Car Stereo Blues

December 21, 2006 9:42 PM

What's the key-sequence to unlock my car stereo? I know the code but how do I enter it?

I have a 99 Toyota Corolla and just had the battery connectors replaced. Because the battery was disconnected my stereo is now not working and is displaying "SEC" meaning I need to unlock it to be able to use it.

I know what the code is, I just don't remember the sequence of key-presses that will let me enter the code. The stupid thing is that I did this a couple of months ago and had no problems - it was some combination of "scan" and the "next/previous track" keys.

My Google-fu has turned up requests for codes but not the input sequence. Help??

posted by ninazer0 to travel & transportation (5 comments total)

Ask your dealer?
posted by Doohickie at 9:46 PM on December 21, 2006

Read the car's manual?
posted by jesirose at 9:57 PM on December 21, 2006

These folks will sell the entry instructions to you for $5.99.

Best answer I have at present.
posted by Exchequer at 10:04 PM on December 21, 2006

This technique sounds similar to what you did before:

Turn on the key, look for "SEC" only to appear, then press "tune up", hold it down, then hit #1 preset, you'll get --- in the display, now you have 10 seconds to enter each digit, first digit is done with preset #1, 2nd with #2, and 3rd with #3, once you have the code entered, hit "scan" and wait
posted by holgate at 10:16 PM on December 21, 2006

Although the dealership is open, their maintenance section (which knows the answer) has closed early for christmas and the manual says nothing about the input code (I checked earlier).

Holgate has the winning answer! I'm writing this down in about a dozen places so I don't have to go through this again. My trip to the in-laws tomorrow will have music to soothe me after all! THANKYOU!
posted by ninazer0 at 2:22 AM on December 23, 2006