Tried to replace a CD in the changer this morning and popped the old "2" out OK, but had some problems with the player accepting the new "2"...just hesitation, don't think I forced it...but once the new CD was in the player nothing worked. Can't eject any individual CD nor eject them all. Five of the six lights are "on" but #2 is dark. MMI just indicates malfunction. Anyone know how to get this fixed?

 

Yeah sometimes they jam when you try to insert the cd when its not ready for it yet. You have to disconnect the power from the changer and it should spit the cd out. Your gonna have to remove the glove box to take off the electrical connector.

 

I had this same problem and it turned out that the CD changer got bound up because a couple of the CD's were homemade and they had a label on them. Apparently adding a label to a homemade CD makes the CD too thick for the CD changer and none would come out. After the dealer told me they would have to replace, I complained for about an hour. They told me they would get my CD's out of the player but that it would no longer work. Well, guess what, they got them out and the changer began working instantly!

 

Or instead or doing all of that work as in removing the glove box, disconnect the negative batt terminal and see if that helps. But in my experience as an installer, the indash unit will have to be replaced or sent to get it fixed.

 

Finally took my car into the dealer but service guy couldn't fix my CD player...couldn't get the player to eject the disc which is messing things up...but now he's got the unit "loose" so I can remove it and either work on it myself or take it to a stereo place. My questions are: 1) will disconnecting the player cause any other problems to the systems of the car, 2) has anyone tried to simply grab the offending CD and break it so that it can be removed in pieces...what would I have to watch out for in doing that?

 

It depends how handy with electronics you are. You are going to have to take the whole cd player apart to get the cd out. Its a real pain in the *** and you could very easily break the unit entirely. There are people that repair stock radios because I send all my OEM repairs to a local shop that specializes in those kinds of repairs. Its pricy you could be looking up to $400-500 for the repair depending what is wrong with it.. For example a customer of mine wanted his factory Bose indash changer fixed and it ended up being around $500. But see how much a new one will cost you first, you wont believe it.
And yes, you should be able to remove the cd player causing no problems to the rest of the car.

 

I would say forget the disc and the old player, it utilizes fiber optic wiring which means when you dis-connect it nothing else on that loop will work, the MMI, Navigation, ect.
Plus nobody really knows how to work on those things, i would say buy a new one and be done with it.
You might be surprised, its proabably cheaper to get a new one than to get it fixed.

 

As with all MOST interfaces (fiber optic chains) You can take your radio out without screwing up other devices connected to the chain. Talk to your local legitamite specialty audio shop and they could steer you to someone who fixes those radios if you lived near Central Coast in California I do business with a specialty shop that could definately fix your problem. There is nothing special about audi indash radios compared to other auto/radio manufactures, they are relatively the same internally. It will be far cheaper to get it repaired, but if you don't believe me call your local Audi stealer and ask how much a new one costs. I would guess over $1000. At Least.

 

On an A8 taking out one thing in the loop turns off all the systems, they have a fiber optic loop connector you can install to keep the rest of the systems running which usually comes installed on new A8's from the factory if things like navigation isn't installed.
Plus the CD changer is probably only $300-$400, its a panasonic part so it might be about the same to repair it i don't know.

 

If that is true, that is the dummest thing I have heard of. And I think that he is having problems with his indash unit, not a stand alone changer which would not effect the most system what so ever. and yes that would cost 300-400 to replace.