radio ?

Many of today's cars have radios with security codes. They are designed to become inoperative when they are disconnected from a power source. Disconnecting the batter for service or to change it (or removing the radio to steal it) will activate the system

When purchased they come with the code and the dealer should explain this to the new owner. It is wise to write the code in the owner's manual and make sure it stays with the car. Other common places to put the code are in the glove box or the trunk under the matt etc.

Some radios have the feature, but it is not active unless the owner activates it by putting in a code.

All or most original codes can be obtained at the dealer, sometimes for free sometimes not.

Some one here may know were to go on-line for your model and year so keep reading the responses.

Frankly I don't believe the security code has done much to prevent theft. It appears theft is down because of the cheap nature of the original equipment radios.

Good Luck

In article "Joseph Meehan" writes: $ When purchased they come with the code and the dealer should explain $this to the new owner. It is wise to write the code in the owner's manual $and make sure it stays with the car. Other common places to put the code $are in the glove box or the trunk under the matt etc.

Putting the code in a fairly obvious place in the car is a bad idea. The bad guy doesn't want to stay in your car too long, but if he can simply open the glove box and jot down the code, you've just defeated the purpose of having an anti-theft code feature.

My current car has such a radio. The dealer did explain the code feature to me - the basics of how it worked, and the fact that the radio's manual includes instructions on how to enter the code should it be necessary to do so.

$ All or most original codes can be obtained at the dealer, sometimes for $free sometimes not.

Which also defeats the purpose of the feature, unless the dealership does a good job of verifying who you are.

Going off on a tangent, I recently heard of a scam that is apparently used to aid in car theft here in Ontario. To sell a used car privately, you have to get an information package from the Ministry of Transportation, which gives the history of the car - who owns it, whether it's been reported stolen, in accidents, etc. This was done to try to cut down on curbsiders - people who claim to be regular Joes trying to sell their old car but who in fact make a living off doing this (essentially operating as unlicensed used car dealers).

But apparently you only need the VIN and a bit of money ($20 or thereabouts) to get this package - no need to prove you own the car. The VIN is visible from outside the car, so it's easy to get.

The package includes details on the car's current registered owner. It includes enough details to apply for a replacement for a lost/stolen driver's license - address, driver's license number (and, in Ontario, the driver's license number includes your date of birth), etc.

So now you have the car's VIN, and a piece of ID with your photo but the particulars of the car's owner. You go to a dealership for that make and say you need another key for the car. They look at your license, and see that it matches the registered owner of the car, so they make the key for you. And you can now drive off with the car; no need to break a window, hot-wire the car, etc.

The cops here recently said that the rise in carjackings is a response to the increasing use of vehicle anti-theft devices; the easiest way to get the car is to approach the owner with a weapon and order them to hand over the keys. This scam would also seem to be a response to anti-theft devices.

$ Frankly I don't believe the security code has done much to prevent $theft. It appears theft is down because of the cheap nature of the original $equipment radios.

Probably not an inaccurate statement. Considering the cost of some of the aftermarket stereos, if I were a stereo thief, I'm sure I'd be looking to break into a riceboy car.