Morning all,
My factory fitted clarion CD changer is showing the "Invalid Disc Error" on all discs.

Several forums including FFRR report that hitting the unit can fix the error permanently. In fact this seems to be the widely adopted way to fix this error. Alas, I thought I could master this technique, but I have been unable to find any specific guidance on where to hit the unit.

My unit it fitted into the upper glove box with a housing surrouding it to make it fit the glove box neatly. As per the image below, nicked from another users post:

if the tapping isnt helping then it could be the unit is faulty with a broken laser... ... - .- -.




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I would try a cleaning kit 1st rather than beating it.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=cd+cleaning+k...c75cejbo_e

Hi Stan,
thanks for the reply. I do want to try tapping it properly first, and tapping at the front doesn't seem to impact the actual unit, just the sliding door.

So, am looking for someone who has had success with this to explain what they did to their unit to get it working again.

If needs must, a replacement unit will be bought, but first I want to tap it. Somewhere i read about someone using a rubber mallet and giving it a real whack. Elsewhere, someone tapped the cassette. Both worked.
Cheers
Mark

This informative video might help.

Best of luck.

 L322 3.6 TDV8 Vogue. 07MY
ML 320 7 Seat full leather etc. (The Black Pearl)

Love it and yes you might be right

i see your point Mark..

i'm sure others have had success with the tapping but i think banging it with a mallet is a bit extreme but frustration does get the better of you sometimes..  ... - .- -.




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It's a cd player....the laser will require cleaning you can use meths on a cotton bud or leather stick.

Stan- so true.
Dave, might be worth a shot. Advice is generally that the lens of the laser shouldn't be touched by anything other than a proper cleaning disc - precision optics. Not sure how I would get either cotton bud or leather onto the lens. I assume the discs are fed in from left to right inside the housing. Might make it tricky to get access. I'll have a look later and order a cleaning disc if i don't have one.

There are vids on YouTube CD mechanisms are nearly all the same

I can't remember the last time I used a CD in a car, I think it was loading some music onto the HDD in my 2009 5 series.

Sorry, just made me think... Back on topic, I do agree that a cleaning disc is the best place to start, MY23 Panamera E-Hybrid
MY19 SDV8 Autobiography - Sold

Well I started life as a Walkman repair engineer and have a life time of experience in fixing everything else including cd players , tv and video, audio and radio plus much much more I dont want to bore you with.

A cd cleaning disc doesn't actually touch the laser lense so doesn't clean anything I assure you my method is an industry excepted method an 99% of the time works. Sometimes the laser can fail but not often.

Strip it out access the laser lense give it a clean make sure there is no residue on the lense it's just dirty and failing to focus

Thanks guys, I appreciate all the input. I'm going to start by using a compressed air hose at my local garage this morning and give it a blast, if that doesn't work then will consider Dave's advice on dismantling and cleaning, and finally if that doesn't work either a replacement or a swap out.

Whilst I appreciate that CDs are an old format, it is one I still like. MP3 could have it's place in my life and that would only be in the car. I would quite happily swap out the changer for a HDD based MP3 storage if there is an easy way to do this - haven't looked into that yet.

It is not often I have a month or two where there is not some small job to do on the FFRR, but so far so good.

As Dave has mentioned, cleaning with a cotton bud is the best way to go. Take the unit out and open it up. The lens is easy to spot. I've cleaned a few in my time with a bit of alcohol cleaner on a cotton bud, gently wipe it over the lens, allow to evaporate and use the dry end of the cotton bud to polish the lens after. No need to press down hard, just gently wipe the surface. 2011 TDV8 Vogue SE

Thanks Dennij.