valex

Looking for help with my in-dash CD changer on a 1999 LS400.
The cartridge is stuck, when I press EJECT button, it flashes a few times, the changer makes some noise and nothing happens. The Navigation screen display says NO MAGAZINE. I tried to take the cartridge out with nose plyers, no luck. Tried disconnecting the battery, no luck, just CHECK VSC light came on in the dash, will check if it still there in the morning.
I seached for the solution to the problem here using SEARCH, but most people write about their problem with 1st gen LS changer in trunk.
Has anyone had such a problem? Any piece of advice?
Thanks a lot.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

dead battery sounds like

check VSC comes on when the battery is dead/dying in the 98-00 LS400.

valex

My battery is about 1,5 years old. The VSC light came on after I disconnected the battery to check if will solve the problem with the stuck cartridge. Will check if it stays on in the morning.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

make sure u tightened the terminals down properly.

skperformance

iTrader: (6)

Sounds like the gear to move the cartridge and magazine is broken.
Or you may have double stuffed a cd on 1 layer causing it to jam.

valex

What do I do in case it is what you say? I mean how do I disassemble the changer to find out for sure what it is? Thanks, guys.

skperformance

iTrader: (6)

Need to remove it from the dash and open the cd player up to move the gears inside by hand and see what is broken.

valex

PureDrifter, you were right, I disconected the battery terminals today and then retightened them. The VSC ight is gone. I still have to deal with the stuck cartridge. To take changer out from dash, do I pry the wood veneer first? I don`t see any screws or anything on the surface.
Thanks, guys

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

cant remember how to take the changer out, but im pretty sure theres a tutorial for it on http://celsiorup.com/ (site is in japanese, google translate is ur friend )

valex

Today I did this to take the cartridge that was stuck in the player and wouldn`t come out:

I tried to pull it out with long nose plyers, it didn`t work, then I put 2 screws in the cartridge, one on each side and pulled by the screws and the cartridge came out. It turned out that the problem was caused by a CD tray inserted incorrectly - it was not in the corresponding grooves, say one side of it was in 3rd and the other in 4th.
The cartridge is probably destroyed, I tried the other cartridge I have and it played, but when I tried it an hour later, I hear some clunking noise, and the Nav. screen says NO DISC. Is my CD changer damaged and needs repair? Has anyone taken the in-dash changer apart? Need a piece of advise, do you know what dealer charges for this kind of repair?
Thanks a lot, guys

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

you put SCREWS into the cartridge then just YANKED the whole damned thing out o.O

i wonder why its broken

you could have just looked around on the link i gave you, theres a detailed pictorial on how to take the CD changer out as a whole. which is what your prolly gunna hafta do now anyways to replace the whole damned thing.

valex

All the trays were inside the cartridge, I didn`t have to yank it, I just pulled it and it came out. Pure, can you explain how to use that site in Japanese?