Can someone help me understand why my 1998 Mazda Protege automatically ejects my CDs, instead of playing them? It tends to happen more often in colder or wetter weather. Sometimes when the car is amply warmed up, the CD player will eventually start playing the CDs. How can I prevent the CD player from acting up?
I had a Blazer that would do that is the disk was dirty or scratched. Maybe some condensation is on the disk when the weather is cold or wet.
Do you leave the CD in the player overnight? On a damp cold night a layer of condensation will be on the CD preventing the CD player from reading it the next morning. This happens occasionally with my 2000 Blazer. Ejecting the CD at end of the day prevents this.
Ed B.
Thanks for the ideas, folks. But my CDs are (generally) in good condition… And yes, I usually leave CDs in the player overnight, but the problem persists even when I insert a new CD. On some occasions, after finally getting the CD player to play the CD… if I turn either the car or just the player off, then on again, sometimes it can’t read it and spits it out.
Still, there could be a layer of condensation on the lens that forms overnight, which prevents the CD from being read. (However, my described problem happens at all hours of the day, not just in the mornings.) Is there anything I can do about condensation on the lens… besides waiting it out?
If there’s dirt/grime built up on the lens, it’s probably due for a cleaning. There are kits available that include a special CD with a tiny little brush to scrub the lens clean.
That’s a great idea! Are they available at stores like AutoZone?
Try something like this
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=5216081&type=product&id=1051384652107
Ed B.
It’s possible that something in the CD player could just be wearing out. I got a new 6-disc CD changer on eBay for my Protege on eBay for less than $30, so that’s always an option also.