So now that I'm ready to drive the car (at least a little ways) I thought I'd treat myself to some CDs. No Joy. I removed the CD cartridge shortly after I purchased the car and it popped right out. But when I tried to remove it yesterday ... not so much. There are no CDs in the cartridge but it won't release from the changer. The second tray from the bottom is engaged with the player mechanism but I don't think it's fully seated. Nor can I get it to release. I get the E 01 code on the stereo display and the cartridge is stuck in the changer. I tried grabbing the stuck tray with needle nose pliers but it won't budge. Any ideas on how to get the tray to release? Or do I have to disassemble the CD changer? Thanks

 

It appears to be your carriage indexer has jammed. It could be dirt on the rails (dust ingress accum) or in need a reboot to reset.

Unsure about the reboot but removal of the unit is required to clean it. There is a new video on youtube from fellow member, O&DR Modurol, describing how to remove and clean..

 

T., When you press the eject button do you hear a click like its trying to do so? When my blue eject button failed mechanically I got no click noise.

I don't know if this will help, but WTH here's some info:

The blue button is a mechanical switch, it pushes against an electrical switch inside. Picture this: the blue button is about 1/2 inch long. It protrudes straight back. The part of the blue switch (bs) you can't see is thin and rectangular in profile looking at it top down. Look at it from the side and see that the top is tapered high to low at the internal end.

Here's how it works. The bs sits in a groove allowing it to move in out. The far end must terminate against a compression spring. There is a circuit board underneath the unit, below the entrance for the cartridge. On the bottom face of this card there is a microswitch facing downwards. Its a momentary plunger type switch.

Switch is normally open, but when you press the bs, the angled ramp on its topside presses against the switch closing the eject circuit.

My bs failed, I went in thinking I'd wire up an external bypass switch on that circuit board. Bad news, we are talking almost microscopic connections. Not worth the effort IMO (FWIW i am highly skilled soldering and working with electronics).

To finish the story, I found it easier to remove the blue switch, take a 1/8 inch dowel, taper the end and just stick it in to trip the switch;-). Not suggesting that as a solution, just didn't want to leave the story hanging - folks might lose sleep!

Anyway thats how the eject switch works. I have seen posts or articles in passing where folks used something thin (putty knife?) To release the cartridge by somehow sliding it under the cartridge and tripping a mechanical switch.

Three problems there: where is that article? And, are you sure there isn't a cd spinning on the platter? What will you do next time?

Probably time to pull the changer, open her up look inside. Not too difficult, more of a PITA.

3 Bolts hold the rack in place. Be CAREFUL unbolting the one center rear - there are LOTS of razor sharp edges lurking around back there (guess how I know).

Sidebar: when reinstalling don't look at how well the 2 front/rear bolts hold and decide to skip reusing the rear bolt. The rack will rock left right without it = stressing your convertible pump.

Disconnecting the DIN plug to the cd requires a lot of effort, this is normal. Everything else is just a bunch of screws and bolts from there.

One heads up: Take photos before you disconnect the springs that attach the changer structure to the plastic housing. IT IS NOT obvious how a few of then reconnect when you reassemble in an hour or so.

Once disassembled you can easily rotate the plastic gears to retrieve the CD. There is/are articles on this site about where to replenish grease. Though as I recall its obvious.

Hope this helps,

John

 

Have had this issue off and on for some time. To get the cassette out hold the blue button in and tap (smack) the cassette with the handle end of a screwdriver. It should pop out after a few firm taps. Good luck

 

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I finally took the #$%^! thing apart and found that the disc holder (tray) was fully engaged. I thought it was partially engaged but I was dead wrong. It took a while to figure out how to jiggle the disc holder to get it to release. I attempted to lube things per the video above but I'm not sure I accomplished much. I used lithium grease.

I discovered that the cartridge release button was not mechanical as I had assumed. It's actually an electrical switch which means the unit has to be powered to remove the cartridge. I was trying to remove it without the ignition or radio on. But I had removed the empty cartridge shortly after I bought the car without the ignition or radio on. At that time none of the disc holders were in the player mechanism like this time. Not sure if that's part of the problem or not.

After reassembling everything I put 6 CDs I don't really like into the cartridge and installed it. It fed in the first disc and played it. I left the radio on (in FM mode) and pushed the little blue button and the disc retracted and the cartridge popped out. I'll have to try it a few more times and see if it jams again but for now it looks like I can play at least the first CD. Yea!