Overheating CD player in '96 850 wagon

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Atif - 05 Apr 2006 23:29 GMT

I have a clarion CD player in my '96 850 5spd wagon.

Has anyone had problems with CD players overheating in their Volvos?

In spring/summer if I play a CD for 1+ hour I get an "Error 3" which the
manual says means the pickup beam is out of focus.

When I remove the CD is is EXTREMELY hot. Sure enough if I switch to
using the radio and let the CD player cool, I can again play CDs on it.

I do not have this problem in winter.

As an aside, I have NEVER gotten AM radio to come through. I've been
told that the Volvo 850 AM antenna isn't soo good. I have a wagon so my
radio antenna is on the driver side glass in the rear.

Any ideas/comments/suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks,
-Atif

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Lucille - 08 Apr 2006 15:30 GMT

I have a similar problem with the Aiwa cd player in my '93 940. I haven't
had the problem with an error message, but I have to hit the eject button
about five times in spring/summer to get the disc to eject, and I have
noticed that the CD feels very hot.

> I have a clarion CD player in my '96 850 5spd wagon.
>
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> Thanks,
> -Atif

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Atif - 08 Apr 2006 18:43 GMT

Hm...I was thinking of removing the CD player and looking to see how
much space is back there. I wonder if all the extra wiring from the
wiring harness is blocking the vents on the CD unit...

I'm also thinking about replacing the whole unit with one which in
addition to CDs will play MP3s off of SD card or even USB port...

It is being sold by Walmart of all places!

> I have a similar problem with the Aiwa cd player in my '93 940. I haven't
> had the problem with an error message, but I have to hit the eject button
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
> > Thanks,
> > -Atif

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James Sweet - 08 Apr 2006 20:06 GMT

> Hm...I was thinking of removing the CD player and looking to see how
> much space is back there. I wonder if all the extra wiring from the
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> It is being sold by Walmart of all places!

It's probably not overheating, these things run very hot by nature and
that alone isn't an indication of a problem.

It does sound like the unit is defective though, Aiwa isn't exactly a
high end brand, personally I'd just replace it with something decent.

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Atif - 08 Apr 2006 20:21 GMT

> > Hm...I was thinking of removing the CD player and looking to see how
> > much space is back there. I wonder if all the extra wiring from the
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> It does sound like the unit is defective though, Aiwa isn't exactly a
> high end brand, personally I'd just replace it with something decent.

Actually the other poster has the Aiwa, I have a Clarion which wasn't
cheap. I bought it through Crutchfield since I was told that they carry
good quality equipment. They also send you everything you need to
connect the stereo yourself.

I'm leaning towards the unit that reads SD cards. That would be easier
for me anyways, and heat build up shouldn't be a problem with such a
unit.

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Lucille - 09 Apr 2006 21:38 GMT

Well, I don't have any plans on replacing my {ahem} low end Aiwa unit, it
sounds fine to me, but I do have another problem which could be
related.....the car's battery kept going dead in cold weather, something
shorting it out. We tracked it down to the circuit that the stereo is on
and just pull that fuse if the car's not going to be driven for a day or
two. We haven't been able to find out exactly what appliance on that
circuit causes the short, but now I'm wondering if it's something to do with
those hot CDs???

> > > Hm...I was thinking of removing the CD player and looking to see how
> > > much space is back there. I wonder if all the extra wiring from the
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
> for me anyways, and heat build up shouldn't be a problem with such a
> unit.

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Atif - 10 Apr 2006 22:50 GMT

Wow that is odd....

Your CD only gets hot when it has been play though right?

It would be a pain, but one experiment would be to pull/unplug the
stereo instead of pulling the fuse. If the battery doesn't go dead, the
most likely something inside the stereo is shorted/messed up...etc...

I did pull my stereo this weekend and it looks like all the heating
vents are clear and free. There is A LOT of wiring back there. I
installed it myself and both the stereo connector, and the volvo wiring
harness, had long wires that I connected at the ends. In hind sight I
should have shortened one set of wires.

> Well, I don't have any plans on replacing my {ahem} low end Aiwa unit, it
> sounds fine to me, but I do have another problem which could be
[quoted text clipped - 28 lines]
> > for me anyways, and heat build up shouldn't be a problem with such a
> > unit.

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