I drive a '98 Oldsmoble Intrigue. I recently put in a cassette tape (yes I own a DVD player) and it is stuck. I have tried to eject it, several times, and all I get is a whirling noise and some ginding noise (like the tape is slipping). Does anyone have a solution, besides removal of the radio, for me? Thank you.
Get yourself a couple of screwdrivers and a set of needle nose pliers and pry the tape upward and using the other screw driver on top pull it out until you can grab it with the pliers. I wouldn’t hold out much hope for rescuing the tape, although you may be able to wind it back in by hand. Also, unless it was just a crummy tape you put in, chances are your tape player is regularly eating tapes now. Usually when they eat tapes, you can still use them with a cassette adaptor.
A friend of mine’s old Cadillac decided to start eating tapes one day, so he used a walkman hooked up to a tape adapter to listen to all of his tapes until he finally got with the times and started using a discman.
Chances are that the tape is now firmly wrapped around the capstan. You may be able to get the case out, but you probably won’t be able to get all the tape out. Open deck surgery is the only way to ensure the mechanism is clear, unless by some small miracle the tape comes out intact.
You have to remove the player and take the cover off.
As others have said you might be able to pry the tape out with some small screwdrivers and/or needle nose pliers. It may or may not have eaten the tape itself. You’ll know when it comes out. In any case, the real fix is to pull the radio and either fix it or replace it. Replacements are fairly inexpensive (about $80) from Crutchfield and come with very complete instructions and all the adapters you will need.
unplug it and install an 8 track (kidding)
I ended up taking out the radio. Got the tape out. Put the radio back in. Now, the radio shows, TP (for tape not toilet paper, but it should, for being a piece of crap radio). I know I should have put another radio in but, this one works and it only cost me my time (1 hour) and this will be the next car to trade in. Thanks for all the info and help.