Hello,
As the subject says, I have a 2000 Echo with a CD stuck in the player. Nothing that I'd miss, but I would like to be able to use the player again. The CD/tuner unit is a factory model, and the radio does work. When I try to play or eject the CD though, basically nothing happens.
The CD unit doesn't have the "paperclip eject" hole common to drives on PCs, so there is no obvious way to get it open (gently).
Any suggestions?
Thanks, Tim
Was this a home-made CD with a stick-on label? If so, the label as become detached from the CD and affixed to the CD parts. You can try a very thin (credit card thickness) piece of plactic and slide it over the top of the CD in hopes of dislodging the label. If it's a generic CD without stickies, you'll need to pull the unit and see what mechanically going on..
I seem to remember similar problem a few years ago. I used either a small pair of needle nosed pliers or a locking forceps to grab it and pull out. I think I pushed eject at same time. If I remember, on of the grandkids had shoved 2 cd's in at once. Both got trashed as I remember it.
Good luck
Ron
The CDs or the Grandkids?
Thanks for the suggestion. It is a CD-R, but just labelled with a marker, no stick-on label.
I could try it. Really, what's a replacement stereo cost if I hose something? There shouldn't be more than one in there, but I hadn't tried reaching in to drag the CD out.
Heh. Thanks!
Some car makers (eg Saab) expressly tell you NOT to use home-brew CDs in in-car players. My own theory is that this is because the temperature inside a parked car can rise enough to make coatings flake and peel.
I tried putting a dead, el-cheapo CD-R on an indoor windowsill in full sunlight: within half an hour the track foil was peeling; it would have completely befouled a player.
In older times, one was told not to use longer-play casettes with in-car players. 120 minute tapes were said to be so much thinner that the relatively clumsy car players were liable to stretch and tear them. Life repeats, it seems.
We need to find the best quality CDs for all our better/safer music enjoyment. Any Suggestions? Maybe those CDs without any label although it's hard to know which side is up.
Interesting idea, though I'd rather keep easily-replaced CDs in the car than the originals. Better yet, data CDs of MP3s, but that'll have to wait for the next stereo.
The Toyota manual does tell you not to use weird-shaped disks, or ones which are not flat, or which have odd beveled edges. This one would be none of the above.
Tim
(But hey, at least it's not an 8-track I'm complaining about...)
Corolla S specifically mentions to not use "odd shaped discs" nor CR-R or CD-RW discs for thqt very reason - that they might not come back out (no explanation as to the reason behind it not coming out, though....)
Interesting... I think I'll keep that on the list of things to check whenever I do replace the old stereo. If one eats CD-Rs and another doesn't, that will be important.
Thanks, Tim
Just to follow up, I ended up removing the stereo, figuring that worst case I'd have to upgrade. Well, that's the case... It wasn't going to give up the CD on its own, with a metal bar vertically in front of the slot. No part of the mechanism was moving, despite gently rocking exposed gears back and forth. In the end, my kids get a few motors and gears to play with...
Tim
MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.