Radio/Audio System Description and Operation: Theftlock: Radio: Notes

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2007 Chevrolet Corvette. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

The "Theftlock" theft deterrent system is a feature on all base and uplevel radios. There is no need to program a security code into the radio as in past model years. The theft deterrent system now utilizes class 2 serial data to determine if the radio is in the appropriate vehicle. Each time the radio receives the "run" power mode message, it compares the VIN information it has stored to the VIN information received from the body control module (BCM) on the class 2 serial data circuit. If a mis-match occurs, the radio display will indicate to the user the radio is locked. Once this takes place, a DTC will set, the radio will not respond to any button presses and become inoperative. The 2 scenarios able to cause this condition are:

A radio is installed from another vehicle
The BCM is replaced and not properly setup with the correct VIN information for that vehicle

The only way to unlock the radio is by using a scan tool. Always refer to the table in this section to diagnose the "Theftlock" DTC for further information.