Had a little hiccup today. Tried to start the car, everything tripped, alarm went off, then reset itself. Locked and opened the car, started the car, everything fine and working except the stereo. The CD player in my vRS is in safe mode and won't even accept a code.

I thought they were coded to the cars ecu but this doesn't seem to be the case with mine today. Entered the code in once only, but it didn't recognise the code, and won't now even let me try to enter a the security code. I only tried once, which the manual says is OK, it should lock you out for an hour after two failed attempts but not this time. I'm puzzled, so I throw it open to you guys, help...........

It should code itself, you have the ignition on yes?

Yes, everything on, even engine running. Everything but the stereo, I think I might have fried it. When I went to start the car as this happened, it was like the battery power spiked, and the dash went dead, was audible like it popped fuses, causing everything the shut down. No fuses have been affected though, everything works, just the stereo is having a fit.

I have removed the stereo from the car previously and it coded when replaced in the car by itself. This time it didn't code, I then tried to manually enter the security code, which I did once only following the instructions to the letter and now it won't even accept any attempt to manually unlock it.

Try pulling the fuse for the stereo and starting again. Swithc the unit on with the ignition on and it should go into learn mode.