2005 model with navigation and CD Changer. The audio cuts in and out on FM and CD player, and the CD Changer hardly ever worked so no surprise there. There is no pattern as the interruption is random. I checked all the connections and the CD changer and Navigation fiber optic connections seem loose.

Before playing with the connections yesterday, when pressing the CDC button, it never displays anything like the change doesn't exist. After playing around with the connection, i now get the normal 'CDC Error' message on display, but still random sound.

Any ideas? I'm thinking the cable connection is loose at the CD changer? Maybe a bad fiber optic cable? Navigation works as normal.

Oh, i already purchased a used amplifier from the bay, but returned it as it made zero difference.

 

All control and audio from the head unit to the CD changer and the amp are on the fiber-optic network. It's not just fiber audio like a Toslink cable from your TV or Playstation into your A/V receiver, it's encoded audio, control commands, everything. There are no copper connections for anything to the changer and the amp except power and ground, and of course the speaker outputs of the amp. Everything you describe points to the fiber optics. That's how the sound from any source gets to the amp, it's how the changer is controlled, and how the changer reports what disc and track is playing.

As to where in the fiber, that's something to dig for. I know there's a double fiber connector at the head unit, the change, and the amp, but I have no idea how many junctions may exist within the car on the way from the front to the back.

 

+1 on the fibre optic

 

thanks for the replies, i'm going to get a used cable from the bay and try it. Will return with results.