In sci.electronics.repair, on Wed, 12 Jul 2017 21:12:05 -0500, "."
wrote:

On 7/12/2017 8:52 PM, Steve W. wrote:
micky wrote:
I've convened this multi-disciplinary forum, becuase this is a
multi-faceted problem.
How to remove CD's from broken auto CD changer?
I have a 2000 Toyota Solara with a factory AM-FM-CD changer, all in the
dash, not the trunk.
It worked fine until about 2014, with 6 cd's in it, a full load, but
then I got Err 2, or Err n, and eventually I took the radio out, opened
the cover and fiddled with it and when back it the car, it worked again.

A year later, same problem, same solution. Only put in 3 cds

A year later, same problem but pushing buttons at the same time or
while something else was happening fixed it. only put in 2 cds.

A year later, even though I probably have 3 cds in it, the little icons,
one for each cd that is loaded, no longer appear, and pushing the CD
button causes nothing at all to happen. No error, no nothing.
Bought a new car (a 2004 Sebring) with, almost by chance, a cassette and
external CD changer (but right under the radio) so now before I sell the
other car, I want my CD's out of there.
Took it out, took off the cover, barely any access, only as big as two
regular postage stamps, which enables me to turn the top CD in one
direction but not the other. Can't seem to get either side off. Can't
remember exactly how I fiddled the first two times, put it back in car,
still dead.
Any suggestions?




After the seminar, lunch will be available in cafeteria.

Visit a salvage yard, buy an identical stereo, install it in the car.
Strip the old one to get the CDs out, scrap the carcass.

New owner gets a working stereo and doesn't think you're an a$$ for
trying to sell one that doesn't work (added value when you don't have a
list of "this doesn't work" items)

The car needs a lot of work and I'm only hoping to get 1000 dollars for
it, and I'm going to tell the prospective buyer that the CD doesn't
work.

But it runs very well, very quiet, and very smooth, and only has 95,000
miles. However the rear window and top need replacing for $2000 iirc
and, in the by far the biggest repair failure of my life, I took apart
the passender door, the console, and the lower dashboard/glove
complartment, and don't feel like putting them back together again,
though I will be glad to help the buyer.

You get your CDs back undamaged, and it doesn't matter if the unit is
destroyed in the process.

http://www.fixya.com/cars/t213159-to...d_player_eject

Wow, this is right on the money. The question is about the same car and
the same radio I have, and there are lots of answers. Just what I hoped
for. Thanks. And there is a link to another page. Unfortunately none
worked. Because it's a changer, there is no pin hole to release the
tray (there is no tray, as such) and even though I can take off the
cover and push the top cd towards the opening, something big is in the
way. And I haven't disconnecte the battery or taken out the fuses, but
I've taken out the radio 3 times now.

The big problem seems to be that there seem to be no power to the CD. I
tried pushing the button harder and from a different angle, tried
pushing combinations of buttons, looked again for a CD fuse. I'm quite
surprised that the electronics would fail as well as t he mechanism.

I can unscrew a little of the frame, as Paul in Houston suggests, but
the rest of "taking it apart" will have to be done with a saw. I'm not
kidding. It's no loss because the CD player is kaput and I don't think
I will hurt the radio or cassette (which work well). These things are
usually modular, and I dout think there are any radio parts in the metal
box which is the CD.

Thanks everyone.