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  #1  
Old 07-09-2002, 09:54 AM
Orlo
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Can't get CD player to work in '91 420 SEL

I recently bought a '91 420 SEL which has the Becker AM/FM Cassette w/a 10 disc CD changer installed. I haven't been able to get the CD player to work. The manual says that the mode button should toggle between radio, cassette, and CD when pressed, but it only toggles between radio and cassette. Any suggestions as to what I might be doing wrong? The radio and cassette player work fine. The previous owner said that he was using the CD player one day prior to me buying the vehicle. He's trying to figure it out also. Any help would be greatly appreciated

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  #2  
Old 07-09-2002, 01:19 PM
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check the wiring to the cd changer in the trunk. there may be a disconnected cable or a fuse that is blown.

If the changer has power and you can remove/insert the cartridge, I would suspect either a disconnected cable if it has seperate power wires, or the radio may not be working right.

Either way, I'd check cabling first. then look into possible failure of hardware.

Alon
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  #3  
Old 07-09-2002, 01:22 PM
La Jolla Audio
 
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one of the connectors on the bottom of the changer could be loose, check the 3 amp fuse in the bottom of the cd changer. It could be disconnected because when they break they keep trying to eject the cartidge and this will run the battery down on the car. If you have questions ck www.lajollaaudiorepair.com and cleeve will help you
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Old 07-09-2002, 07:58 PM
Orlo
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The CD player has power. It will eject the cartridge, and the remote control indicates that it is playing, so I don't think the problem is in the CD player. For some reason, the "mode" button will switch the radio between radio and cassette, but it will not take it to the CD mode. The person who sold it to me says he was listening to CD's the day before I bought the car, and I can't for the life of me figure out why the radio won't recognize the CD player.
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Old 07-09-2002, 08:25 PM
Orlo
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The CD player has power. It will eject the cartridge, and the remote control indicates that it is playing, so I don't think the problem is in the CD player. For some reason, the "mode" button will switch the radio between radio and cassette, but it will not take it to the CD mode. The person who sold it to me says he was listening to CD's the day before I bought the car, and I can't for the life of me figure out why the radio won't recognize the CD player.
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  #6  
Old 07-10-2002, 12:17 AM
La Jolla Audio
 
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If you have a remote control for the cd changer then it is going to be fm modulated into the radio and in order to hear it you will have to tune the fm to 88.3 or 89.7 or somewhere in the vicinity and you should then hear the cd sound broadcasted into your radio. The mode button only works if it is a factory set up. Good luck!

Scott@lajollaaudio
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  #7  
Old 07-10-2002, 04:18 AM
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hehe that sounds like the right answer scott. I would give that a try, sounds like it is exactly the reason you can't get it to work through the factory mode switch. It needs to be on a radio station that scott mentioned. You may have to manual tune it in, and when you have power on the cd player saying its playign you should hear music.

Does the radio reception seem to have a bit of static in it when the cd changer shows its playing? If so that s a sure sign its fm modulated.

Alon
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Old 07-10-2002, 09:16 AM
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OK, I'm getting close now. You're right about the radio station (the frequency is 93.2) except now instead of hearing the CD music, I hear something like the CD is playing on the label side - just a bunch of noise. My CD's are loaded correctly, so I know that's not the problem. When I push the off button on the remote, the sound stops, indicating that the CD is responding to the remote. The same happens when I push play - the noise starts again. But here's the thing ... the remote LCD numbers are not visible. The only thing on the remote that is faintly visible are "disk" and "track". I noticed this a few days ago. Yesterday when I checked the wires on the CD changer and found nothing, the numbers became visible again. Now they're not, so I'm suspecting a possible loose connection at the changer.
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Old 07-10-2002, 12:42 PM
Orlo
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Eureka!

I got it!!! I was wrong about the frequency, it's 88.5. The reason why I couldn't hear it was because there is a local station close to that frequency. But when I had it parked inside of the garage, it dampened the reception of the local station enough that I could find the right channel.

Now, is there some way of getting rid of the station so I can hear the CD clearly???
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Old 07-10-2002, 05:50 PM
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Is there a way to change the frequency that the CD player transmits to? The frequency that it is set to - 88.5 FM has a local station broadcasting on it, so I can't really hear the CD - only the station. What are my options?
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  #11  
Old 07-10-2002, 07:49 PM
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You may have to pull the radio to find the rf modulation unit. they sometimes have a switch on them to change from 88.3 to 89.1

Alon
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  #12  
Old 07-11-2002, 08:14 AM
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How difficult is it to pull the radio? I'm disappointed with the rf modulation method of playing the CD. The sound quality is not the greatest because of stations which "drift" in and out of reception which causes the CD to sound like a poorly received radio station.

What would it cost to install a replacement that has a CD mode instead of the rf modulation? There isn't a MB dealership within 90 miles of me, so I would be willing to install something different if it didn't require special tools, etc.
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  #13  
Old 07-11-2002, 01:31 PM
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gett he model and manufacturer oif the changer. then scott or someone may be able to healp you find a cd changing headunit that wiwll be much b etter than the becker unit you have and work with direct cd changer input to the stereo rather than fm modulation.

Alon
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  #14  
Old 07-11-2002, 07:37 PM
Orlo
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CD changer model

The changer is a Sony CDX-A30.
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  #15  
Old 07-11-2002, 08:55 PM
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so looks like you may need a sony head unit. Not sure what works with that changer, but scott may know.

Alon

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