Grand Theft Auto IV revolutionized the open-world gaming landscape when it launched in 2008, delivering a gritty, realistic portrayal of Liberty City that captivated millions. While the game's compelling narrative following Niko Bellic's immigrant experience remains memorable, the extensive collection of cheat codes and hidden secrets has kept players exploring every corner of the city for years.
Understanding GTA IV's Cheat System
GTA IV features 16 base cheat codes that allow players to restore health and armor, acquire weapons, remove wanted levels, change weather conditions, and spawn various vehicles. Unlike previous installments in the franchise like GTA San Andreas and Vice City, which boasted extensive cheat libraries, GTA IV took a more streamlined approach.
The game introduced an innovative phone-based cheat system where players simply dial numbers on Niko's in-game phone to activate cheats, replacing the complex button combinations used in earlier titles. This method proved more intuitive and user-friendly across all platforms.
How to Activate Cheat Codes
To enter cheats, players must first complete the opening mission to gain access to the cell phone, then press Up on the D-pad or keyboard to bring up the phone, press Up again to access the dial pad, enter the cheat code number, and confirm by pressing Enter on PC, X on PS3, or A on Xbox 360.
Once activated, a confirmation message reading "Cheat activated" appears on screen, and the cheat is automatically saved in the Phone Menu under "Cheats" for easy reactivation. This convenience means players never need to memorize or re-enter codes manually.
Complete Cheat Code List
GTA IV Base Game Cheats
| Cheat Code | Effect | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 362-555-0100 | Restores health and armor to maximum | Health/Armor |
| 482-555-0100 | Restores health, armor, and ammunition to maximum | Health/Armor/Ammo |
| 486-555-0150 | Weapons Tier 1 (Knife, Molotovs, Pistol, Pump Shotgun, Micro SMG, Assault Rifle, Combat Sniper, RPG) | Weapons |
| 486-555-0100 | Weapons Tier 2 (Baseball Bat, Grenades, Combat Pistol, Combat Shotgun, SMG, Carbine Rifle, Combat Sniper, RPG) | Weapons |
| 267-555-0100 | Removes all wanted stars | Wanted Level |
| 267-555-0150 | Raises wanted level by one star | Wanted Level |
| 227-555-0142 | Spawns Cognoscenti (luxury sedan) | Vehicle |
| 227-555-0175 | Spawns Comet (sports car) | Vehicle |
| 938-555-0100 | Spawns Jetmax (speedboat) | Vehicle |
| 625-555-0150 | Spawns NRG-900 (motorcycle) | Vehicle |
| 625-555-0100 | Spawns Sanchez (dirt bike) | Vehicle |
| 227-555-0168 | Spawns SuperGT (supercar) | Vehicle |
| 227-555-0147 | Spawns Turismo (exotic sports car) | Vehicle |
| 359-555-0100 | Spawns Annihilator (helicopter) | Vehicle |
| 272-555-8265 | Spawns APC (tank) | Vehicle |
| 662-555-0147 | Spawns FIB Buffalo (FBI vehicle) | Vehicle |
| 468-555-0100 | Changes weather (cycles through conditions) | Environment |
Episodes from Liberty City Exclusive Cheats
The Lost and Damned (6 Additional Cheats)
The Lost and Damned DLC introduced six exclusive motorcycle and gang vehicle cheats in addition to the base game codes:
245-555-0125 - Spawns Akuma motorcycle 245-555-0100 - Spawns Double T motorcycle 826-555-0150 - Spawns Gang Burrito 625-555-3273 - Spawns Hakuchou motorcycle 245-555-0150 - Spawns Hexer motorcycle 245-555-0199 - Spawns Innovation motorcycle
The Ballad of Gay Tony (9 Additional Cheats)
The Ballad of Gay Tony expansion added nine new cheats with modified weapon sets and unique vehicles:
272-555-8265 - Spawns APC 359-555-2899 - Spawns Bullet GT 272-555-3259 - Spawns Buzzard helicopter 826-555-0150 - Spawns Floater boat 276-555-2666 - Spawns Parachute 938-555-0150 - Spawns Slamvan 486-555-2526 - Weapons (Pistol, Combat Pistol, SMG, Assault Rifle, Combat Sniper, Explosive Shotgun, Sticky Bombs, Grenades) 486-555-0100 - Advanced Weapons (Knife, Grenade Launcher, Pistol .44, Assault SMG, Advanced MG, Assault Shotgun, Advanced Sniper, RPG, Golden SMG)
Important Considerations
Achievement and Trophy Impact
The most significant consequence of using cheats is that achievements on Xbox and PC, along with trophies on PS3, become temporarily disabled for the current play session. This means any cheat activation prevents unlocking new achievements until the game is restarted.
However, this restriction isn't permanent - players simply need to save their progress, close the game, and restart without activating cheats to re-enable achievement/trophy functionality.
Money-Making Strategy
While GTA IV lacks a direct money cheat, players can exploit the vehicle spawn system: after completing all of Stevie's car theft requests, repeatedly spawning and delivering the Turismo to Stevie's garage yields $11,000 per delivery, allowing players to accumulate millions without blocking achievements.
Vehicle Spawn Limitations
Only one vehicle can be spawned at a time through cheat codes - any previously spawned vehicle disappears when summoning another. This prevents cluttering the game world but requires strategic planning when selecting vehicles.
Hidden Secrets and Easter Eggs
Beyond cheat codes, GTA IV is packed with carefully crafted secrets that reward exploration.
The Heart of Liberty City
The most famous Easter egg is the giant beating heart hidden inside the Statue of Happiness, accessible only via helicopter by landing on the statue's upper platform and following a sign reading "No Hidden Content This Way" to find a ladder leading to the heart chamber.
Architectural Secrets
Liberty City's street naming follows deliberate patterns: Algonquin's north-south avenues are alphabetically named after American cities (Albany through Galveston), while east-west streets are named after minerals (Amethyst through Xenotime), and many Bohan streets reference famous prisons like Alcatraz, Sing Sing, and Guantanamo.
Vehicle Discoveries
The extremely rare Sultan RS spawns behind an abandoned mansion in Westdyke, Alderney, hidden in bushes at the end of dirt roads - practically the only location to find this vehicle without relying on the game's temporary memory spawning system.
Pop Culture References
The game contains numerous pop culture nods, including "Cluck Norris" action figures in Cluckin' Bell restaurants referencing Chuck Norris, a Mario sprite outside the Videogeddon arcade in Chinatown, and achievement names like "Assassin's Greed" (Assassin's Creed) and "Finish Him!!" (Mortal Kombat).
Previous Game Tributes
Graffiti throughout apartment building staircases pays homage to past GTA protagonists with scribblings of names like Claude, Tommy, Carl, Toni, and Victor, connecting the current game to the broader GTA universe.
Environmental Oddities
Players can discover an experimental art statue wearing a traffic cone hat in the Civilization Committee Building courtyard in Hatton Gardens, and a tomb behind Meadows Park Church with the epitaph "Roll of Honor 'War of the Deadline' 1869-1869. For those about to build...we salute you" - likely referencing the AC/DC song.
Hidden Locations
Middle Park's lake, when viewed from above, reveals an alien-shaped design, while the National Union of Contemporary Arts building in East Island City features an accessible courtyard with provocative art installations.
Platform Compatibility
All cheat codes function identically across platforms:
- Xbox 360 and Xbox One - D-pad navigation
- PlayStation 3 - D-pad navigation
- PC - Keyboard arrow keys (T key to access phone, or Up arrow)
PC players gain an additional advantage with F2 recording capability, which captures 30-second gameplay clips directly to the hard drive.
Playing Without Cheats
Importantly, GTA IV's cheats are designed as one-time effects without permanent gameplay consequences, so players don't need to worry about deactivating them. The game allows for both casual cheat-enabled exploration and serious achievement-hunting playthroughs without conflict.
Legacy and Impact
Grand Theft Auto IV remains one of gaming's most critically acclaimed titles. It sold 3.6 million copies on its first day and helped the franchise surpass 100 million total sales. The phone-based cheat system it pioneered influenced subsequent open-world games, demonstrating how accessibility features could enhance rather than diminish gameplay experiences.
For players in 2025, GTA IV's cheats and secrets continue offering fresh ways to experience Liberty City, whether for nostalgic revisits or first-time explorations of one of gaming's most meticulously crafted urban environments.
Note: Save your game before using cheats to avoid any unintended issues. Cheats do not prevent 100% completion but will temporarily disable achievements and trophies during active sessions.
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