How to Retrieve Your Audio and Navigation System Codes: 2004 Honda Accord with Navigation System

If you're like me and made the mistake of removing the battery to replace the headlight on your 2004 Honda Accord Ex with the Navigation System and didn't know that you needed codes to get the radio and navi system working again then this blog is for you.

For you Lean Six Sigma people ..this is just another example of a Non-Lean experience.

Information you will need that I can't help you with:

Vehicle VIN Number

Phone Number and Zip Code matching those on file

I am writing this blog so in the future I will be able to easily find these directions on the web to get the codes when I need them again.  It's also going to help everyone else out there who couldn't easily find this on the web.

Fact 1:  If your battery dies or you remove your battery temporarily,  Honda has an anti theft system built into your vehicle so your radio and navi system will not work without 2 special codes.  These codes were given to you on a small plastic card when you purchased the car.  If you lost it then you will need to follow these directions to get the codes again.

Fact 2:  When a Honda dealer works on a vehicle they connect the car to a charging station to make sure the battery does not die so they don't have to go through this themselves.  it's called a memory savor and it's used to make sure all the codes and radio presets stay intact.

Fact 3:  As of today the only way to get the audio code is to call Honda directly (not the dealership).  I'll explain that shortly.

When you restart you car after re-connecting the battery your system will reboot and tell you not to shut off the engine till it loads.  This takes about 2 minutes.

 

The next image you will see is a generic key pad on your navi console.  Also the word "CODE" will appear on the upper display.

Audio Serial Number:

To get the audio codes you need to know the serial number of your radio.  Here are the simple instructions.

1. 1) To get the radio serial number. Turn the radio power off. Press and hold the "Seek" button (top) and the and the "change disc" button (top) and press the radio power on.
2. In the upper display (not the navi display) you should get a "U" and four numbers then a "L" and four numbers.
3. Ignore the U and the L and just writer down the 8 numbers (This is the serial number)

• Image of U code below

Navi Serial Number:

To get the navi codes you need to know the serial number of navi system .  Here are the simple instructions.

1. Open the trunk and write down the numbers off the bottom of the navi control unit.  They are printed on a sticker Ex (DJB25626589A)

Getting your Audio Code and Navi Code

Goto https://radio-navicode.honda.com/

1. The system will prompt you to type in your VIN, phone number on file, zipcode and the serial numbers on your radio and navi. 
2. You will then receive an output that looks like the image below (I've removed my personal info and these are fake codes but the format is the same)
3. 
4. Here's the silly part.  The Radio code is not really the radio code.  The radio code is supposed to be a 4 digit number.  You can only get the radio code by calling (800) 999-1009 (6:00 am to 5:00 pm PCT).  You will get an automated system.  Press 3 for Navigation or Security Codes.  Stay on the phone to talk to a person.  The website is essentially useless for the Radio code and does not work.
5. The operator will ask you for all the same information (VIN, Zip..etc) and he/she will be able to give you the 4 digit code.

Entering the codes in the navi system is the easiest:

1. Just use the 10 digit numerical keypad that shows up on the navi display to enter the code for the navi system.
2. 
3. You may get a screen that says your GPS is acquiring your location.  If it doesn't get the location just move your car out of your garage or just re-start it and it will try to acquire it again.  It took me 3 tries.
4. 

Entering the codes for the radio system is not as straight forward.  You will use the tune dial to enter them:

1. When you turn the Tune knob, "CODE" disappears, and a single digit is displayed. Turn the knob to select each of the anti-theft code digits that the phone operator gave you. When you press the Tune knob, the system beeps and accepts each digit as it spells out CODE on the display.
2. 
   
   
3. You have 10 tries to get it right.  After 10 tries they system will lock you our and you will need to disconnect and reconnect the battery to get another 10 tries.
4. Other websites will tell you that you just need to use the first 4 digits of the 5 digit code that the Honda website gives you.  That's WRONG.  You need the 4 digit code.  Don't be fooled like I was.

I know that I'm going to be needing this again so I hope this is as helpful for you as it will be for me. 

I did call 2 dealerships for help.  One told me that I would need the serial numbers but didn't tell me how to get them.  The other told me to bring the car in and they would have to pull the radio and navi systems to get the number.

I also spoke to customer service rep at Honda when I called to the get the radio code.  She is aware of their continuous improvement program and is going to put this in to be fixed.  She said recently that they were testing out a new 2010 model and had the same problem and had to call their own office to get the codes.  Hopefully this will be fixed soon on the web.

If this was of any help to you or I missed anything please leave a comment below. 

BTW: Here's where you can go to get the instructions on how to change the headlight