Head unit won't load CDs

[tgriv]

Hi y'all. I'm new to the forum and hope you can help with a little problem we've been having. My 1999 Mountaineer has the Mach head unit, with changer. In the last few months it has started having problems loading single CDs in the head unit - it clicks like it's trying to load the disc, then spits out the disc and tries again, then finally just spits out the disc. This happens most, but not all, of the time. The problem seems to be worse when the unit is hot (and it gets pretty darn hot in there, judging from how CDs feel when they are ejected after playing for an hour). It happens with pre-recorded CDs and with the ones I burn and label myself.

I would appreciate any thoughts on what might be causing this and how I might fix it.

Thanks.

Tom

 

[tgriv]

Anybody?

 

[daryncox]

All I can think of is that the laser might be really dirty. This has happened with my Playstation 2 on occasion where I've had to use a lens cleaning disc and once even opened up the lens assembly and cleaned the laser with contact lens solution and a q-tip... let it air dry and then put it back together. I don't know how difficult it would be to break open your head unit, but you could try the lens cleaning cd first.