Honda and Acura Radio Serial Number and Navigation Code Guide

Before you hunt for any serial, try this on a Honda or Acura from about 2013 on. The audio or navigation unit checks with the car that the VIN matches the one saved in the unit, and if it does, it unlocks without a code. The Enter code screen on these cars even says so: "To enter the security code automatically, push and hold the audio power button for 2 seconds."

1. Set the car to ON, not ACCESSORY - in ACCESSORY the system asks for the code instead.
2. Wait until the CODE or Enter code screen is fully up (on cars with two screens, wait for both).
3. Press and hold the power button or the VOL/AUDIO knob for about 2 seconds, until you hear a long beep.

Applicable to: Most Honda models without navigation from the early 2000s forward.

Steps:

1. Turn the ignition to the ON position (do not start the engine).
2. Press and hold preset buttons 1 and 6 simultaneously.
3. While holding buttons 1 and 6, turn the radio ON.

The display will show either the full 8-digit serial number at once, or in two parts:

• First display: U#### (Upper digits)
• Second display: L#### (Lower digits)

Combine both parts, ignoring the U and L prefixes:

Hold buttons 1 and 6, then press Power to display the serial number.

Applicable to: the 2003-2007 Honda Accord with navigation (the method Honda dealers give for this car). For the Acura TSX, Acura's own 2007 owner's manual uses a different combination: with the radio off, press preset 1, preset 6 and the power button together, then release.

Steps:

1. Turn the ignition to ON, then turn the radio ON (it will display "Code").
2. Turn the radio OFF.
3. Press and hold the top halves of the SEEK/SKIP and CH/DISC bars simultaneously.
4. While holding those bars, press and release the PWR/VOL knob.

The screen will display the serial number in two parts (U#### and L####). Combine them the same way as Method 1.

Hold SEEK/SKIP and CH/DISC bars, then press PWR/VOL to display the serial number.

Applicable to: Honda models from 2008 to 2019 with built-in navigation systems.

Steps:

1. Press and hold the CANCEL, MAP, and MENU buttons simultaneously.
2. Use the joystick to navigate to Detail Information.
3. Select Unit Check.
4. Select ECU Information.
5. Locate the Serial No. field on the screen.

If the on-screen methods above do not work for your vehicle, you will need to locate the physical label on the radio unit itself.

Steps:

1. Remove the radio unit from the dashboard. Panel removal tools may be necessary to avoid scratching trim pieces.
2. Look for a white sticker on the top or side of the metal casing.
3. The label will show "Serial No." or "S/N" followed by your serial number.

Example of the Honda radio serial number label on the unit casing.

Once you have the serial, there are three routes:

1. The glovebox. The anti-theft card from the owner's manual kit lists the radio code and serial, and navigation cars often have a separate small tag with the 4-digit navigation code inside the glovebox.
2. Honda's own lookup. In the US, Honda's radio and navigation code tool now lives on Honda MyGarage (the old radio-navicode.honda.com address redirects there). It asks for the VIN, ZIP code, phone number, email and the unit serial number. A Honda dealer can also look the code up from the serial.
3. Our form below. Type the serial with the HONDA: or ACURA: prefix and the code appears on screen and in your inbox, from $9.99. The navigation code is often included for the same serial.

In Canada, Honda Canada's owner FAQ says its Customer Relations team does not give radio codes over the phone; codes are provided through an authorized Honda dealership, which needs your radio serial number.

Looking for a "navigation code by VIN"? The VIN alone is not enough anywhere. Honda's tool and dealers use it to confirm the car is yours, but the code itself comes from the unit serial.

Navigation Code Not Working?

• It is the other code. A radio code typed into the navigation prompt (or the other way round) always fails - they are different numbers.
• The serial was the wrong one. If the code came from the audio serial but your navigation unit has its own serial, read the Navi ECU serial and use that.
• Too many tries. After 10 wrong codes the system stops accepting input. Honda's manuals say to leave the system on for one hour before trying again.
• The power button was skipped. On 2013 and newer systems, hold the power button for 2 seconds with the car ON - it often makes the code unnecessary.