Expert: Cleggsan - 8/27/2009

Question
We have an Audiovox SP-6CD changer in our Ford Taurus 2000 wagon.  It is installed vertically in the rear of the car.  It can no longer eject the magazine.  It makes the noise and tries, but no success.  Is there a magic hole/button to manually/mechanically cause it to eject?  We bought the car used from a gas station and discovered this CD player a week after purchase.

Answer
Here is the installation booklet which may give you an idea if it was properly installed in your Taurus:
http://www.audiovox.com/manuals/installation/1285540_IM.pdf

If you google for the manual you can download it from several sources.

To your question:  All car cd changers are subject to severe environmental conditions; hot and cold temperatures, lots of vibration and often abuse by the users.  It is no wonder they do not last many years. If yours was installed in 2000 it is now a very old unit in terms of CD changer lives.  It may just need replacing.

The only button for eject is on the front panel under the sliding dust cover.  The only other reset method is to remove power totally for several minutes and the repower it.  You can do this by unplugging the connections to it.

The symptoms you described indicate the mechanism is either locked up or the electronic servo system is jammed or not functioning fully.  Try putting the unit so the magazine faces downward; that way you have gravity working in your behalf.  Once out, try a new magazine as sometimes they become worn and don't engage properly into the mechanism.

I suspect, in the long run, because this unit is getting so old, you will have to replace it or switch over to iPod or mp3 playing system.

Do you need more? Let me know.

C