Error code E01 for CD player
 

Hi all. Took the Jag for a spirited drive the other night. When I returned home I noticed I had the E01 error code for my CD player. I had this a few times in the past and the fix was to eject the CD cartridge and reinstall it..

My problem now is I can't get the cartridge to eject? Tried lightly prying on it to remove it but, it won't budge. All other functions on the head unit are working fine so I'm assuming that fuses 9 and 12 (passenger side) are OK.

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance and hope every ones doing well.

Cheers!

Do you hear the click of micro switch engagement when you try to release it? Probably not, the blue(?) Plastic slider you push on seems to fail much more frequently.

Let me describe how it works, may help you with dead reckoning to get it to engage. There is a circuit board suspended from the bottom of the floating chassis that the cartridge goes into. This board is directly below the space for the cartridge. There is a micro switch, about 1/4 by 1/4 inch soldered on the board just back a tiny bit (maybe 3/4 inch) from the front edge of the board. The switch's plunger faces downwards.

The blue plastic actuator you push to eject is mounted to slide front to back. Inside far end terminates in a small compression spring. Now let's picture the profile of this actuator. Bottom is flat and straight. Top edge is tapered low on far end, high on near end.

As you can imagine, when it is pushed in, the taper contacts the micro switch plunger, pushing it upwards to close the circuit.

The plastic actuator can become worn and maybe not align properly. Hope this helps you get the right touch to get it out.

Warning: dont get frustrated and transfer the frustration to the switch - it is way more fragile than it looks - too much force and it will break (ask me how I know :-)).

For those thinking ahead - "well why not solder in a bypass switch. It looks like there would be plenty of room to run wires out the actuator hole into an external switch?" It is probably not worth the effort. The micro switch's solder to the trace is small, nearly SMD ( surface mounted device) small. On top of that its buried under wires and mechanisms that would require significant disassembly. More power to you if you do. Just wasn't worth it to me.

Like I said, my blue actuator is long gone, but I have Easy instant eject by placing a flat piece of wood into the actuator hole and gently pressing up on the switch. Easy to do if you know where the micro switch is.

Let us know how it goes

John

Johnken thanks for the input. I can hear the micro switch click when I depress the blue button but, it just doesn't want to release even after giving it a little more persuasion prying on it. Where should i be trying to find the release? Top, bottom, left or right? Thanks in advance before I take the big screwdriver to it lol.

To trip the cartridge release manually, use a thin strip of steel - a steel six inch rule is ideal. Slide the strip in on the centre line of the cartridge, under its bottom edge, about five inches deep. Now trying to keep the steel strip at right angles to the cartridge, slide it towards the front of the car. It may take a few attempts to get it, but you will eventually trip the catch and out will spring the cartridge.

Of course, if the system has failed with a disc in the playing position, you might have to get the whole unit out and start with that big screwdriver!

Ouch. If I were you I'd take it out, take the shell off.

This will expose the big plastic gear on top. As I recall it's easy to manually turn it to retrieve the CD then release the cartridge. Many have taken this opportunity to grease the gears to minimize the chances of this reoccurring.

I've read of folks who slipped a thin tool in below(?) The cartridge to release it. I never did thinking to myself- with my luck the previous CD will still be on the turntable since moving the CD into the cartridge is separate from releasing the cartridge.

Frankly getting in there gets closer to fixing the problem going forward. It's not a fragile mechanism not to worry.

Just a pita job have an electric screwdriver handy.

One thing: as I recall the back and top come off with a few Phillips screws. If you need to disconnect the springs that float the chassis- take lots of photos. Reattaching them is not self evident. Photos will make reassembling easy.

Maybe someone knows of a better way to get the cartridge out.

John

I had all these sorts of problems. Ended up removing the CD player and striping it down. Have a read. Click Me To Read

You might try to press the EJECT and HOLD THE BUTTON to cycle through the CDs??

bob

WOW tried all the tips/suggestions that you guys were nice enough to pass on. I was ready to pull the unit after not having any luck getting the cassette to release. Happened to come across an older thread that suggested holding the blue button and tap on the cassette with the butt of a screwdriver. I was doubtful but, after a half dozen taps it popped out. Cool!

Again thanks to all responded and I hope this helps someone in the future.

Cheers!

Every once in a while the HOLD THE EJECT BUTTON does work.

bob

Bob, I agree with holding the button but, I think the taps with the back of the screwdriver did the trick.

Thank goodness for the forum and others experiences
 

I just ran into the problem of getting a sudden E01 message on my 2004 XKR CD changer. It had always worked well over the 3 plus years I have had the car. Tonight suddenly , when changing the CD it locked up I tried ejecting the cartridge and was unable to do so while out traveling. I got home and checked out the forum and gave it a try putting a thin knife gingerly under the cartridge and hitting the eject button and it ejected. I checked over the cartridge removing and re-installing each CD. Everything appeared to work smoothly so a blew out the unit and cartridge with a can of compressed air. I had noticed the CD player cycled a couple of times and stopped after the cartridge ejected. I re-installed the cartridge and closed up the unit, and went and started the car. The radio was playing and I hit the CD button and low and behold it worked. I tried changing CD's a couple of times and it worked fine. Thank goodness to the forum and others experiences. Thanks to past contributors

Thats the beauty of these Forums. All dedicated owners who, for the majority anyway, have "been there done that". Its a bit like having hindsight on tap.

I have had one or two head scratching moments when I wonder what has caused this or that problem and someone has had the same problem and tells you how to sort it.

Nice one for solving yours!

Perhaps the Jaguar did not like your choice of music. Suggest you change to a different genre in the future.

This could be true. After all a Jaguar, see handbook, does NOT have a cigarette lighter. It has a cigar lighter.

I read the same post(s) and it worked equally well for me. A screwdriver with a rubber covered handle seems to be the best compromise as it still can jar the CD player enough and yet not leave any trace of brutality

;)

Z

I have a similar ongoing problem with my CD player. I can play through 3-5 CDs with no problem, and then suddenly get the dreaded CD Error1 code. Or sometimes it will pop up when I first install a cartridge, and start the CD.. Supposedly the small plastic(nylon) drive gear is going bad, and cannot be replaced, because they are now longer being replaced. I tried an old time Radio/TV/ CD repair shop. and the guy just shook his head. When the cartridge stops, I pull out my handy 2" putty knife, and start sliding it under the cartridge until it releases. Then reinstall and wait for the next 'Error' code. I keep cassette tapes in the car for those times when I cannot stop to work on the CD cartridge. So much for 'Old School'.

I much prefer the single-CD units in my Ram, my Outback, and my wife's Lexus. No issues thus far with any of them. The Blaupunkt unit I installed in my Ram is now 18 years old....