Attempting to resurrect car CD player

[socaso]

We have a 2001 Toyota Prius that we have owned for about 4 years. It has a factory installed 6 disc cd changer that has never worked. I got inspired to play around with it yesterday and discovered that it will load discs into all of the trays but it ejects them without playing. After doing some research I've found most people advise that this indicates the lens needs cleaning. I can get a cleaner for less than $5 which is a nominal investment but part of me thinks it can't possibly be that simple and don't even waste the $5. Has anyone ever been in a similar situation and found success or failure?

[Dimitri]

I wish I could answer your question but I have absolutely no idea.  However, one other place that you might search for answers (or post a question) is www.priuschat.com.  Best of luck.

[kaizen soze]

$5 seems worth the risk, if for resale value if nothing else.

[socaso]

$5 seems worth the risk, if for resale value if nothing else.

We're kind of thinking we're going to drive this car into the ground. It's got 217k miles and we've already replaced the battery and transaxle. The main reason I'd like to fix it is to surprise my husband. He's been driving it a lot for work and I know he'd like some tunes beyond just the radio.

[sandandsun]

We have a 2001 Toyota Prius that we have owned for about 4 years. It has a factory installed 6 disc cd changer that has never worked. I got inspired to play around with it yesterday and discovered that it will load discs into all of the trays but it ejects them without playing. After doing some research I've found most people advise that this indicates the lens needs cleaning. I can get a cleaner for less than $5 which is a nominal investment but part of me thinks it can't possibly be that simple and don't even waste the $5. Has anyone ever been in a similar situation and found success or failure?

This happened to me once with an older car with a single CD player... That is EXACTLY what was wrong with it... Bought a CD looking thing with a tiny brush attached... Worked like a charm for me- hope that's what it is for you too!

[alsoknownasDean]

I had a similar issue with my laptop's CD player. I think I opened it up and cleaned the lens with a tissue or a cotton bud.

[TheThirstyStag]

Yeah a simple lens cleaning is likely all it needs.

You could end up taking it as far as I did for my SO, whose radio I not only cleaned, but ended up soldering an AUX cable to the cd player's logic board so mp3 players/phones can be used in lieu of CDs :)

[socaso]

Well, it didn't work. Boo hoo. I guess I can still get one of those old school cassette adaptors and play the ipod through that. I've seen some replacement cd players for this model car for about $75 but we've gotten along without it for so long I hate to spend the money. The 2001 Prius is an oddball because you can't get an after market cd player to fit it, you have to get a Toyota cd player. I guess this is because it is the first generation.