CD-changer MC3198 gone rouge!?

[noogieman]

What is the life span on cd-changers?
Do they go rouge and act up?

I was out driving my C43 today on a twisty bumpy narrow road with lots of fast curves.
As my car is lowered and fitted with the stiffest shox on full hard set, I feel most of the uneven pavement up my a$$ in the drivers seat.
I have been driving this twisty road several times before without problems but today my CD-changer decided to go rouge on me!
WTF!?
CD-changer just died on me, no more cd playing.
I stopped my car went to my trunk and checked what da hell was going on.
My cd-cartridge ejects from the changer without problems but when I insert the cartridge and the changer plows throught the cd-trays to read every disc nothing happens.

Next to the cd-slot ontop there's a metal frame next to the chassie which slides sideways when the changer plows through the cd-trays with all 6x discs.
This metal frame slides half way sideways then just stops while it's attempting to go through all my cd's inside cd-changer.

Has anyone had this problem before where the cd-cartridge stops reading and stops feeding each cd-tray with cd's inside changer?
Like I said before, cartridge ejects without problems everytime.

Is there any repair manual how to take the changer MC3198 apart?
Maybe my changer needs re-greasing?
What kind of lube should I apply on plastic wheel cogs?
Maybe it's a major problem like having to buy a new changer if it decided to retire in hell?
I have been driving this twisty road several times before without problems.

What did you do to fix your issue with the changer?

 

[noogieman]

scrolled to photo no.2 in this ebay link you can see the cd-slot wide open with the cartridge inside.
the metal rail is seen just above the eject button.
this metal rail is sliding sideways when it's working the cartridge
this metal rails is sticking on my changer, it goes a bit sideways then gets stuck half way not working the cartridge.
is there any solution to resolve this issue?


Original Mercedes W215 C215 CL CD Wechsler Changer 0028207989 MC3198 | eBay

 

[nick mercedes]

What is the life span on cd-changers?

18 years is a pretty good innings.

 

[MancMike]

 

[Deleted member 6183]

 

[noogieman]

18 years is a pretty good innings.

so you think my changer is pretty much dead?

the only operating function is the eject button I can remove the cd-cartridge from my changer.
damn it, I can't get any audio from my cd's

 

[noogieman]

can someone tell me how much this cd-changer MC3198 cost in sterling pound?

UK dealerships had nice price (approx £50 each) on rotors for the C43, hopefully dealerships also offer nice price on cd-changers for the old Merc?

are there any nice people who can tell me how much a cd-changer wudd cost in the Uk?
I appreciate your help

 

[Doodle]

I would be surprised if you can find any new ones, they're not exactly a consumable part and little stock would have been held beyond what was required at build.

There's used ones on ebay but who knows what condition they are in.

 

[noogieman]

I would be surprised if you can find any new ones, they're not exactly a consumable part and little stock would have been held beyond what was required at build.

There's used ones on ebay but who knows what condition they are in.

i browsed german fleabay yesterday, only used ones are sold.
no-one knows the condition of these ticking buggers with parts number A0028207989

don't new changers have the same wireloom connector fittings as the older units like MC3198?

I'm grasping at straws, isn't there a fuse on cd-changer box, maybe this was fried if there is any fuse?

 

[noogieman]

I found crap load of info on the interweb.
now I have to remove the changer from my car, to investigate the problem.

https://www.google.se/search?q=repa...t=firefox-b&gfe_rd=cr&ei=5LBoWc-zO4-CZPnqn7AB

I called stealership they told me the cd-changer still available at the horrific price of £530
currency conversion made from swede karuna to UK sterling pounds.
fail

 

[Doodle]

don't new changers have the same wireloom connector fittings as the older units like MC3198?

Possibly, as the Mercedes changer was made under contract by Alpine. Connects2 used to make a lot of retrofit adaptor cables too.

However, "new" changers don't really exist anymore, all the major manufacturers stopped making them some time ago.

 

[noogieman]

I will remove my changer in a few days to see if the DB2 fibre optics cable came loose or something?
I get power from ejector button but fibre optics turn off while the display on my cd-player tries to read the discs from the changer then just goes away, no disc from changer!
I have to see if led's illuminates from the fibre optics connector for RED/WHITE led?
If you scroll down in this added link you see lots of pics.

Mercedes Benz No Audio or No Sound Troubleshooter and Repair


changers made in China vs Japan?
my MC3198 is made in P.R.C.
wudd these changers be inferior to japanese made?

Maybe the Alpine's were made in Japan and Becker changers were made in PRC?
any insight on this?

 

[Doodle]

I think you're reading way too much into the place of manufacture.

18 years is a very good lifetime for a CD changer, they don't really like being bounced around so the boot mounting was always a compromise, and the harsh suspension won't have helped at all. It simply sounds like its tired and the mechanism has worn so it's now out of adjustment/alignment.

 

[noogieman]

changer being 18 years old doesn't mean it's been used for 18 years.
i don't drive my car everyday, rainy days car is in my garage not driven.
for winter my car is in hibernation for 6-7 months.

car has not been used very much for 18 years.
although shiiiit do happen and stuff do fail!
nothing lasts forever

 

[Doodle]

Dude, you really are grasping at straws...

 

[MancMike]

Not sure I fully understand why you're so cut up about this? It's lasted nearly 2 decades, whether in use, or not.

Why aren't you just fitting an aftermarket head unit that'll connect to your phone via bluetooth, store hundreds of CDs worth of songs and probably sound better too?

 

[Petrol Pete]

changer being 18 years old doesn't mean it's been used for 18 years.
i don't drive my car everyday, rainy days car is in my garage not driven.
for winter my car is in hibernation for 6-7 months.

car has not been used very much for 18 years.
although shiiiit do happen and stuff do fail!
nothing lasts forever

My car is of similar vintage so we might have the same 6 disk unit.
Mine did the same sh*t, read all 6 CD's (mechanically took them in one by one) then tells me 'NO CDC' on the dashboard.

Simple 'fix' mine is in the glove box held in with one screw.

I took it out (30 seconds) unplug both power and fibre optic , plug it back in and there you go..a working unit.

Every once in a while the error will come back up and I just repeat the exercise, I don't even bother with the single screw any more, it sits OK in the glove box without it.

One day this 'fix' is not going to work , but after 125000 miles and 11 years I am not going to worry about it too much.

Good Luck

 

[noogieman]

Dude, you really are grasping at straws...

you do understand that i'm not very keen on spending a lot of money on a new changer?!

cheapest thing to do is to check if the fibre connector has come loose, if that doesn't help take the unit apart to check for issues?
maybe a lubrication might help or maybe not?

don't know what the prob is until I have checked?

 

[noogieman]

Not sure I fully understand why you're so cut up about this? It's lasted nearly 2 decades, whether in use, or not.

Why aren't you just fitting an aftermarket head unit that'll connect to your phone via bluetooth, store hundreds of CDs worth of songs and probably sound better too?

I have premium Booze system, can't use aftermarket head units

 

[MancMike]

Of course you can. Why not?