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Error 3 - Broken Cd Changer- How To Remove?


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My wife's 2002 SC430 is showing "ERROR3" on the CD Changer. No discs will load or eject or play. I have read that this is most likely the result of a physically jammed disc. All other functions of the radio (AM, FM, TAPE) function perfectly.

The dealer wants over $800 to replace the CD Changer. I refuse to do that without first trying to un-jam the current unit.

I read another post on how to remove the Radio, but it was incomplete, or inaccurate.

So far i have done the following:

1- Open arm rest

2- Push forward to remove the seat heating unit

3- That gave access to allow me to lift the wood grain unit that surrounds the shifter, and inculdes the cup holders and ash tray

4- unclipped the several wires that connect the wood grain piece to center console, allowing me to put it to the side

5- Removed the two bolts that seem to be attached to the radio

But the radio will not budge at all :tsktsk: !!!!!!!!!! I must be missing something. What else do i need to do to remove the unit?

Thank you in advance.

TCN

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Update-

I learned from another site what to do next.

6- This step was the most difficult so far, and i was very worried that i was breaking the car. You have to remove the AC control that is above the radio. This piece includes the leather strip inbetween the AC control and the Nav. That whole piece is held in by pressure clips. There are no screws, or bolts. Essentially i just wiggled and pulled it out. After a lot of fighting it popped out.

When i did this the wood panel that covers the radio was in its "up/retracted" postion. I did not realize that the AC unit is directly on top of that piece. Luckily in all my wiggling and pulling and fighting with the AC unit i never applied enough pressure for it to scratch the wood panel. You may want to try removing the AC unit while that panel is in its "Down/Deployed" position to avoid the possibility of scratching such a prominent piece of wood. I didn't do it that way, so i can't vouch for it.

7- Now i see 2 more bolts that clearly hold the radio in place. I haven't removed them yet, as i need a socket wrench with a longer extension to reach them. I will update when i get at them!

Wish me luck.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Ok done! It worked perfectly.

8- I removed those bolts, but needed an extension for my socket wrench. I bought a 10" extension from AutoZone for about $8.

9- Gently pull out the surprisingly heavy radio/CD Changer unit. The wood panel will be attached on top.

10- Disconnect the many wires plugged into the back of the CD Changer

---ok this is where i got sort of lucky i think----

11- I took the whole radio unit up to my house to open it up. I removed the screws that atttach the wood cover to the unit. Then I took out the screws on the side and top that keep the metal top connected. This took much more time than expected as many of the screws were stuck. Luckily I didn't strip any.

12- Disconnect the face of the radio, which i think had a small screw or two, but mainly was plastic pressure clips. Be careful, as there is a small ribbon cable that connects to the radio unit. I disconnected this from the faceplate side by flipping down the small plastic bar that holds it with a very small screwdriver. Make sure to reconnect this before putting it all back together.

13- Once open i was immediately saddened by how complicated it was and i felt i was in way over my head. The cd's were all on their plastic beds, but were stuck up a bit it seemed. There were so many small springs and things that i knew that one wrong move would mean i would have to buy a new one.

13- For me, one of the plastic beds had fallen down, off of the grooves on the side that hold it. I gently lifted it up and - click - all the other five fell down into place. I had no idea what i had done, but it seemed like maybe that was the problem so i put it all back together.

14- after reassembling everything in reverse order, i turned on the car and the cd changer made alot of noise for about a minute. I thought for sure i had broken something. Then all of a sudden, it started playing. I slowly went disc by disc and everythign worked fine. When i tried ejecting a disc, i noticed that the flap was stuck, but one quick tap and it loosened.

15- Everything is working now, weeks later.

YMMV, your mileage may vary. But good luck.

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Guest inicol63

While you had the radio out, how easy would it be to take off the fascial?

I been thinking of respraying my radio fascial and matching ac unit cover.

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  • 2 months later...
Update-

I learned from another site what to do next.

6- This step was the most difficult so far, and i was very worried that i was breaking the car. You have to remove the AC control that is above the radio. This piece includes the leather strip inbetween the AC control and the Nav. That whole piece is held in by pressure clips. There are no screws, or bolts. Essentially i just wiggled and pulled it out. After a lot of fighting it popped out.

When i did this the wood panel that covers the radio was in its "up/retracted" postion. I did not realize that the AC unit is directly on top of that piece. Luckily in all my wiggling and pulling and fighting with the AC unit i never applied enough pressure for it to scratch the wood panel. You may want to try removing the AC unit while that panel is in its "Down/Deployed" position to avoid the possibility of scratching such a prominent piece of wood. I didn't do it that way, so i can't vouch for it.

7- Now i see 2 more bolts that clearly hold the radio in place. I haven't removed them yet, as i need a socket wrench with a longer extension to reach them. I will update when i get at them!

Wish me luck.

Hi, could you let me know which website had the instructions. I have been attempting the removal but have only managed to release the lower two bolts. The

ac unit has two small screws facing down towards the chassis you did not mention there removal. Is this unneccessary. Asif

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Guest inicol63

Asif your need to remove a number of bolt 6 in total 4 below the cd unit and and 2 below the ac unit.

You have two screws also under the ac unit that need to be removed.

Remember to remove all plugs as you go except the one that covers the opening of the cd unit cover this with some tape so it does not mark your wood trim.

Cover all a round the leather with a tape to stop any sharp edges cut you leather trim.

If you look on eBay i have a unit for sale that in full working order.

It could be a couple of things Encluding the ribbon behind the facial as well as the normal problem.

Have you checked that the unit is not lock in shipping mode:

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  • 4 years later...

Good work there bud. Was wondering how to get that out myself. I'm fitting an ipod interface soon so that's useful info.

Gary.

Gary, if your taking the radio / cd out did you buy a new facia for your ipod?
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  • 1 month later...

Just seen this topic ,but I had the exact problem with mine and I sorted it out the same as you .its also nice to see the same colour combo as mine I think its the best .

Its the best for you....

But many people think differently.. Naming a colour combination as 'the best' seems to me to be 'used car sales speak'... Just like 'fully loaded' it means nothing. I wouldn't by a car from anyone who used such meaningless descriptions.

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Hi alphacat

That is my opinion as I stated and not everyone agrees ,we are all different after all,some people like black cars some like white and then there's everything between.

But I'm 42 and yet I choose real oak furniture over modern types ,and I would choose a jag over Audi everytime,( if I didn't have my sc)and above all I'm not a sheep so I do what I want and not what the masses do .

All the best john.

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  • 5 months later...

Had the self same problem. After doing nothing, one day I just pressed the eject button and out popped a cd. Has happened several times since but found that by loading only one cd at a time it worked. I know thats far from perfect but save myself lots of grief. Seems to be if you turn the key to power up cd, press eject then start engine at same time. If dosnt work first time wait a day or two and do it again. Dont ask me why it worked but it did.

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