How do you get the CD's out of a malfunctioning CD player in a 2000 Toyota Sienna?

Answer 1

Sometimes the CD player in my Prius will not eject the CD. I think this happens when the mechanics of the eject gears get out of sync. I fashioned a "haywire" (almost literally) tool to get the CD out.

I also have a Sienna and it looks to me like this "fix" will work on that car's CD player as well.

My CD changer is a single disc system. If yours is the 5-disc changer system and the CD is stuck down in the CD magazine, this may not work.

Straighten out a standard sized paper clip. Using a pair of needle-nosed pliers, bend about 1/8" at one end of the clip at a 90-degree angle. This is the "hook" I use to catch the CD.

Bend the opposite end of the clip so that it can be easily held between your finger and thumb.

Holding the paper clip wire so that the small hook end is parallel to the CD, slide the clip into the CD slot as close to the center of the slot as possible. When you think that the hook is over the center hole of the CD, turn the wire 90 degrees so that the hook is pointing downward.

Pull gently on the wire until you feel the hook catch on the edge of the CD hole. Once it feels like you have it hooked, GENTLY pull on the wire to direct the CD out of the player.

DO NOT FORCE IT as there may be a good chance that some internal mechanism of the player will break. When I do this, I can feel the carriage gears inside the player turning.

On my system, once I do this, it seems like it realigns the gear works and the player will operate just fine.

This takes a little practice. A couple of times I did scratch the label-side surface of the CD, but it did not damage the data side.

Good luck!

Norman