Is there any Harm in Entering an Incorrect Number?

George N asked;

Is there any Harm in Entering an Incorrect Number?

Yes, very much so. If you enter the wrong code into your radio, then the radio will assume that it has fallen into the wrong hands, and there will be a penalty time of anywhere between a few minutes to several hours before you can try to enter the code again. Each wrong attempt will result in a longer penalty time. If you have tried to enter what you believe to be the right number more than once, and it didn’t work, please don’t keep trying, as the number is almost certainly incorrect. There are only a limited number of times that you can try this number before the radio locks up permanently. Some radios, once they have locked up, cannot be reset, and the stereo may end up being scrapped as new code chips are often uneconomic or unavailable for replacement. Better to send us the unit whilst there are still some attempts left, as resetting a penalty timer on a low setting is much cheaper than replacing locked out Code Ic’s, and certainly cheaper than scrapping the stereo.

-Dave Watts