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CD Player Error 4

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Old Aug 7, 2014 | 11:03 PM
  #1  
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Default CD Player Error 4

Has anyone had the Error 4 message from the CD player. I just had it today and my CDs won't play and I can't eject them. I have the Mark Levinson. Is it an easy fix?
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Old Aug 8, 2014 | 02:16 AM
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I had error 4 and the same symptoms. Disconnecting the battery for a few minutes cleared the error.

That is what this place recommends as a reset.

http://carstereohelp.com/lexus.htm
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Old Aug 8, 2014 | 03:32 PM
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I unplugged the battery and that didn't work so I started to take the stereo out of the dash to take it apart. Before I unplugged the harnesses from the back, I noticed the label that tells you how to put the stereo in "shipping mode". With the car off, hold down "seek up" and "disc" at the same time. Continue to hold the buttons and turn the car to "ACC" mode. This immediately ejected the CDs and the word " SHIP" displayed on the screen. I pressed "LOAD" and that took it out of shipping mode and everything is working like normal.
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Old Aug 8, 2014 | 09:09 PM
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Congrats on getting it fixed. Thanks for the follow up and info on the shipping mode fix.
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Old Aug 11, 2014 | 02:29 PM
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Wow Jake, that's some interesting info. Wish I would have known that a couple of weeks ago when I was getting the THIRD stereo put in my 2005 RX330. It had the "error 4" message when I bought it (from a Caddy dealer) so I had them pay to get it fixed which they did through the local Lexus dealer. However, the Lexus dealer just ordered a new one and replaced it. Unfortunately, that replacement ALSO produced the "error 4" message after pushing a few CD buttons (e.g., load, track, eject...) so the Lexus dealer ordered ANOTHER stereo and put it in. A major hassle on my part. I'm betting the "shipping mode" was still on for the one they initially put in. My current/third stereo also showed "error 4", but only one time. I found out in the previous cases that turning off the car, then restarting resulted in the stereo starting up with the last button pushed when "error 4" showed up. So I am knocking on wood every time I start up now...I'll try your solution if it happens again. What REALLY bothers me now, if in fact the "shipping mode" was the issue, is that the Lexus dealer didn't know about it...

Last edited by gundy; Sep 15, 2014 at 11:17 AM.
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Old Aug 11, 2014 | 03:46 PM
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Originally Posted by jakenbake
I unplugged the battery and that didn't work so I started to take the stereo out of the dash to take it apart. Before I unplugged the harnesses from the back, I noticed the label that tells you how to put the stereo in "shipping mode". With the car off, hold down "seek up" and "disc" at the same time. Continue to hold the buttons and turn the car to "ACC" mode. This immediately ejected the CDs and the word " SHIP" displayed on the screen. I pressed "LOAD" and that took it out of shipping mode and everything is working like normal.
Awesome! You may have solved the dreaded "Error 4" problem that has plagued numerous members here. Hopefully this will work for others as well. If this turns out as a confirmed fix, the senior moderators should make it a forum sticky.

Last edited by Rainbird; Mar 22, 2015 at 03:58 PM.
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Old Apr 10, 2016 | 08:42 AM
  #7  
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Originally Posted by jakenbake
I unplugged the battery and that didn't work so I started to take the stereo out of the dash to take it apart. Before I unplugged the harnesses from the back, I noticed the label that tells you how to put the stereo in "shipping mode". With the car off, hold down "seek up" and "disc" at the same time. Continue to hold the buttons and turn the car to "ACC" mode. This immediately ejected the CDs and the word " SHIP" displayed on the screen. I pressed "LOAD" and that took it out of shipping mode and everything is working like normal.
Confirmed!!! This worked in my 2007 RX350.. THANK YOU!!!
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Old Apr 10, 2016 | 06:01 PM
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Thank you for the SHIP mode tip. That seems to have fixed the problem on my 04 RX330. Now to burn a compilation CD BTW, does the standard system support MP3 on CD?
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Old Apr 11, 2016 | 08:57 AM
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Just so you know...This didn't fix the problem. My CDs still continued to get stuck. It just got them out for me so they weren't forever stuck.
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Old Apr 11, 2016 | 02:14 PM
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This was happening to me at least once a month in my 2005 non ML system. So I just decided it was time to get an aftermarket stereo, the install was amazingly simple for even a non electronics guy like myself lol. I bought all the equipment from crutch field for I think a good price
-Alpine blue tooth single din 139$
-wire and faceplate were 90
also added an old sub and amp that were collecting dust in the garage it sounds 100% better than stock.
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Old Apr 12, 2016 | 06:23 AM
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Originally Posted by jakenbake
I unplugged the battery and that didn't work so I started to take the stereo out of the dash to take it apart. Before I unplugged the harnesses from the back, I noticed the label that tells you how to put the stereo in "shipping mode". With the car off, hold down "seek up" and "disc" at the same time. Continue to hold the buttons and turn the car to "ACC" mode. This immediately ejected the CDs and the word " SHIP" displayed on the screen. I pressed "LOAD" and that took it out of shipping mode and everything is working like normal.
Thanks for this "trick", seems educative.
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Old Jul 23, 2017 | 11:24 AM
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this worked, thank you very much. all the home burned cd's ejected & now the screen shows that I have a 6 cd player again. THANK YOU YHANK YOU
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Old Sep 7, 2017 | 12:47 AM
  #13  
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Originally Posted by jakenbake
I unplugged the battery and that didn't work so I started to take the stereo out of the dash to take it apart. Before I unplugged the harnesses from the back, I noticed the label that tells you how to put the stereo in "shipping mode". With the car off, hold down "seek up" and "disc" at the same time. Continue to hold the buttons and turn the car to "ACC" mode. This immediately ejected the CDs and the word " SHIP" displayed on the screen. I pressed "LOAD" and that took it out of shipping mode and everything is working like normal.
I have Lexus RX 300 II. He works for him as well. Thank you so much!
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Old Sep 24, 2017 | 01:23 PM
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Originally Posted by jakenbake
I unplugged the battery and that didn't work so I started to take the stereo out of the dash to take it apart. Before I unplugged the harnesses from the back, I noticed the label that tells you how to put the stereo in "shipping mode". With the car off, hold down "seek up" and "disc" at the same time. Continue to hold the buttons and turn the car to "ACC" mode. This immediately ejected the CDs and the word " SHIP" displayed on the screen. I pressed "LOAD" and that took it out of shipping mode and everything is working like normal.
I tried this and got to Shipping Mode. Then pressed LOAD. The system rejected my loading.
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Old Sep 24, 2017 | 01:52 PM
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Wish I had known this before removing my stereo head unit and dissassembling the entire CD changer unit to remove the stuck CDs
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