My Fricking Radio is IN Code Mode...

[gypsyangel]

So I go out to my 95 325is black on black baby girl and she freezes up on me and won't start, bam never happened before just click. I turn on the lights get out of the car and no lights. So I go back to her trunk and mess around for a minute and whamo she fires up and I'm cool as the other side of the pillow.....till i want some jams and then this happens. The code thing so I rummage around and i find this paper that has my code on it it says radio code 65254 but that doesn't work so back to square one so i'm reading the paper somemore and now i see radio number could this be the serial number it reads like this F31124580B and there is another radio number that is R40499 so if anyone can get me the right code with these numbers I'm much appreciated very much.

Thanks,
Gypsy

[supertack]

First off, if your not sure of what the code is, I wouldn't randomly try different variations. Enter the wrong code 3 times, & the security lock will engage not allowing you to enter a code again. The only way around that is to keep the battery on (position #1 in the key cylinder) for a couple hours.

Second, the code is only numbers from 1-6. This is obvious since you enter the code from the pre-set buttons, & they only go as high as 6. Therefore you can forget those other two number you found. The first number sounds right, but it could be wrong for a couple different reasons. If that code is written down somewhere, & not on a code card, it could easily be false. Also keep in mind if the head unit's not original, it's probably a bunk code. Earlier Alpine C33 head units had lots of problems with bad displays, so if the head unit was changed out, you might have a bad code.

Best way to get your code is by pulling the unit, writing down the serial number of it (written somewhere on the back of the unit), then calling your local dealership with that serial number, & your vehicle vin number. They should be able to confirm the head unit code, or give you the correct one.

Unfortunately I speak from experience.

[Chilly]

Of course, they'll want to charge you $40 to access the secret decoder ring. I think that fee is set high enough to make it unprofitable for punks to steal a BMW radio because it's junk without the $40 super secret code.

My radio never did work. I bought the car from a guy who didn't pass along the super secret codes and the battery had been drained. So I got all cool like the dark side of a pillow and pulled that POC out of the dash and replaced with a new unit that's better than the AM/FM cassette stock radio. No way I'm paying $40 for six numbers scrawled on a post-it so I can listen to the best hits of the 80's on cassette. I take my big hair tunes in CD form.

Chilly

[zboot]

Not necessarily. They may not charge you anything.

I just bought a 318ti whose radio had been replaced by the original owner (I'm the third). The second owner did not realize this and had swapped out the stock radio for his own and only got around to putting it back in the morning I came to pick up the car. That's when we discovered the card that he had was incorrect.

I called my local bmw dealer, they said if I pull the radio and write down the SN, bring in the car and verify ownership, they'll lookup the code for me for free.

[azzurri]

When I was at the BMW dealership I think the odd time it was done for free.

Then they made a change to the decoder software where you had to also enter the vehicle VIN.

[OttoBob]

I find that the joy of driving a BMW is the car, not the stereo. For me I prefer the original stereo unit with a volume knob you can actually get a grip on and sense what you are doing without taking your eyes off the road. I find it a bit difficult to locate the plus /minus buttons while I am at speed and focused on the road. The original stereo has a display with the same color and brightness of the other standard dash lights, so when you are driving at night it does not distract your vision as do many after market units. Having a cassette slot available, also makes it easy to put in an I-Pod adapter, which is pretty handy for road trips. Getting the code is worth the hassle, and having an original unit repaired is also worth the trouble.

[supertack]

Originally posted by OttoBob
Getting the code is worth the hassle, and having an original unit repaired is also worth the trouble.

This is a great point. Too many times e36 owners find their Alpine C33 head units having problems, & their too quick to replace with after market.

I've personally found it next to impossible to duplicate the orange display that Alpine made for the C33, C43, & CD43 head units for e36 Bimmers. To me, having all the interior illumination match was important in keeping the interior integrity of the vehicle. I mean, there's nothing more obnoxious than a nicely appointed German automobile with all kinds of funky lights & animations blasting from the head unit. However, the Alpine C33 HU was kinda a dog for performance & reliability.

My personal suggestion would be to upgrade to a used Alpine C43, or even better (if you have the means) the CD43. The C43 looks identical, only drops the silly weather band, and adds PTY & RDS. This way you can see what genre the radio station is, & what the song title & artist is, right on the HU display. It also has no high end limit (like the C33), so it makes much better use of the factory amp. The CD43 is the same as the C43, only drops the cassette & adds a CD player. Both units work universally with an Alpine trunk mounted CD changer, & are plug & play with the stock wiring harness.

I've seen C43 from $100 - $150 on eBay, & CD43 for around $250 - $300. When you figure fixing a bad display or cassette deck on a C33 is gonna cost ya at least $75, upgrading to a C43 doesn't seem so bad.

[gypsyangel]

OK, THIS IS UN REAL BUT I CALLED RASMUSSEN AND TOLD THEM MY PROBLEM AND THEY SAID JUST BRING IT DOWN AND WE'LL PULL THE RADIO AND GET THE SN AND THEN THE CODE FOR YOU. SO BEING EVER WISER SINCE DEALING WITH STEALERSHIPS I ASKED SO HOW MUCH WILL THIS COST ME, THE GIRL SAYS NOTHING JUST BRING IT IN SHE THEN ADDS IT JUST TAKES A SECOND TO PULL THE RADIO. SO I GET HER NAME AND DRIVE DOWN WALK INSIDE AND GO TO THE RECEPTIONIST AND EXPLAIN THAT I CALLED DOWN ETC. SHE LOOKS AT THIS GUY SITTING AT A DESK AND SAYS WOULD YOU GO OUT TO HIS CAR AND PULL HIS RADIO GET THE SN SO WE CAN GET THE CODE. HE GRABS A SCREW DRIVER AND POPS 2 SCREW CONCEALERS ON THE FACE PLATE AND BAM ITS OUT GOT THE NUMBER GETS ME THE CODE I PUT IT IN AND I HAVE MUSIC AGAIN. ALL FOR NOTHING. SO I BOUGHT A 20 DOLLAR BMW HAT ANYWAYS. ALSO CHILLY JUST SO YOU KNOW I HAVE A CD CHANGER IN THE TRUNK AND DON'T USE THE CASSETTE PART OF MY STEREO. I JUST LIKE THE INTEGRITY OF THE LIGHTING DISPLAY OF FACTORY EQUIPMENT INSTEAD OF MY CAR LOOKING LIKE A PINBALL MACHINE. THANKS EVERYONE YOU GUYS ROCK!!!

[zboot]

dude. . typing in all caps does not make you look cool and is not the way to stand out. However, I can understand your euphoria over getting that taken care of. I felt the same way last week when I finally got the code for mine.

[supertack]

Originally posted by supertack
Best way to get your code is by pulling the unit, writing down the serial number of it (written somewhere on the back of the unit), then calling your local dealership with that serial number, & your vehicle vin number. They should be able to confirm the head unit code, or give you the correct one.

Originally posted by gypsyangel
HE GRABS A SCREW DRIVER AND POPS 2 SCREW CONCEALERS ON THE FACE PLATE AND BAM ITS OUT GOT THE NUMBER GETS ME THE CODE I PUT IT IN AND I HAVE MUSIC AGAIN. ALL FOR NOTHING.

Hmm, yah that's what we've been trying to explain to you the better part of the month.