How to remove CD's from broken auto CD changer?

I've convened this multi-disciplinary forum, becuase this is a multi-faceted problem.

How to remove CD's from broken auto CD changer?

I have a 2000 Toyota Solara with a factory AM-FM-CD changer, all in the dash, not the trunk.

It worked fine until about 2014, with 6 cd's in it, a full load, but then I got Err 2, or Err n, and eventually I took the radio out, opened the cover and fiddled with it and when back it the car, it worked again.

A year later, same problem, same solution. Only put in 3 cds

A year later, same problem but pushing buttons at the same time or while something else was happening fixed it. only put in 2 cds.

A year later, even though I probably have 3 cds in it, the little icons, one for each cd that is loaded, no longer appear, and pushing the CD button causes nothing at all to happen. No error, no nothing.

Bought a new car (a 2004 Sebring) with, almost by chance, a cassette and external CD changer (but right under the radio) so now before I sell the other car, I want my CD's out of there.

Took it out, took off the cover, barely any access, only as big as two regular postage stamps, which enables me to turn the top CD in one direction but not the other. Can't seem to get either side off. Can't remember exactly how I fiddled the first two times, put it back in car, still dead.

Any suggestions?

After the seminar, lunch will be available in cafeteria.

Reply to
micky
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On Wed, 12 Jul 2017 16:36:25 -0400, micky wrote in

I believe you need to remove the CD changer from the dash board. There should be a small hole in the back of it that you can insert a straightened paper clip. That should "spring" the CD tray.

Reply to
CRNG

If it were my car I would take it out of the car, shake it, turn upside down, etc., then apply 12v power to the appropriate wires and see if it ejects. If not then I would take it apart. Take photos of the disassembly at each important step.

Reply to
Paul in Houston TX

You can buy an extraction tool.

formatting link

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

Hahahahhaah!

Reply to
Paul in Houston TX

Visit a salvage yard, buy an identical stereo, install it in the car. Strip the old one to get the CDs out, scrap the carcass.

New owner gets a working stereo and doesn't think you're an a$$ for trying to sell one that doesn't work (added value when you don't have a list of "this doesn't work" items)

You get your CDs back undamaged, and it doesn't matter if the unit is destroyed in the process.

Reply to
Steve W.

formatting link

Reply to
.

'Fixya' is a JOKE.

Reply to
thekmanrocks

That could be a great idea, if he can find one for little cost.

Reply to
trader_4

The car needs a lot of work and I'm only hoping to get 1000 dollars for it, and I'm going to tell the prospective buyer that the CD doesn't work.

But it runs very well, very quiet, and very smooth, and only has 95,000 miles. However the rear window and top need replacing for $2000 iirc and, in the by far the biggest repair failure of my life, I took apart the passender door, the console, and the lower dashboard/glove complartment, and don't feel like putting them back together again, though I will be glad to help the buyer.

Wow, this is right on the money. The question is about the same car and the same radio I have, and there are lots of answers. Just what I hoped for. Thanks. And there is a link to another page. Unfortunately none worked. Because it's a changer, there is no pin hole to release the tray (there is no tray, as such) and even though I can take off the cover and push the top cd towards the opening, something big is in the way. And I haven't disconnecte the battery or taken out the fuses, but I've taken out the radio 3 times now.

The big problem seems to be that there seem to be no power to the CD. I tried pushing the button harder and from a different angle, tried pushing combinations of buttons, looked again for a CD fuse. I'm quite surprised that the electronics would fail as well as t he mechanism.

I can unscrew a little of the frame, as Paul in Houston suggests, but the rest of "taking it apart" will have to be done with a saw. I'm not kidding. It's no loss because the CD player is kaput and I don't think I will hurt the radio or cassette (which work well). These things are usually modular, and I dout think there are any radio parts in the metal box which is the CD.

Thanks everyone.

Reply to
micky

Good Lord! What kind of Luddite is still using a CD in a car?

Install a unit that will read a USB thumb drive or MP3 player.

Reply to
ralph

That can be a very interesting thing in many newer vehicles that use the factory stereo for a lot more than music. Many are part of the security system, the memory options are stored in it, then if you have the ones where it is an all in one with the HVAC, navigation and more....

Reply to
Steve W.

Someone driving a fully depreciated 17 year old vehicle who doesn't want to spend a lot of money on a new audio device, not to mention a lot to get it installed if he's not handy...

Reply to
Wade Garrett

It's really amazing how many people on Usenet are willing to be insulting. I wonder if they are like that in their personal lives.

You're also a very sloppy reader or you'd know that's the car I'm selling.

There are good reasons not to do either of these things, but I'm not going to bother telling you. You may not be a luddite but I don't think you want to learn anything either.

Reply to
micky

The target audience to buy your used car is a half-broke teenager. They'll want a car with a USB port on the stereo.

If you wanna sell your car, put one in. Get it yet, Gramps?

Reply to
Reverend Harry Hardwick

The target audience to buy your used car is a half-broke teenager. They'll want a car with a USB port on the stereo.

If you wanna sell your car, put one in. Get it yet, Gramps?

Reply to
Reverend Harry Hardwick

I'm still using a CD and it works perfectly for me.

My CD player happens to support Data format CDs with MP3s. Each CD holds 250 tracks. With a few CDs I've got a LOT of music in that car and at 250 tracks per, I don't need a changer.

Reply to
Dan Espen

Sure, put a $200 radio in it and get $50 more for the car. Let the kid put in his own music of choice.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

My car takes CD USB and Bluetooth. Fact is, with SiriusXM I've not used any of them for a couple of years. I should put the MP3 CD from my last car in this one though. I've not gotten arount to it in 21 months.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

I do. I have thousands of home-burned CDs. Thousands.

In fact, just made another one this afternoon.

Reply to
John Albert

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