2002 thru 2005 CD error fixes

edward301
Last seen
Joined
Nov 3, 2007
Thunderbird Year
2002
I just completed repairing the radio in my 2002 T Bird parts car, because I wanted a good extra radio. Ended up this
radio had the cd error, no mater how many resets, and also had two dead buttons on the front panel.

If you get your cd player to work by resetting, you are running on borrowed time, it will fail again soon.

Now I can say I am an expert on these radios, which Ford used on all their car line from about 1998 through 2007.

The biggest problem is they used opto switches to tell the radio what the cd changer is doing, along with a few
pressure switches. I actually cleaned some of the opto switches, and got the cd changer to work, but new issues
kept popping up, so I bought a new pioneer cd changer, and put in the radio, so that I would have a good cd radio
for many years to come. A new cd changer was $160.00, and easy to change out.

To fix the dead buttons on the front, I bought a junk radio and swapped out the front faceplate circuit board, and
now have a 100 percent radio cd player. The old faceplate circuit board had some bad circuit traces on it.


radio1.jpgradio3.jpgradio2.jpgradio4.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I prefer the factory look. I use an fm transmitter slightly bigger than a USB cigarette lighter plug. Works flawlessly with my phone and I don't worry about someone cutting the top to take it. My phone has Sirius XM and the plug takes phone calls too.
 
Any places out west that would take the radio out and repair my cd player?? I am not that good in a dash:(
 
edward301: I'm impressed with your dedication to keep the original, but antiquated, sound technology. Something I wouldn't have tackled. My 2002 original CD player worked fine when I removed it 18 months ago when I purchased the car and put it in storage and replaced it with a touchscreen Kenwood setup with all the goodies; some future owner can reinstall the CD player if they desire...
 
My audio needs are simple. Plus we do not drive our T birds much. My everyday car has an unbelievable sound system with
17 speakers and 800 or 900 watts, even my van, and truck have better systems. I will say the sound systems in these T Birds is
really good for a 18 year old car.

I am just an original kind of person.
 
Found this site that is repairing the CD error many have in their aging T Bird radio. Years ago I actually bought the CD changer from them
and installed myself, it worked great. However for $170 they will do the work themselves. Might prove helpful to many here.

 
I just completed repairing the radio in my 2002 T Bird parts car, because I wanted a good extra radio. Ended up this
radio had the cd error, no mater how many resets, and also had two dead buttons on the front panel.

If you get your cd player to work by resetting, you are running on borrowed time, it will fail again soon.

Now I can say I am an expert on these radios, which Ford used on all their car line from about 1998 through 2007.

The biggest problem is they used opto switches to tell the radio what the cd changer is doing, along with a few
pressure switches. I actually cleaned some of the opto switches, and got the cd changer to work, but new issues
kept popping up, so I bought a new pioneer cd changer, and put in the radio, so that I would have a good cd radio
for many years to come. A new cd changer was $160.00, and easy to change out.

To fix the dead buttons on the front, I bought a junk radio and swapped out the front faceplate circuit board, and
now have a 100 percent radio cd player. The old faceplate circuit board had some bad circuit traces on it.


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I must try this change out. I have 2 original radios and neither CD player works.
 
Has anyone sent their radio/CD player to OEMAUTOSOUND in Ft. Lauderdale for repairs?

The online reviews of the company are less than stellar.
 
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