It's 9 o'clock I just stopped off at Tower Records and purchased Blade Runner the Original Score. My CD changer was full so I hit eject to clear out a slot, when the lights flash and Error 3 is displayed on the radio.
I tried going to another disc but same thing. When I got home I removed the changer and I am hoping that it just got jammed. I haven't see a post on how to recover your CDs when the drive fails so I thought that I would share.
Note: I do not believe that the following procedure will cause additional harm, however, if you are concerned and having it function again is a must, I would recommend having an electronics technician repair and remove your drive.
Supplies: You will need a standard size philips, #1 philips, a micro philips, 5/16" socket and handle, small pair of needle nose pliers, hemostat, or similiar tool. A small flat head screwdriver is optional.
http://home.comcast.net/~mckinneyml/...moval_-_01.jpg
To begin you will need to remove the dash trim that surrounds the insturment cluster, radio and climate controls. There are approximately seven screws that hold it in place. Next the CD Changer trim should just pop off.
To remove the changer, there are two screws on each side. The drive will then just slide out. There is a foot and a half cable on the back. Run your hand through the CD changer hole following the cable. There is a plug behinde the dash, it may be tangled/caught on something. Worse case senerio remove the radio and unplug the small plug on the right (CD cable). This will free up some additional slack.
Once the changer is free take it inside to a table to work on. There are two screws on the left side, two on the back, and the right side is just clipped together. You may need a small flat bladed screwdriver to slide it loose.
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http://home.comcast.net/~mckinneyml/...moval_-_03.jpg
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There are three tabs that hold the front of the cover on. Lift the cover from the rear towards the front.
http://home.comcast.net/~mckinneyml/...moval_-_08.jpg
There is a micro size screw on the bottom of the face in the middle. Remove the screw then pull on the left side, then right side and the face should pop off.
http://home.comcast.net/~mckinneyml/...moval_-_05.jpg
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This is what you will see next.
http://home.comcast.net/~mckinneyml/...moval_-_11.jpg
There are several platters, one for each disc. The large gear in the middle can be used to make the platters move up and down. Clockwise up, counter-clockwise down. Note that to eject a disc the disc must be in the middle of the drive so that it lines up with the ejection/insertion slot. Also note that the CD must be below the second metal plate, the one with the copper circuits on it. See the picture below.
http://home.comcast.net/~mckinneyml/...moval_-_10.jpg
If you look through the holes on the plates you will see the middle of the top CD. Beginning with the top CD use your fingers to rotate the large gear and bring the top CD to the middle of the drive just below the second metal plate.
Insert a screw driver through the middle of the top cd. Make sure that it is only through the hole in the top cd and not the one below it. Then push the CD forward towards the ejection slot. If the CD won't slide, try adjusting the platters slightly and try again. This will take a little force to release the disc from the platter.
http://home.comcast.net/~mckinneyml/...moval_-_13.jpg
Once the CD is free push it out as far as you can. You may have to relocate the screwdriver to another access hole.
http://home.comcast.net/~mckinneyml/...moval_-_14.jpg
You will not be able to eject the CD completely but it will be enough that you can use a small pair of needle nose pliers, hemostat, or similiar tool to grab the edge and pull out. Be carefull not to scratch the bottom of the CD. CDs are burned from the inside edge (middle of the disc) out so there is usually nothing recorded on the outer edge. So just grab it by as little as necessary.
http://home.comcast.net/~mckinneyml/...moval_-_15.jpg
Once you have successfully removed the first CD, repeat for the remaining CDs working with the top disc and raising the platters as you go. Then reinstall the cover and face.
I have removed all of my CDs and will reinstall the changer back into the VX tomorrow and see if it works. If it doesn't, at least I have my CDs back. Next time I will make backup copies of my disks onto CD-Rs so that way I won't care if they're lost.
