Removing stuck CD from in car CD player

I have an Alpine car CD player and I have a CD that is stuck in it. When I press the eject button the display reads EJECT but the CD does not come out. The CD in question is a burned CD-R copy with a label on it. The label was firmly and evenly pressed onto the CD surface, but I am still wondering if this may not be causing the CD to not eject. Can anyone out there advise me on what I should do about this problem? Should I attempt to remove the CD myself with tweezers or some other instrument (and risk damage to the CD player), or should I take my car to an install shop and let the professionals try to get the CD out for me? Since the CD is a copy it won’t really matter if the disk ends up damaged or destroyed while being removed. I just don’t want to always listen to Linkin Park whenever the radio is playing crap on every station.

Hmm, well, I don’t know about car CD players, but I’ve had to perform extensive surgery on my friend’s home entertainment system with a strategically bent clothes hanger a few times. No harm done, even to the CD itself. Can you see the CD? If so, try the tweezers bit. Be gentle.

I would most strongly advise against poking anything into you player. Repeat, most strongly advise against.

I don’t see anything in Sam W’s repair faq for CD players that would help much. (It deals mostly with tray based systems with a little about magazine types.) Look for a manual eject pinhole and use a long straightened paper clip.

Since it still spins enough to play, the label must not be causing too much problems. Try an electronic reset: unplug the player from power overnight and then plug back in. If that doesn’t work you will need to take the player out, remove the cover, etc. Look for some adivce in the aforementioned faq.

Do not stick stuff into the slot.

in dash or a changer?

if it is a changer you might try sliding a credit card into the slot just belo where the magazine is. you will feel the resistence when you hit the right spot. if it is in dash take it to the install shop. They will probably be able to get it out in about 30 secs and more than likely will not charge you anything.

You can always call them and ask. Best not to do anything if you do not know what you are doing. Those things are expensive and can be delicate.

try removing the player from the car… it is usually attached with a screw and/or hook, or it requires long flat metal pins (keys) to be poked on either side of the player simultaneously… once you get the player out of the car, just remove the screws, open up the player, remove cd, replace screws, replace player. no damage done.

if you manage to get the player out of the car, the rest of the procedure is rather simple.

Damn good advice from ftg. That manual eject pinhole is the first thing you should try. Keeping Linkin Park out of you’re CD player is also a good idea.