A Peugeot radio asks for its security code after the head unit loses its permanent live feed — a flat battery, a battery change, a jump start or the radio being unplugged. The code is held against the serial number of that head unit, not against the registration or VIN. The serial normally looks like C1234567. Check the handbook wallet — Peugeot dealers often supplied a code card with the car. Once you have the serial, enter it in the radio code finder on this page.
Radio codes belong to the head unit serial number, not the vehicle registration or VIN.
A flat battery, battery replacement or radio removal is what triggers the code prompt.
Peugeot serial formats: RD4 / RD45 (e.g. C1234567); RD3 / Clarion (e.g. PU1234567); RT3 / RT6 navigation (e.g. SI1234567).
Display messages: CODE = The unit is waiting for the four-digit security code. · ERROR / Err = Wrong code entered — check the serial before trying again. · ANTI-THEFT = Displayed on some RD45 units when the lock is active. · WAIT = Timed lockout counting down while the ignition is on.
Bob's never displays a guessed or generated code — if a working code can't be retrieved you get a full refund.
Where to find the serial number, what the display messages mean and how to key the code back in on a Peugeot.
The Peugeot radio code is a four-digit security code held against the head unit serial. It is separate from the key transponder and the BSI, so a radio moved between two Peugeots stays locked to its original code.
When you'll be asked for the code:
After a flat battery or battery replacement — the usual cause
When the BSI has been disconnected for electrical work
After fitting a second-hand RD4 or RD45 unit
Occasionally after a deep discharge on a car left standing for months
Serial number formats:
RD4 / RD45 — for example C1234567. 207, 308, 3008, Partner — label on the top or side of the casing.
RD3 / Clarion — for example PU1234567. 206, 307 and early Partner units.
RT3 / RT6 navigation — for example SI1234567. Navigation head units on 407, 607 and 807.
How to find the serial number:
Check the handbook wallet — Peugeot dealers often supplied a code card with the car.
Peugeot units very rarely display a serial on screen, so plan on removing the unit.
Single-DIN RD3 units in a 206 use four flat extraction keys into the corner slots.
Double-DIN RD4 units are usually held by four screws behind the trim surround, which unclips by hand.
Read the label on the casing and note the letter prefix as well as the digits.
What the display messages mean:
CODE — The unit is waiting for the four-digit security code.
ERROR / Err — Wrong code entered — check the serial before trying again.
ANTI-THEFT — Displayed on some RD45 units when the lock is active.
WAIT — Timed lockout counting down while the ignition is on.
How to key the code in:
Presets 1 to 4 set each digit — press the button under the digit position to increment it.
Some RD4 units use the up/down arrows to change the value and the source button to move on.
Press and hold the OK or preset 5 button to submit.
The radio confirms and returns to normal operation.
Are Peugeot and Citroën radio codes the same system? Effectively yes. PSA used the same RD3, RD4 and RD45 hardware across both brands, so the serial format, the entry method and the lockout behaviour are identical.
Can I get a Peugeot radio code from the registration? No. The code is tied to the head unit serial. A registration cannot tell anyone which radio is currently fitted to the car.
My 206 radio shows CODE but the buttons do nothing Check the unit has permanent live as well as switched live. If the constant feed is missing — a common fault after fusebox work — the radio powers up but will not accept entry.
Do Peugeot touchscreen cars need a radio code? No. From the 208 and 2008 onward the touchscreen systems are vehicle-coded rather than protected by a four-digit audio code.