CD Player Jammed

[THNDR B]

In case no one ever told you this, which I was also not aware of...

DO NOT USED BURNED CDs IN THE T-BIRD!!!

I tried to eject one and it is jammed. I was near the dealer that day so I stopped in. All 4 guys in there all said they had a problem with a burned CD jamming a CD player they had. Yet there is no warning for this. I am really not happy about this. I'll have to stop back in when I have 30-45 minutes to waste while they take the whole player out and send it away to be fixed. Great huh?

When I asked if it was because I applied a label to it, they said they didn't know, but one guy said he thought the CD itself was just a teeny bit thicker.

We do not have this problem with the CD player in the Corvette, but that is a single CD player. Does that make a difference? I am really PO'd about this. Still under 1700 miles on the car and this already!


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Debi in MI
2002 T-Bird blue/full blue/no top
1997 Corvette black
1987 Cougar XR-7 black

 

[pbocciardi]

Debi,

This is a known problem with the Thunderbird CD player IF you use labels on your homemade CDs. If there are no labels, you should not have a problem. It has nothing to do with the thickness of the CDs, etc.

-- Paula

 

[mike02redbird]

My CD is loaded with burned CDS and I have never had a problem however I am to lazy to put labels on I have just written on top with marker. good luck......

mike02redbird
Red/Red/Full
27080

 

[THNDR B]

My CD player played the burned CD just fine. It was only a problem when I tried to eject it. Once it is fixed, I will not use a burned CD with a label.

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Debi in MI
2002 T-Bird blue/full blue/no top
1997 Corvette black
1987 Cougar XR-7 black

 

[RT42]

The manual says that burned cds will skip in the player and advises not to use them. Everytime I've tried, they skip 🙁

 

[saj]

I've been using almost nothing BUT burned CD's in our bird without any sort of problems. They don't skip at all. That way I can keep a soft-sided wallet of CD's in the car and not worry about breakage or theft.

The manual specifically warns that paper lables can jam up the player.

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red/red/partial red

 

[jboriott]

The (homemade) CDs everyone's talking about here are Audio File format, right??? Like what you buy in a record store.

I tried playing a CD of files in MP3 format (like what you download off the internet). Unfortunately it wouldn't play.

Such a shame. MP3 format allows you to cram 10x more music on a disc.

Can someone please confirm that the CD player in this car CAN'T play MP3 files? I'm seriously considering getting a player that will play MP3s, but can'tstand the thought of how lousy it would (probably) look in this beautiful car.

 

[tbird]

Originally posted by jboriott:

To play MP3's, you need MP3 players. If you have a GOOD reputable car stereo installer (not Circuit City for example) install an in dash radio/CD/MP3 player, it should look fine.




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[02 TBRD]

I have never used anything but burned CD's in my T-Bird. I always just write on the CD--- I never use a label. I 've never once had a problem in almost 10 months of ownership.

 

[tleslie]

This topic was covered long ago. Burned cd's will do fine as long as you dont use those memorex or other type of cheap labels. We can send people to the moon, but the adhesive used in these labels is crap and wears out. I find that burning only 12 or so songs using my NERO burning program works just fine.

 

[THNDR B]

I did try to scam back farther to find anything about this subject. I only got my car September 30th, so it all new to me. I suspect people only first getting a 2003 that find this website will not have read things from over a year ago either.

Maybe information pages of known problems set up by subject in alphabetical order would help. Then you wouldn't waste time talking about the same things over and over.

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Debi in MI
2002 T-Bird blue/full blue/no top
1997 Corvette black
1987 Cougar XR-7 black

 

[tbird]

I think he was referring to the search feature.

 

[koko bird]

Originally posted by THNDR B:
In case no one ever told you this, which I was also not aware of...

DO NOT USED BURNED CDs IN THE T-BIRD!!!

I tried to eject one and it is jammed. I was near the dealer that day so I stopped in. All 4 guys in there all said they had a problem with a burned CD jamming a CD player they had. Yet there is no warning for this. I am really not happy about this. I'll have to stop back in when I have 30-45 minutes to waste while they take the whole player out and send it away to be fixed. Great huh?

When I asked if it was because I applied a label to it, they said they didn't know, but one guy said he thought the CD itself was just a teeny bit thicker.

We do not have this problem with the CD player in the Corvette, but that is a single CD player. Does that make a difference? I am really PO'd about this. Still under 1700 miles on the car and this already!

Just another feedback. I have NO burned CD's. All mine are store bought. I do have the jamming problem on trying to eject. It seems that the CD almost gets out--- You can take another cd and sort of push it back and try to use the eject button again, that usually doesn't work but you know its there. Take a set of tweezersor a small size needle nose plier and gently pul the cd out. I carry a small set of those pliers in the glove box along with a small set of forceps. It doesn't matter which cd in my case. #1 or #6--it doesn't matter-- and sometimes it actually works just fine---could be the heat that affects the thing that pushes the CD out?
I live in Honolulu- so it is always in the middle 80's perhaps a little hotter in the car and the cd enclosure.
Ther is another "thread" in the archives that has a lot more to say about this problem.
Perhaps there are no problms in the colder climates.
I thought there was a quick "exchange"deal at the dealerships.
who basically give you a "repaired" unit that had the same problem.
I have not tried that because I put a carbon fiber applique on my center console, and I'm probably going to have to carefully pry it off to put on the replacement unit.
Aloha.

 

[JimmyFitz]

Burned CD's are fine, as long as they don't have labels. I've had several jams as described and found that pulling the cd out with tweezers is the best fix. It happens unpredictably and then doesn't occur again right away. The jams have occurred on both burned and factory made CD's without paper labels. I have had the best results burning on cheap CD's and leaving at least 5 minutes worth of time available blank.

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[jimjet]

The '03 Owner's Manual details the problem in Bold black letters and sez not to use paper labeled CDs in your CD player. It suggests that a permanent marker be used to ID different recordeble CD-RW media

 

[THNDR B]

After this happened, I went through the manual and couldn't find anything right on the CD pages. Then after going a few pages more, I came across the warning. Why it isn't right on the pages where it explains the CD operation is beyond me. It should be a warning right where it tells you how to put a CD in. But according to Koko Bird, it happens with store bought CDs also. So it's only the luck of the draw I suppose, and I got a bad one.