99 Seville STS CD changer

[tysona23]

My CD changer was working fine the other day. I got into my vehicle today and it shows 0 tracks on the different CD's and then it says changer error? I was wondering if anybody else had this experience and if these malfunction often?

[CoupeDTS]

My CD changer was working fine the other day. I got into my vehicle today and it shows 0 tracks on the different CD's and then it says changer error? I was wondering if anybody else had this experience and if these malfunction often?

I think I remember mine doing that once or twice in my 99 sts and 00 dts. I thought, great its broke. I took the cartridge out and in and it didnt want to read anything. But the next time I was in the car it worked again. Could just fiddle with it taking the cartridge out and in. As seasons change I notice all kinds of changes in my cars also.

[tysona23]

You might be right. I am actually a chrysler technician. This is my first cadillac I have owned and I am not familiar with GM's stock stuff. I have been replacing alot of stuff but nothing to horrible. My climate control stopped working on my driver side so i had to replace the IPM. The tie rod ends were pretty worn. Luckly my friend told me about rock auto so I could get quality parts for less. I had to replace the driver seated heat element for the bottom cushion after checking for continuity I found a quarter size hole that im surprised it didnt burn through the leather. Flushed the coolant, tranny and changed the oil. I need to repair the threads to the oil pan bolt because there were some seapage so i decided to retourqe them and found one of them was stripped. The canvas top is starting to peel on the back so I am going to have to restich it or replace it. Im not sure how much those run for either. It runs like a champ though and I am quite impressed with it so far.

[Cadillac Jim]

The changer is a Pioneer unit that was used for many years and doesn't give trouble by itself, but is easy to abuse. I have found that when it is in the shop, sometimes an uninitiated mechanic will try to put his own CDs in it -- right side up -- and they won't play. They then put mine back -- right side up -- and they won't play.

Also, as my car has gotten older, I find that the changer is more sensitive to potholes. I need to change the rubber biscuits in the mounts.

To clear the unit. take out the cartridge. Open the door and pull it *gently* out; if it hangs, relax your grip and let the unit pull the half-out CD back in and then remove the cartridge; after a few seconds the jammed cartridge will be ejected into the cartridge space. Then, you can put it back in. If you are having problems with the changer recognizing the CDs or having changer errors, take the CDs out and make sure that they are all clean, free of significant scratches, and have the playing side up and the label down, and are properly centered in their carriers. When the cartridge is inserted back into the player, it goes through each one and catalogs how many tracks are on each CD and one bad CD can cause a changer error, although an upside-down CD will usually be skipped like an empty carrier. The Random (RDM button on the radio) will set the random track selection mode, which uses the cataloged track information to select a track for palying.

[winterset]

Iagree with the above posts. AND.... if they don't work, sometimes a good reset is needed, but for insurance you should clean the battery contacts. remove the ground from the battery, then the red + side. clean the contacts real good & re-attach in order +(red) then -(black). More importantly, let us knoweither way how you make out.

To answer your question: my cd changer & radio acted up all the time when my batteries were going bad from non-use. (it would even disappear as an option on the radio head)

[Cadillac Jim]

Battery, battery cable, and alternator problems can mimic just about anything. I was still getting an occasional C1783 and C1785, but I caught the battery voltage going below 12 Volts while the brakes were on, stopped at a long light in traffic, as the cause. Apparenlty the EBTCM will freeze if it tries to turn on valves and pumps while the voltage is low. Then I found that this can't happen if the alternator is working properly. At my next oil change, I'm getting a new serpentine belt, which I would expect to cure the rare but irritating C1783 and C1785.

[tysona23]

I have tried all the above and I still have not had any results. I asked my wife about it and she said she accidently stuck two cd's in one slot and if I remember right it started after she drove it. I am wondering if it broke something? It will take the cds out of the slot and spin them just fine so i dont know what the deal is.

[Cadillac Jim]

I'm assuming that you are talking about the 12 CD changer in the trunk. If so, remove the cartridge and make sure that all the holders are in it. If one of the holders, or a CD, is jammed in the changer, then you will get a "NO CDS" message on the radio when you try to switch to the CD changer. If all the holders and CDs are accounted for, the cartridge is OK and loaded properly, it should reset. When you insert the cartridge and close the outer door, you should hear the changer loading the CDs one by one. The radio will give the message "LOADING CDS" if you try to switch to the CD player. When it is done loading and cataloging the CDs it should play the CDs.

If you have all the carriers and CDs accounted for, and the player isn't working, then eject the carrier and re-insert it, making sure that it is pushed all the way in, and you hear the player loading the CDs one by one. If you have done all that and it is still giving the 'NO CDS" message, remove the cartridge and unplug its cable from the rear for a minute or two, plug it back in, and insert the cartridge and close the outer door.

[tysona23]

Its the 6 cd changer in the arm rest. When i install the cartridge it will say initilizing CDS. It will load them one by one but after they have all loaded I will try to switch it to one of the cds and it will say 0 tracks and then say CHANGER ERROR.

[Cadillac Jim]

The six-CD changer in the arm rest is not the one that I have. However, i do think that the same things will work with it - make sure that the CDs have the correct side up (or toward the right side of the carrier - check your owner's manual supplement for the CD player), is clear of jams, and is reset if necessary. The CDs facing the wrong way is the most common problem in CD players. When this is done, the player will indeed load the CDs after the cartridge is inserted and the outside door is closed, if there are no playable tracks it will log that CD carrier as empty or possibly as an error in loading with no playable tracks. If all the CDs are upside-down, it could give a message of "NO CDS" or "PLAYER ERROR" depending on the software.

On my 12-CD player in the trunk, the CDs must be inserted with the label down, which is upside-down to nearly all other players. If your player is the same way, putting the CDs in upside-down could be your problem, particularly if someone else has been changing CDs.