Radio Code Problems

[lurch]

HELP please, My father in laws 1997 LS400 has had its Battery disconnected for a while to fit a ABS sensor, when it was reconnected the radio will now not work. He has tried ways of getting it to work but did not know what the radio code was and had to pay a local audio place £45.0 for them to find out the code for him but said they could not get it to work also. After several attemps it locks you out and HELP appears on the display, you can get rid of this by holding buttons 1,4,6 and the ON button, it then goes to sec but comes up with an err, when code is entered, I believe there is a master passcode and i'm wondering if it needs to be reset and then will except the code.

Any body come across this problem please, any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Phil.

[graham8370]

Hi Phil, have never heard of a Mastercode before.

How did the Audio shop find your Dad's code. The code is normally the last three digits of the VIN, are these the digits you are entering, if not, try them.

Good Luck, Graham.

[lurch]

Hi Phil, have never heard of a Mastercode before.

How did the Audio shop find your Dad's code. The code is normally the last three digits of the VIN, are these the digits you are entering, if not, try them.

Good Luck, Graham.

Hi Graham, dont know how they found the code, but believe they removed the radio and obtained the serial numbers off the radio and obtained the code that way somehow. We have tried the last three VIN numbers. Spoke to two Local lexus dealers but waiting for them to get back to him, but was told by a local toyota/Lexus specialist that there is a master passcode, the audio guys have been in business for years and are good at what they do so was suprised they could not fix it for him. We must have tried over 50 times, getting locked after every 9th attempt, then clearing the help and starting again. Have also tried pulling the fuse for the radio and leaving for a good 10 mins and retrying but to no avail.

Phil

[Bluesman]

Hi Phil, have never heard of a Mastercode before.

How did the Audio shop find your Dad's code. The code is normally the last three digits of the VIN, are these the digits you are entering, if not, try them.

Good Luck, Graham.

Hi Graham, dont know how they found the code, but believe they removed the radio and obtained the serial numbers off the radio and obtained the code that way somehow. We have tried the last three VIN numbers. Spoke to two Local lexus dealers but waiting for them to get back to him, but was told by a local toyota/Lexus specialist that there is a master passcode, the audio guys have been in business for years and are good at what they do so was suprised they could not fix it for him. We must have tried over 50 times, getting locked after every 9th attempt, then clearing the help and starting again. Have also tried pulling the fuse for the radio and leaving for a good 10 mins and retrying but to no avail.

Phil

I had to put a mastercode into mine when Lexus fitted a new Battery earlier this year. My code number is wriiten in the owners handbook. Good place to look if you have one.

Mike

[TigerFish]

Is there a radio model number on the front of the head unit?

[Redsteve]

Is it a MK3 or MK4 (with the touch screen controls)?

Steve.

[lurch]

Thanks for your help, not a touch screen display, as for number on front of unit can't say until monday as father in law has gone away for weekend "with no radio or traffic info which he wanted before he went" Will have alook next week and let you know thanks.

[Redsteve]

I am sorry to say that I can't help you then, I have a cheat for the MK4 but don't know anything about the MK3.

Steve.

[lurch]

I am sorry to say that I can't help you then, I have a cheat for the MK4 but don't know anything about the MK3.

Steve.

No problem Steve, thanks anyway. He is going to see an audio speicalist in Norwich on wednesday who says he has a master passcode that will sort it hopefully. Will try and get father in law to try and obtain it then i can post on here for future reference.

Cheers

Phil.

[TigerFish]

Has he looked to see what the model code for the stereo is?

[lurch]

I am sorry to say that I can't help you then, I have a cheat for the MK4 but don't know anything about the MK3.

Steve.

No problem Steve, thanks anyway. He is going to see an audio speicalist in Norwich on wednesday who says he has a master passcode that will sort it hopefully. Will try and get father in law to try and obtain it then i can post on here for future reference.

Cheers

Phil.

Well Radio sorted yesterday. A master passcode was used to sort out. Only thing was the only master passcode to work was for a GS300 and not Ls400 ! Apprantly three different master pass codes for Ls400's but father in laws 1997 Ls400 only excepted a master passcode for a GS300 so worth remembering if anyone has similar problem.

Master Passcode was 328 448 you press buttons 1,4,6,power to get sec on screen, then put in 328 press scan then 448 press scan and it was sorted. Cant remember how to put numbers in but it tells you in handbook i believe, just that you have to put the code in two entries and not as one long number, if that makes sense.

Hope this is of some help to someone.

Phil.

[MJM444]

Hi there

Did not realise that there is a radio code for a MkIV as I have never had to put a code in for the Radio after disconnecting the Battery. N.B I have just fitted a replacement Battery.

MJM444

I am sorry to say that I can't help you then, I have a cheat for the MK4 but don't know anything about the MK3.

Steve.

[TigerFish]

Hi there

Did not realise that there is a radio code for a MkIV as I have never had to put a code in for the Radio after disconnecting the battery. N.B I have just fitted a replacement battery.

MJM444

On the GS, and I think LS too, you have to enable the code for it to be active. If the code is off, you can disconnect the Battery without any issues.

If "SEC" is displayed on the stereo briefly when it is powered up, then the code is enabled.