Miata Mailing List: March 1993, Message #61
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   From: (none)
Subject: RE: Mazda radio/cassette, wiring problems...
   Date: (none)

> From: 
> To: Multiple recipients of list  
> Subject: Mazda radio/cassette, wiring problems...
> Date: Wednesday, March 17, 1993 2:02PM
>
> Hi,
>
> Also... am I correct in assuming that even when the thing is fixed it's not
> going to work without the security code? Is there anyway to find out the
> security code (other than try every possible combination)? Is there anyway to
> reset it?! (The previous owners are being so good as to not return any of my
> calls).

If the shop has to disconnect power to the radio to get it fixed, then the
radio will not work without the security code.  After power is reattached
to the radio, you have three tries to enter the security code and then the
radio will fry itself.  There is no way to reset or recover the stereo after
it has been fried.

If there was a way to reset/disable the security feature, it would kind of
defeat the purpose of having the password in the first place.  No matter
how difficult or obscure it is to reset the password, thieves will discover it.
The only secure anti-theft protection for a miata stereo is to make
bypassing the security either impossible, or more expensive than just
buying another stereo.  In either case there will be no market for stolen
miata stereos, and thus they won't get stolen as much.

There was a similar piece of email about this topic about a year ago,
where somebody bought a repo'ed miata and did not have the stereo
password.  He was afraid to ask the original owner for the password,
because the original owner might give an incorrect password out of
spite.  I never saw any followup email from the original person, but the
general conclusion of the net was "you are hosed".  In the future, I think
deactivation of the stereo password should be a condition of sale.

But, hey, you may get lucky and the original owner may have never put
a password into the stereo.  That may well be the case since it sounds
like the stereo has lost power several times and it has never prompted
you for the password yet.  See your owner's manual for descriptions of
how the security system on your miata stereo works.

MattSkew
mattsq@microsoft.com