Can you please ask Nissan to find the radio code that will make my 2009 Micra fully functional again? The car, which I bought new from the main Nissan dealer in Worcester, has always been reliable and a joy to own – until now.
Last December, the battery completely failed when I had stopped briefly in a local layby. A friend managed to jumpstart the vehicle, and I have since replaced the battery with a new one.
However, for the last five months I have been unable to use the car’s radio/satnav because it has been locked ever since the battery incident. I have followed the instructions to unlock it but the pin that I had did not work.
The dealer from whom I purchased the car is no longer in business, so I have been going backwards and forwards with Nissan’s head office, which seems to be unable to find the correct pin anywhere in its systems.
I’ve been reluctant so far to visit another dealer, given the lockdown rules. A search online suggests I am by no means alone. Can you please intervene with Nissan?
SM, Worcester
Back when car radios were frequently being stolen, the manufacturers pin-protected them to stop thefts. They automatically lock when removed from the power supply. However, if the battery fails, or is changed – which is not an infrequent occurrence – the car’s infotainment system will remain unusable until the correct pin is inputted.
The problem appears to be a particular problem for Nissan owners. A thread discussing codes on the Nissan Micra owners’ club forum runs to 32 pages, with people in the know helping other owners out. There are other sites similarly devoted to the problem.
I asked Nissan HQ to intervene in your case. It says that while often these cases can be resolved remotely, in this instance, your car will have to be taken to the main dealer and be plugged into its computers.
To apologise for the delays, Nissan is going to pick up the dealer’s bill. It also offered you a courtesy car.
Happily, the visit happened this week, and you once again have a working infotainment system.
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