So talked to quite a few people on here about my CD changer, and here is the update.

Car is a 1998 SC300.

*inserted 12 discs in there
*CD changer makes noise (sounds like all CDs load)
*pressing CD button on the head unit leads to ERROR message
*pressing eject button on the rear, makes lots of noise (as in cds are unloading), then I move the cover and can pick up the CD box.
*all CDs are burned.

So what are the thoughts?
1) CD changer is bad?
2) How difficult is to replace it with another OEM changer?
3) Changer won't play burned CDs?

Appreciate the help.

 

Post in stereo subforum.

 

Are your CD's getting stuck going in or out?

 

yea my cd changer does the same thing but withiut the burnt cds lol. new changer from the dealer is like 500 bucks. and finding a used one is easy but there is no guarentee its gonna work. so i would just upgrade to a aftermarket brand. or just get a in dash tv

 

Mine was working great but in the cold weather CD's have been getting stuck. Mostly CDR's, but I've had a few "regular" CD's get stuck too. It's been warmer the past couple of days and it's working fine. Ryan, I didn't think the CD player would play CDR's, but I burned a bunch of Sony CDR's (color collection 1x-48x) and they work fine. I was pleasantly surprised, to say the least. Overdrive, it makes more sense to put this in the SC forum since it's an SC CD player question, IMHO... I know some models have the same players, but I'm sure a lot of us don't know which models those are!

 

What do you mean? I don't get the question. In the little sleeve thing, all the CDs go in and out smoothly.

 

Let me ask, when you burn your cd's do you burn the music in an mp3 format? If so then that will cause the ERR to pop up. Burn in music CD format which will let you put 16-24 songs on the CD ( non mp3) format.

 

*want to keep all stereo/headunit stock.

*so can one get a aftermarket changer that will work with stock head unit? How much/where?

No TV/bling stuff for me, thanks.

 

These CDs are all burnt in Asia. They play in all my other cars. I don't know much about mp3/cd format you are talking about, but all these CDs have 15-19 songs on them.

Just trying to figure out if the changer is bad (the car is rather new, everything else works, and the CD changer makes noise), or if I need to go to buy 17$ CD at best buy and try it out.

 

Welcome to the world of the SC 12 disk changer and its horrible problems. Mine hasn't worked in years. Try cleaning the lens with a cleaner CD or look for the reset button inside the changer and push it, then pray for the best.

 

Ryan, sorry about that question. If they are going in and out smoothly, you have a different problem than I do/did. Do you have any factory CD's? If so, try one and see if it works. Sounds to me like the player can't read the format that your CD's were burned with. I would bet they were burned as MP3's instead of CDR's.

 

Thanks guys. WIll continue to try it with some other CDs. Yeah I know of the CD changer problem, as this is my second SC. I just didn't think a 98 model would be affected so early in its life.

 

you may not want to think so, but its already probably close to 10 years from its build date!! I know the car is so timeless that it looks like it was a 2005 model My CD player hasn't worked since 2003 when I bought the car (and who knows how long before I bought it that it didn't work), and my car was built in late 1993, so mine was as old as yours is now when it died

 

So what are the symptoms of death, not playing CDs or not making any sound?

Given its dead, what is the best alternative to keep the stock head unit, and play some CDs? Appreciate the help.

I am just surprised such a well made vehicle can have such a simple failure. Heck my neighbors 96 Accords CD player works as new (just asked him, while he was pulling in).

 

Can some audio gurus help me out.