A Peugeot 208 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. Fitted units: RD45, SMEG, touchscreen infotainment. Check the handbook wallet for a code card first. 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.
Covers Peugeot 208 2012 to present.
Bob's never displays a guessed or generated code — if a working code can't be retrieved you get a full refund.
2012 to present. RD45, SMEG, touchscreen infotainment
How to find the serial number:
Check the handbook wallet for a code card first.
Confirm which unit is fitted — a CD slot with physical presets means an RD45.
Remove the trim surround and unbolt the unit to read the casing label.
Note the full serial including the letter prefix.
How to key the code in:
Presets 1 to 4 set each digit.
Hold OK or the source button to submit.
The unit returns to normal radio play.
Worth knowing:
2012–2015 base trims: RD45 single unit with a CD slot — this is the one that uses a four-digit code.
SMEG and later touchscreen systems: vehicle-coded, no four-digit audio code.
The RD45 serial is on the casing label, prefixed with a letter.
The 208 dash trim clips out around the unit before the fixings are accessible.
Does a touchscreen 208 need a radio code? No. Touchscreen systems are coded to the car, so a flat battery does not lock them behind a four-digit code.
Is a 208 the same as a Citroën C3? The RD45 hardware is shared across PSA, so the method is the same — but each unit's code is unique to its own serial.
My 208 radio shows ERROR The code entered was wrong. Stop and verify the serial before trying again — the unit will lock out after three failures.