Original MK2 Stereo - Help needed

[dan*the*10th]

Hello All,

I have a UK 10th anniversary edition mk2, which as far as I understand were all fitted with the premium stereo as standard.

The problem I'm having is I think a very common one.

The CD player keeps spitting out cd's without playing them, and it's really pi**ing me off. it used to just spit out cd's now and again, but now it's spitting out almost every cd I try. I don't want to buy an aftermarket stereo, cos I like the way the original one matches perfectly with the rest of the dash. I'm hoping there is a way to fix the problem with my original stereo.

Also has anybody managed to get the stereo to play audio cdr's either by using a certain brand of cdr or by making any mods to the stereo itself. I have tried a few different brands including pure silver coloured (someone suggested that some cd players don't like coloured cds) all with no joy.

Alternatively has anybody ever managed to wire in a mini ipod into the original stereo, or will my best option be an itrip? You might ask why not just use the ipod with an itrip it works just fine, and I would probably agree, but I want to play my tunes with the aerial retracted, and an itrip would require me to have the aerial up all the time. Not so cool!

Just a thought but I am going to change my dash bulbs over to blue LEDs at some point, I want to go the whole hog and change the heater controls too which I understand is a pig of a job.
Do you think it will be a tricky job changing the original stereo over to blue backlight too?

Any help on these matters would be appreciated.
Dan

[Vindezal]

Hello All,

I have a UK 10th anniversary edition mk2, which as far as I understand were all fitted with the premium stereo as standard.

The problem I'm having is I think a very common one.

The CD player keeps spitting out cd's without playing them, and it's really pi**ing me off. it used to just spit out cd's now and again, but now it's spitting out almost every cd I try. I don't want to buy an aftermarket stereo, cos I like the way the original one matches perfectly with the rest of the dash. I'm hoping there is a way to fix the problem with my original stereo.

Also has anybody managed to get the stereo to play audio cdr's either by using a certain brand of cdr or by making any mods to the stereo itself. I have tried a few different brands including pure silver coloured (someone suggested that some cd players don't like coloured cds) all with no joy.

Alternatively has anybody ever managed to wire in a mini ipod into the original stereo, or will my best option be an itrip? You might ask why not just use the ipod with an itrip it works just fine, and I would probably agree, but I want to play my tunes with the aerial retracted, and an itrip would require me to have the aerial up all the time. Not so cool!

Just a thought but I am going to change my dash bulbs over to blue LEDs at some point, I want to go the whole hog and change the heater controls too which I understand is a pig of a job.
Do you think it will be a tricky job changing the original stereo over to blue backlight too?

Any help on these matters would be appreciated.
Dan

Thought only 10th aniversary came in rev4?

I got rid of standard cd/tape. But you can pick up fairly expensively some double din units they look tasty. I did the single aftermarket quality alpine unit and 12" sub etc and components.

[dan*the*10th]

I am going to hopefully find the time to remove the stereo (weather & time permiting) soon, I'll open up the stereo and clean the lens and the rest of the inner gubbings with some of that iso-whatsitname alcohol liquid.

if that don't work I'll have to consider a quality double din replacement that wouldn't look out of place sitting in the dash. Most of the double dins I have looked at are either silver or purpley plastic looking or simply jap units that require radio expanders. I'm a bit of a fussy so an so, and really want things to just right.

BTW The Kenwood DDX-7025 or the DDX-6027 units look the absolute business, so I might have to have a moment of madness and cane the credit card and treat myself to one of those.

Alternatively, I have seen on ebay recently some original double din toyota units from newer models 2000 - 2004, some have sat nav etc. I wondered if they would plug straight in, and work as cd/radio without the sat nav features. Anybody tried this?

[dan*the*10th]

I spent this afternoon out in the rain, taking the stereo out of the dash, then opening up the stereo and cleaning the CD lens and all the pinch rollers and any of the other gubbings inside that looked dirty.
I used a cotton ear bud soaked with Isopropyl alcohol fluid (purchased from Maplin Electronics in the local High St).
Once everything was reassembled and back in the dash, I tested it out with a selection of original CD's and some homemade CDR's and bingo it played all of them perfectly, no problems at all.
Anyone who has had problems like mine, do what I did and it'll be a worthwhile result for a couple of hours labour.

[JohnnyC]

Thought only 10th aniversary came in rev4?

Late rev3's.