Intermittent fault on car CD player

[MikeMusic]

Sometimes works fine, sometimes won't play when I start up the car.
Most common fault is that one CD plays fine, change to another and it won't play, as today.
In all probability it will work next time I use the car

Time to change the CDP ?

Around the same age as the motor I guess 1996, Pioneer I think

[prestonchipfryer]

Would seem the unit is knackered. You have had a good run with it. The last two car cd players ive had lasted about five years before breaking down.

[YNWaN]

Is there condensation on the discs - do you have a leak in the boot?

[MikeMusic]

Would seem the unit is knackered. You have had a good run with it. The last two car cd players ive had lasted about five years before breaking down.

Thought so
Need to find the one that came out of my old Saab that was only in use for a few months

[MikeMusic]

Is there condensation on the discs - do you have a leak in the boot?

Everything is in the CDP. Nowt in the boot

[YNWaN]

Could still be condensation on the discs though.

[MikeMusic]

Could still be condensation on the discs though.
Seem ok when I take them out.
Worth trying a CD from the house next time I use the car ?

[StanleyB]

The fascia mounted Pioneer CD player in the SAAB is likely to stop playing discs after you have played a couple beforehand. The mechanism gets hot and starts to refuse reading the disc. You can actually sort of feel how hot the mechanism has become by just ejecting a disc and feeling how hot the disc is.
The other problem that can affect the CDP is condensation. This is more obvious when the outside temperature is low. You can clean the CD pickup lens with a CD pickup cleaner. It's a disc with a little brush stuck on it.
If you are using CD-R discs then you'll be lucky if you can get it to play even. The CDP in the Saab doesn't like them.
Wost case scenario is that the laser pickup has lost its stength and can't read the discs so well anymore.

The Pioneer CDP in the Saab needs to be mated up with the car's security system before it will work. Garages that have a Saab TechII programmer are likely to charge you at least £50 for programming in the new CDP. But if you can get a CDP from breaker who can also program in the CDP, you might be abe to get round the extra cost.

I happen to know a man who should be able to help you. I have been a Saab driver for about 16 years, so I have a list of contacts who I can rely on ;).

[MikeMusic]

The fascia mounted Pioneer CD player in the SAAB is likely to stop playing discs after you have played a couple beforehand. The mechanism gets hot and starts to refuse reading the disc. You can actually sort of feel how hot the mechanism has become by just ejecting a disc and feeling how hot the disc is.
The other problem that can affect the CDP is condensation. This is more obvious when the outside temperature is low. You can clean the CD pickup lens with a CD pickup cleaner. It's a disc with a little brush stuck on it.
If you are using CD-R discs then you'll be lucky if you can get it to play even. The CDP in the Saab doesn't like them.
Wost case scenario is that the laser pickup has lost its stength and can't read the discs so well anymore.

The Pioneer CDP in the Saab needs to be mated up with the car's security system before it will work. Garages that have a Saab TechII programmer are likely to charge you at least £50 for programming in the new CDP. But if you can get a CDP from breaker who can also program in the CDP, you might be abe to get round the extra cost.

I happen to know a man who should be able to help you. I have been a Saab driver for about 16 years, so I have a list of contacts who I can rely on ;).
Aha. Very useful. Thanks Stanley.
The fault is truly intermittent.
Sometimes it won't play from cold. Can start playing after a while or not. Often it's the 2nd CD in.
However I did wonder at the amount of heat coming off a CD.
Last time I tried the CD cleaner I couldn't get it to work at all. Must keep trying and do without music.
It struggles on some CDs, especially the few CDrs I have.
I have a Panasonic CDP - I could get my guy to swap in. Good idea ?

The security system is not original Saab so different ?

I'm the top end of Surrey. Where is your good man located ?
I have a few things that really need sorting. If I used the car a lot more often it would already be done, but 90% of the time I choose the bike.
I've had Saabs since 1981 !