because it is just easier and all the stuff will work plug & play. Some of the units I see on ebay say you can easily get a security code from the dealership if needed. I don't trust them a bit so I called to verify before I bought. I know with all my Honda's & Dodge's and such it was very easy at the dealership. VW Tacoma service manager told me they used to be able to just look it up for you but for "security" reasons they have to use a scanner now. It will be $165.00! I think I cussed a little before being disconnected.
 
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burn_your_money

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2012
Location
Missouri
TDI
99 Beetle, 96 B4V, 05 Passat wagon
I just checked with my local dealer for my dad's 06 Jetta wagon and they said they can still get the code. They confirmed what Matt-98AHU said about the recent change.

They also only charge $20.
 
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