RadioCodeNow.com
2005-2012

Radio Code Renault Clio III

After a battery replacement or a power cut, the radio in your Renault Clio III greets you with a short but unmistakable message on the display: **CODE**. Fortunately, Renault built in a clever feature that lets you retrieve the information you need without removing the radio.

Summary

Renault logo
Brand
Renault
Generation
Clio III
Production years
2005-2012
Standard radio
Update List
Continental / VDO
Radio option 2
Carminat Bluetooth
Continental

After a battery replacement or a power cut, the radio in your Renault Clio III greets you with a short but unmistakable message on the display: CODE. Fortunately, Renault built in a clever feature that lets you retrieve the information you need without removing the radio.

Which radio is fitted in the Clio III?

The Renault Clio III (built between 2005 and 2012) was almost always supplied with an Update List radio by Continental (formerly known as VDO Siemens). This is the successor to the older Tuner List found in the Clio II.

You can recognise the Update List by its narrow display at the top and the six preset buttons below it. Higher trim levels — particularly the Clio Initiale and certain Dynamique models — received the Carminat Bluetooth, which adds navigation and hands-free calling.

Both radios use the same security system with a four-digit code.

Difference from the Tuner List in the Clio II

The Tuner List and Update List look similar, but they are not interchangeable. The Update List communicates via the car's CAN-bus system, whereas the older Tuner List uses a separate wiring protocol. This is worth bearing in mind if you are considering swapping a radio from another Clio.

PRE-code: the smart method

Renault built a handy feature into the Update List: the PRE-code. This short code allows you to request the radio code without removing the radio.

How do you call up the PRE-code?

1
Switch the ignition on (the engine does not need to be running).
2
The radio displays "CODE" on screen.
3
Hold button 1 and button 6 simultaneously — these are the outermost buttons on the left and right of the preset row.
4
After three to five seconds, a code appears on the display: one letter followed by three digits. For example: V873 or F356.
5
Make a note of this code. This is your PRE-code. ### Does 1+6 not work? On some Clio III models the button combination is different: - Try button 1 and button 5 simultaneously - Try button 2 and button 5 simultaneously If the radio does not respond at all, it may be locked out after too many incorrect code attempts. In that case, leave the ignition on for at least an hour and try again.

Finding the radio code via the code card

When your Clio was new, a anti-theft card was included with the vehicle documents. This card — usually credit-card sized — contains the radio code and the car's chassis number.

Check these places:

  • The document wallet in the glovebox
  • The service booklet — between the pages or in the pocket at the back
  • With the spare keys — sometimes in the same envelope

Some owners who bought their car second-hand never received this card. In that case, the PRE-code or serial number is the only route forward.

MyRenault app

Do you have a MyRenault account? Log in to the app or website using your chassis number (VIN). On some models you can find the radio code there. This does not work for all Clio IIIs, but it is worth trying before you order a code.

Finding the serial number (if the PRE-code does not work)

If the PRE-code method does not work, you can read the serial number from a sticker on the radio itself. To do this, you will need to slide the radio partway out of the dashboard.

Removing the radio

The Update List in the Clio III is held in place by DIN release clips. You will need:

  • DIN release keys — product code CT22UV01 or similar. Cost: £3 to £6.

Here is how to do it:

1
Switch off the ignition.
2
Insert the two DIN keys into the narrow slots on either side of the radio (not the wider slot for the CD).
3
Push the keys inward until you feel a click.
4
Gently pull the radio forward. The cables are long enough to read the serial number without disconnecting anything. ### Where is the serial number? The serial number is on a barcode sticker on the side of the radio. The number begins with 7700, 8200, or 2811, followed by a sequence of digits. The last four characters of this number are often the PRE-code.

Entering the code

Once you have the four-digit radio code:

1
Switch the ignition on. The display shows "CODE - - - -".
2
Press button 1 repeatedly until the first digit of your code appears. Each press increases the digit by one.
3
Do the same with buttons 2, 3 and 4 for the second, third and fourth digits.
4
Check that the code is correct.
5
Hold button 6 to confirm (approximately two seconds). If the code is correct, the radio switches straight to normal mode. ### Alternative entry method Some Clio III models with steering wheel controls allow you to enter the code using the scroll wheel on the steering wheel. Rotate to select a digit, press to confirm, and move on to the next digit.

Lockout after incorrect attempts

If you enter the wrong code, the radio locks out. The display shows "ERROR" or the radio simply stops responding to any buttons.

The solution:

1
Leave the ignition on.
2
Wait at least thirty minutes. On some units this is sixty minutes.
3
After the waiting period, "CODE" will reappear on the display.
4
The waiting time increases with each subsequent incorrect attempt. A common mistake: entering the code 0000 "just to test". This counts as an incorrect attempt and triggers the lockout. Only enter a code you are confident is correct.

Ordering a radio code

With your PRE-code or serial number you can order the official Renault radio code directly. The code is delivered quickly by email.

Order your Renault Clio III radio code via MyRenaultRadioCode.com →

Other Renault generations

Frequently asked questions

Hold button 1 and button 6 simultaneously while switching the ignition on. After a few seconds, a code consisting of one letter and three digits will appear on the display — for example V873. This is your PRE-code, which you can use to request the radio code.
The PRE-code is a short code (1 letter + 3 digits) that appears on your Renault's display. You use this PRE-code to request the actual radio code. The radio code itself is a four-digit PIN that you use to unlock the radio.
No, usually not. The Clio III has a PRE-code function that gives you enough information via the display to request the radio code. You only need to remove the radio to read the serial number if the PRE-code method does not work.
Wait at least thirty minutes with the ignition on. The radio locks out after multiple incorrect attempts. After that, try calling up the PRE-code again using buttons 1+6. Still not working? Leave the radio on for an hour and try again.
The Clio III was supplied as standard with an Update List radio by Continental (formerly VDO). This is a CD radio with RDS and a small display. Higher trim levels came with the Carminat Bluetooth, which adds navigation.

Need a Renault radio code?

Safe and fast via MyRenaultRadioCode.com — all you need is the serial number.

Order radio code

Laatst bijgewerkt: 2026-04-10