Okay maybe im just retarded and doing this wrong, have tried multiple times, with no success. I bought this 1996 a4 in july. it sat for around 7 years. literally just sat, didnt drive.Battery fried, so radio ahs been locked.in the book there are 2 codes, one on the card, one written near it.. I tried the one on the card and it fails. I hold the DX(think its dx) and Fm 1/2 buttons , enter the code, hold them again. It flashes then still safe mode.

When i do the code written in the buttom right it shows one error. Then i enter it and that one error goes away so its clear. I then enter it againm. and now I have 2 little lines in the corner and its locked again. Wtf am i doing wrong?I called the dealership they said i would have to bring it to them and dont feel like paying. anyone know if my radio is fried or something?
Thanks

 

anyone?

 

if you try it too many times it will lock out for a long time i heard... you have to do a certain procedure to get it out of safe mode ( i had a similar problem) ... there is a write up on how to get it out of safe mode, you press the 2 buttons, type in your number, than i think it is press the 2 buttons again or something ( LOOK THIS UP) you need to do it in that order....

 

nah i do it in the order i looked up..still nothing

 

Do you have the actually code for it from the dealership?? If not give a dealership a call, you will need you vin and all that good stuff.

 

Yep this is the code. no idea why its failing. Could the radio be bad?this thing did sit for ages near the ocean, maybe water messed up somehow.maybe i should just look to replace

 

to get it out of safe mode, put your key in the ignition and turn it to accessories and leave it for an hour. this should clear the system. lmk how it goes

 

yeah do that ^^ thats what i was refering to (you need to do this cause you must have gotten it wrong before am i correct?) just do that and then do the procedure again...

 

Ive left it running for an hour a few times to try again. And it still says i fail even though the code is right. heres whwat happens. I try the first time, when i first hold the buttons down so it starts at "1000" it gives me the one error in the bottom. I do the code, it flashes safe, then nthe one error goes away but stays in safe mode. So i wait 5-10mins..try again.. And this time it flashes safe again, and 2 errors come up. so i now i need to wait an hour to try again.. Could my radio be broken?

 

I don't really know what the "errors" you're seeing are, but I know how frustrating it can be. I couldn't get my radio working for almost a month. Tomorrow, I'll look at my radio and try and walk you through the process. If that doesn't work then you might have to go to the dealer, or just buy a new head unit. I don't know if you can find them for your model year, but ECS tuning was pretty much giving away the stereos for face lifted B5s. Or you can try Shokan for a refurbished one.