Aron9000

Sorry if this has been posted before . . .

So the car is a 1992 SC300, 84k miles, always garaged, well maintained, never left sitting for a number of years, basically its a cream-puff.

So I've been having a problem with the 12 disc changer in the trunk during the past month or so. Keep in mind this is Dec/Jan/Feburary, weather is colder if that makes a difference.

So I can put some discs in the changer, right away play them, change the discs, no problems.

The problem comes if I don't change the disc right after that 1st one is done playing. Today I drove from Nashville to St Louis. I loaded up that changer with 7 CD's, skipping some space in between certain CD's, because maybe its rumor, but the changer is more reliable if you don't put a disc in every slot, if you leave a space in between each disc. Maybe that is heresy or truth, you tell me.

Anyways, the problem always occurs if I don't play a disc for a while, IE driving from Nashville to St Louis, I played "DISC 1, Machine Head, Burn My Eyes", then switched to "Ma6chine Head, The More Things Change DISC 2" I then put in the tape adapter and listened to a couple of albums off my I-phone. After that, I wanted to switch to DISC 4, "Machine Head, Through the Ashes of Empires". When I tried to switch to "DISC 4", after an hour or two of using the tape deck, the changer would not change, and gave me the "Err" on the display.

I've notice the same "Err" display, if I haven't driven the car in a few days and try to change CD's. Thing is it will always play the last CD that is inserted into the drive. IE, I can leave it sitting for two weeks with "DISC 9" loaded into the player part, the disc being "Venom, At War with Satan", I can hear that 20 minute 1st track every time if it was played last time I drove the car, but try to change the disc and it flips out giving me the "Err" message.

Any tips or suggestions to fixing this problem is greatly appreciated.

Teal Sc400

The Cd might be stuck in the slideout position. I had this happened to me along time ago. Thinking I eject the cartridge, if it aloud me to eject and raise the CD cartridge and noticed the disc? The hard part trying to pull the Cd out can't remeber if I just used my finger tips or a plastic clip to pull it the disc out. Continue the spacing between the Cd's. The slot are too close making the mini platform move to precise. It might be the problem? Or just eject the Cd cartridge and put it back in and that my reset/correct the ERR.

Aron9000

this fixes the problem, but its not really a good solution. Every time ive ejected the cartridge, it always has the CD's in it. Its never left one stuck in the player

Teal Sc400

Glad it wasn't anythig more major. The problem, with the Sc bulk/heavy design, many on this site had there's break and some bought a used plug & play 6 CD machine from an ES Lexus not sure of year (I Think?)

eight

iTrader: (1)

Dunno if it's the same exact problem, but mine would not load cds - unless it was a blue moon and the werewolf of doom was prowling.
so I took it apart (also had mad skipping from dust on lens).
Fixed the cd loading problem with a trick somebody else did on the forums. Rub your fingers along the cd loaders (look like rubber cones stacked on a pole horizontal one black one grey), if your hands aren't all that greasy then rub em in lotion.
My rollers/loaders work just fine now.

Teal Sc400

Nice tip/update.. The rollers are visible to perform the oiling? Thanks!

Aron9000

So are the rollers in the changer part or in the removable magazine?

BTW, I've figured out that the thing will play CD 1 or CD 12, the ones at the top/bottom of the magazine but it won't play ones in the middle.

Just as a side note/rambling, this thing does have the best factory stereo I've ever heard for a car of this vintage. Its not as good as the Bang and Olfenhousen stuff in new Audis and Benz cars, but it still sounds better than the radio in 95% of new cars.

eight

iTrader: (1)

Rollers will be in the changer itself. Iirc I took the sliding lid off (pops off), held one (or two) tab buttons to trick the changer into loading. Then disco the connecter from the car and you should be able to see the rollers then. Otherwise you'll have to disassemble it, just a bunch of screws and minor clips that didn't give me much of a fuss.
I love the stock stereo, more the Nak then the pioneer. I'm even thinking about hunting down a stock 10 sub again, my 350w amp and 600w 10in make the sound a lil to bloated...
gl on repairs!

Teal Sc400

Thanks again for more information to the Cd Unit, on who to get to the rollers.

eight

iTrader: (1)

no prob!

btw, dag-gum your rangers!! came and slapped around the avs ><
next time!!

pishta

if you hold the small button that the slider would push when closed AND the large button the cartridge presses down on when loaded at floor of "elevator", you can watch the platform lower and cycle though the disk locations (must keep pressure on both buttons, I used a pencil to keep floor button pressed) . This will make the rollers roll and you can hit them with a Q-tip and a little light soap. I used a lanolin added soap (Gojo smooth) that doesnt dry out rubber. Lots of embedded dirt in the rollers so try and get it all off and have the rubber pliable and smooth again. One trick the cartridge does when loading is it "senses" what slots are loaded with disks and puts them in memory so you can directly access the disks from the head unit without it having to cycle though 12 slots looking for the next disk. You can watch this by inserting the loaded cartridge, pushing it down slightly to emulate the cover pressure and holding the button the lid would press when it closes (not the button on top of lid). It will try and load every slot but just for a few mm's then spit out and move on. What its doing is remembering what slot has a disk so it can display on head unit.

yardie876

Holy crap, the SC has a 12 disc changer!? I've never heard of that large of a disc changer in a car.

Sorry, I have nothing else to contribute to this conversation lol.

Aron9000

Yeah baby, the SC is what the Italians call a "Gran Turismo". A sporty luxury car that is capable of crossing vast distances in supreme comfort at a high rate of speed. The 12 disc changer in the trunk, well you have enough music in there to last your entire trip if you use all the slots.

Pishta, thanks for the good tips on cleaning the changer. I've been a bit lazy and really haven't been driving the SC as much lately now that I have a new truck, but I will definitely try and service the CD changer before my road trip to Ohio over the holiday weekend.