I hope there are no vintage AM-FM cassette thieves reading but ....

Car is 1988 560SK with original radio-cassette. I had occasion to remove my steering wheel recently. It is air bag equipped and cannot be safely removed without diconnecting the battery. After reading a number of posts and not having the original code, I was spooked by the recoding issue so I placed a call to Becker in New Jersey. This is thier story:

The Becker Grand Prix in my car and others of similar vintage will display a row of dashes after power is reconnected and the radio is turned on. It will not work until recoded in some arcane way, probably by Becker.

I was told by the Becker rep that if one removes the radio first and unplugs the 5-pin connector from the back of the radio AND LEAVES IT OUT, the radio will operate normally when the battery is reconnected. The 5-pin plug may be removed before or after the battery is disconnected so long as the radio is not turned on before it is unplugged and the 5-pin NOT replaced.

Bottom line is that it worked. I thought this would be useful information for some of you. Unplug that connector and leave it out. Of course, it will make it easier for someone to steal that 20 year old radio.

Something doens't sound right, because if the radio works without that 5 pin connector in place, then the anti-theft is worthless, just steal a radio and not plug in the 5 pin connector.

__________________
Closing the store
Benzbonz.biz on your smart phone or tablet.

All I can say is it worked for me. German logic I guess or maybe it's inside information. All radio functions work including antenna up and down with it unplugged.

Awsome, I knew that this could be done but its been too many years and I couldnt remember which one was the coding plug. Got a customer that needs his recoded but I wanted to remove the coding plug so that he wouldnt have this problem again. Thanks for the post!

The four pin is for the constant 12v, ground, dimmer, and switched 12v.

Once you have the code, mark it on the radio with a permanent marker in the event you forget the code or lose the sheet of paper you write it on.

__________________
I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

Hmmm!

Can this only be done if the ------ is not already displayed? Crap, I just re-read the initial post, I think I'm f'd?

Battery was unplugged on the inlaw's '91 300E4M and it went to code, tried to enter it but it wouldn't take, now locked out.

ANY insight greatly appreciated - I was about to start surfing ebay for used units. Found out after entering the code it is a reman unit, so the code given via VIN is different, hence the lock out. I've got a bunch of #'s written down off the back of the unit, not knowing which I would need to call Becker.

1432k
3C9743186
4502
4341

???

Do I need to call Becker? Anyone got a #?

VERY much appreciate this post, and any responses - TIA!!!

__________________

Paul

'02 ML320 3rd row - wife's
'01 //S8 Alumi*****
'87 930 Sport Seats / LSD
'58 TR3A commuter

previous

'95 //S6 6gang
'87 190E 2.3-16
'88 ///M5
'98 ML320
'93 300E 2.8
'90 300E 3.0

http://blogs.europeancarweb.com/index.html (Sgt. Schultz)
http://randomstupidity.tumblr.com/
http://www.sfest.com/gallery/

I think if you leave the headunit on for a day it will reset and you should be able to then enter a code again. Only the earlier 754/780s get dashed out, if you will, and have to be reset via a dealer.

Call Becker and you will need the code on the case. Looks like a UPC bar code.

__________________
I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

huge tx - will try that

tho my recollection is that (this happened in like Oct) the radio turns itself off after on a few moments. Does the key-on effort still work, regardless of the radio turning off?

also - won't that nuke the battery?

again - tx

__________________

Paul

'02 ML320 3rd row - wife's
'01 //S8 Alumi*****
'87 930 Sport Seats / LSD
'58 TR3A commuter

previous

'95 //S6 6gang
'87 190E 2.3-16
'88 ///M5
'98 ML320
'93 300E 2.8
'90 300E 3.0

http://blogs.europeancarweb.com/index.html (Sgt. Schultz)
http://randomstupidity.tumblr.com/
http://www.sfest.com/gallery/

I barely remember, but I just had leave it key on/engine off (just accy position basically). The car started up okay the next day.

There may be some info on Becker's website on this procedure.

__________________
I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

Maybe this is whats wrong with radio in my 1987 tdt? I don't have the owners manual. It has a becker radio. Does it have lockout feature? thanks

__________________
What Would Rudolph Do?
1975 300D, 1975 240D, 1985 300SD, 1997 300D, 2005 E320 , 2006 Toyota Prius

It should "- - - -" or dash out as I call it. Either Becker or dealer can fix only. Just find a 1480 model with the code.

__________________
I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]