[ricachica82]

So yesterday morning I hit the eject button on CD 1 of my 6-CD changer in my 2002 Escape. It acts like it's going to eject, but the CD gets stuck halfway. It's not out so I can grab it, but it's not inside to where it's loaded. I might mention that this was a burned CD, not that it should really make a difference. Now the door on the CD changer is wide open, the CD is in there, but not really in there, and I can't listen to any of my CDs! GRR!!!
So here's what I've tried doing... I tried loading the CD again. It says "CD error". I try to eject the thing, and it says there's no CD in the slot. I can't reach in there to grab the CD (believe me, I tried). It's officially stuck.
The local Ford dealership says that it will cost at least $600 to pull out the stereo and send it out to the east coast to be looked at, and that doesn't include the cost to actually repair the thing. I'm at my wits end, and going crazy with commercials on my 1.5 hour daily commute. Anyone have words of advice to help me with my problem?

 

[angelapotamus]

I have the same problem. My solution is kind of ghetto. I keep a butterknife in the car. If it starts trying to eject and I notice it gets stuck, I stick the tip of the butterknife into the cd player and push up. Usually this will unstick the cd and it will continue ejecting.

As for cds that are already stuck, you can take two butterknives and pull it out, but this usually scratches the cd.

Good Luck. Sorry I don't have a real solution.

 

[sldulin]

my problem is simply that I jammed 2 cds in at once, and can't get them to eject. I wonder if I should proceed to the butterknife solution, hmmm...does sound kind of ghetto, but at this point I'll sacrifice the cds...:hy:

 

[timinmass]

I've had the problem a little bit in my 01 Escape with my single disc changer. I think it may just be some moisture in there. It straightened itself out after a couple days. Or, if you want to listen to it now, try turning the car off putting the cd in and starting it again and it should play. Sorry the reply for this is sooooo after the fact but I just signed up. Hope you didn't have to fork out the 600.:wiggle:

 

[02yellowbird]

Mine does the same thing, just on burned cds. Can't afford a new player right now. I keep an envelope handy. If you stick the edge of an envelope in the cd player, just under the cd to lift it, it will come out and you won't scratch your cds.

 

[dkc_2001]

If you are using burned CD's with labels on them, that is probably the issue. When I test-drove the 04 I eventually bought, it had the same problem. It seems the labels really gum it up. I had the dealership replace the unit before I purchased the car. No problems since.

 

[Johnny Mullet]

These 6-disc changers from Ford are crap. We replace them under warranty all the time. Do not use CD's with labels!

 

[escapist]

Have a 2002 escape with a 6-cd changer. It went awol after spitting out (barely) a cd, perhaps I freaked it out by pulling the CD ahead of it being fully out, but it appeared to be hesitating. Anyway, from then on it showed the dreaded "CD ERROR" and wouldn't reset. Rather than yanking the whole radio out so I could work on it, with the 4-nails-in-the-little-ports-to-release trick, I took off the negative terminal from the car battery, waited a few moments, then reattached. That did it, the player reset. The problem began after listening to a full CD. Wife says it sometimes had freaked in the past but calmed down by itself later. That would indicate perhaps it had gotten too hot and then cooled down. But this last time it needed the battery terminal to reset.

 

[escapist]

try putting the butterknife in the envelope, or a thin balloon, or something like it... May keep it from scratching the CD

 

[OttsD]

Mine does the exact same thing from time to time. I dont use any burned CDs, so that isn't the culprit (at least for me).
My solution is just as ghetto, but requires no tools. I just hit the top of the dashboard with my fist as soon as I see it's having problems. Usually doesn't take a whole lot.

 

[jwko]

I have that happen occasionally on both of my aftermarket players. It will only do it on certain disk though as maybe the disk label texture or possibly the thickness could be the problem.

 

[acummings]

ok so I am buying my 2002 escape from my mother, the cd player wont play cds, oh yeah there are no cds in it but states that slots are full, you try to push eject and you get that lovely message "CD ERROR" Ive tried the using other things to eject cds cause the door wont open and spit them out, i even just bought that nice 4 prong thing to pull unit out, and removed cds personally. yet it states that slots are still full, and wont eject without giving error message. tried pulling the fuse out and putting it back in hoping that would help but to no avail i still dont have a cd player...CAN SOMEONE HELP GUIDE ME!!! TO FIX THIS PROBLEM!! THANK YOU
:angry::BW::bowd:

 

[summerdawn]

It's really very simple to fix! Go to your local parts store like autozone for instance. You have to buy the little removal tool. The clothes hanger trick does not work!! Put the horseshoes in the four holes untill you feel them click. Pull ourward slightly and out. Presto! Once you have the stereo disconnected, just flip it upside down and undo the two screws on the back. Then just pry slightly and you have it off and you can get all your CD's out. The first one comes out very simple. Once you pry the second one out you will realize that you will not harm your CD's. I wish someone would have told me this before I bought a whole new system. I have a 2007 ford escape. Never had any problems with a ford factory stereo until recently..

 

[dherr]

Had it happen to the factory cd changer on my 2002 Escape a couple years ago. Had 5 CDs in it when it quit with "CD error".

They were fairly easy to get out by taking the changer apart.
1. Remove the radio from the dash. I was able to make the u-shaped special tool out of a wire coat hanger.
2. Remove the cd changer from the radio. It's basically a separate unit bolted onto the radio with four Torx T15 screws. There are also two wires underneath to unplug.
3. Take the cover off the changer by removing six or so phillips screws. The CDs should be clearly visible and can be pulled out the front by gently pushing down on the plastic trays.

In my case the changer had destroyed itself by jamming the motor/head mechanism into one of the trays. It had also broken one of the cds, but at least I got the others out in good shape. The changer did not appear to be repairable (and I wouldn't trust it with a cd again anyway).

I ended up putting the radio back in the car without the cd mechanism, and the radio works still works fine. Just says "No CD" when pressing the cd button. The cd door also stays shut, so no one should accidentally insert a cd (there's just open space behind the door now). Maybe I'll replace it with an aftermarket bluetooth radio at some point.