96 E320 - Intermittent problem with Alpine CD changer
 

I have been having this intermittent problem with my Alpine CD changer in the trunk. Hope somebody here can help:

When the car is first started up, the changer will work for a while (about 15 minutes), then suddenly stops. The "No CD" message is displayed, and the stereo system reverts to radio operation. Once this happens, the changer no longer work regardless of what I try (the "Loading CD #" message is displayed for a while, then the "No CD" message comes on). But when the car is started up the next time I get on it, the changer will work again, until the same thing happens again. And this has been happening consistently (at least 4 or 5 times in a row now).

I have sprayed both connectors near the changer (the DIN type connector immediately after the changer, and the other one after the black 1"x1"x3" block some 10" away) with contact cleaner. That did not seem to help.

I am thinking of opening the changer up to see if a belt is lose or something. Any idea?

Thanks in advance.

Probably a bad changer itself. MB I believe has an exchange program to get another one.

Gilly

Gilly,

Can you elaborate on the exchange porgram? I have the exact same problem with my 95 S320.

Wow, both cars in Alberta. Must be the cold we have up here eh? (grin).

Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if the cold did have something to do with it. Does yours 'fix' itself for a while if you remove the CD cartridge and then put it back?

I haven't done that yet. All I do is forget about using it for the rest of the trip. It invariably works again when I start the car again when I get back into it the next time.

You take the changer to the dealer, and they either send yours in for repair, OR MB sends a reman changer and they take your changer in on trade for the reman one (in effect, your unit would be the "core", similar to a core unit on a reman water pump or reman engine).

Gilly

Any idea on how much credit ($) they would give you?

I think instead of giving actual "credit", they have a flat fee for the service, for some reason something like $150 sticks in my mind. It's only available if you have an exchange unit, so you can't just walk in and ask for a reman cd changer, you have to have a bad one to exchange.

Gilly