any suggestions? dealer tells me to jank out head unit and get serial number.

 

If this is the dealer that sold you the car then they are morons. I had the same problem with my Acura Integra, purchased used, and the original dealer had the radio code on file. It would be foolish for the selling dealer to not keep such information in his maintenance file.

 

I agree with penforhire. Dealer who sold you the car should have it.

otherwise, you do have to take the radio out and get the serial number.

It happened to me on my acura legend (bought used) and they were going to chage me $75 for taking radio out and read serial number. But tech manager called miraculousely found the dealer which sold it and found the number.

cheers,

 

If you do need to take the factory stereo out, it's a five-minute job:

1) yank on door/cover until it comes off
2) undo the 4 screws holding the stereo in place
3) pull out stereo and remove harness if necessary.

 

Or even easier: some (all?) of our cars have the code on a sticker in the "secret compartment" lid. There's two things on it: an alphanumeric serial number for the radio, and the five-digit code. Look for it...
John

 

As I understand it, the code sticker is wherever the dealer chose to put it. Mine was in my doorjamb...

 

I had the exact same problem as you did. I bought my toy used from a Toyota dealership. The didn't have the foggiest clue on how to obtain the code, so they punched in a bunch of guess and got the stereo all screwed up and confused. I took it back to a Honda dealership and the guy found the stereo serial number on a sticker inside the glove box between the seats. It can be located elsewhere, but that's where mine was. From there, Honda should have the code for your stereo. The guy didn't even charge me for all of his "hard work."

 

Actually the dealer does not have the code. The code is randomly given by Honda. Each owners manual should come with a card with the security radio code. The dealers have no idea what code any specific vehicle has. The only way to find out is to take the radio out.

 

I had the same problem. The solution literally takes a couple mins.

As someone else mentioned, take off the cover, undo a couple screws, yank out the headunit and look one of its sides for the serial number. Take this serial number to the dealer and they will search for the radio code and you'll be set.

 

I'm telling you man, I didn't have to take out my head unit (so to speak). The service rep at a Honda dealer (not necessarily the one my car was originally purchased at) just took down my VIN number, got my stereo serial number, and looked up my code. There was no 'yanking out head units' involved.