Just had a look at the instructions to remove the CD changer.

If you remove the CD magazine and shine a torch in you might be able to see the lens from there, you should be able to get some long reach cleaning buds to help, failing that, tape a cotton bud to a pencil 2011 TDV8 Vogue SE

Giving it a shot of air is proberly the worst thing you can do to it. The lazer cant focus due to a build up of dirt on the lense. The only way is removal of the cd player strip down and clean. I need todo my own one soon as I'm getting error message.

Hey Dave, actually a shot of air is not the worst thing you could do, hitting it would be a far less sensible technique, it is a precision optical instrument so hitting it has to be worse than a blast of air.

Air has been used in the computer and high tech optical industry as a cleaning agent for decades. Rank Taylor Hobson used to make optical measuring devices to assess the surfaces of hard drive platters - one of the finest measuring devices available, I worked there as a software consultant on their manufacturing software, they used compressed air to clear their machines routinely between services.

I think I managed to get a IPA soaked cotton bud onto the lens, tricky but just about accessible without dismantling.
Pulled the fuse, replaced.
Tried the air.

Only thing left to do now is hit it properly and then accept it is dead. I don't think I can be bothered to dismantle the dash for a CD changer - not a good design at all.

back to the 8 track player then Mark..  ... - .- -.




Y. O. L. O.
.

I will do a how to guide when I do mine, hitting it or a shot of air is not good practise. Regardless of what other people use todo it's not something iv ever done. Not to be confused with a shot of air to clean the internals of enclosed devices I'm sure weve all seen the amount of dust collected say on a PC fan of even a play station at the air vents.
Before being allowed back in the day I had to attend a 2 week training course in the safe use of and servicing and fixing laser equipment run by Sony the original developers of laser disc player prior to the cd.

God I feel old.

Stan that would go well with my Thorens music box.

Dave, at the age of 12 I had my first CD a Phillips CD 104, a design which one of the first Mission CDs was very closely based upon. You might recall Phillips and Sony were the two companies that worked together to develop the CD technology. My unit developed a fault, and my father, an electronic engineer found a design flaw in the model. He spoke to the design team at Philips to discuss his improvements to the design. It was during this phase, that we were told to never, ever ever ever ever touch the lens with anything. So I am hugely surprised that Sony would suggest this is a good way to go. Perhaps the advice from Phillips is now out of date, but I am happy to stick with what I have been told from the horses mouth.

The thing about dust in vents of PCs and consoles is that if you blow air in to the unit the dust will leave, and not stay inside. Compressed air, afaic is the best method for cleaning internals - my father a man who used to repair RAM with a soldering iron and a microscope projected on to a wall, doing repairs at the bit and byte level in the earliest days of computing on ferro core memory (donut RAM) would swear by compressed air as a method to clean internals of electronics. I am happy to stick with the info I have been given over the years from Phillips, my father, and the practices used at Rank Taylor Hobson a world leader in optical instruments. I am comfortable with these methods and not comfortable with the idea of touching the lens. The only reason I did try the cotton bud, is that I suspect the unit is no longer operational and it was a last ditch attempt before hitting it. My post wasn't asking for advice on how to clean the unit, it was asking for advice on how to hit it correctly

I have the same problem of 'invalid disc'.Did you manage to solve the problem?
Thanks. 2012 TDV8 Vogue SE 4.4

Hi Frans,
no, not yet. I have tried using a cotton bud and cleaning alcohol and also tried a CD cleaning disc. I also tried giving it a gentle whack. Nothing has worked as yet.

I have been listening to music via iPod and DVD but the fact the CD changer is not working is irking me and I will have to fix it. I suspect I am going to source a replacement and go through the rather ridiculous process to remove and replace it at some point.

Thanks,we are in the same place....I want it to work!!
Also uses ipod but sometimes wants to listen to something specific.Will try local radio shop for advice.Will let you know of any progress.
Regards 2012 TDV8 Vogue SE 4.4

Thanks Frans, do let me know.

A while back I found a video of a girl on youtube swapping out the unit, but just had a look for it again this morning for you and I was unable to find the same youtube video. The girl reckoned it was about a 40 minute job to take it out. It involved removing a lot of interior trim, even around the door, sill, and centre console. I still shake my head in disbelief about how this unit has been fitted and what it takes to remove it.

On one hand I could just fill the Six disc DVD changer with CDS, it might work. But that isn't fixing the problem.

Suppose one can just use the DVD changer if it will work that way.
Will keep you informed with any progress.
Regards 2012 TDV8 Vogue SE 4.4

hi guys, i repair these units and stock all the parts needed to fix them.
let me know if you need your cd changer or dvd changer fixed.
all the best daniel.

PM sent.

Hi Mark, it's a fixed cost repair charge of £85.00. Which covers all faults.
This comes with six months warranty.
If you are not local to drop off, you can post this to me.
I'm located in Bishop's Stortford.
Many thanks Daniel.