W211 Audio 50 APS cannot find 6 CD changer

[SL300-24]

I have a problem on my W211 with the Audio 50 APS. It is fitted with the 6 CD changer. I noticed when I switched off the ignition whilst playing a CD that it started to always play the radio on start up.
It also defaulted to CD 5 track 1 when you switched it to CD, instead of the last CD and track that was playing prior to switching off the ignition.
I then changed a couple of the CD’s over with the ignition off by switching the unit’s on-off switch to on.
Now it cannot find the 6 CD changer. When pressing CD, I get the message ‘CD-ROM in drive’ which refers to the Navigation disk.
I suspect that it now only recognises the single slot as the CD player. Help please! Is there a way to re-set so the unit finds the CD player? Or maybe it will re-set overnight, as this has just happened. Doe anyone know? or can you help.
Thanks

 

[Birdman]

I too have the Audio 50 PAS with a six stack and the head unit display often doesn't recognise there are any CD's in the stack and comes up with 'CD 1-6 EMPTY' when it's full, sometimes 'finding' them well into the journey.

Hitting the autochange sometimes helps but mostly not.

 

[SL300-24]

Thanks for the info. I have been told to disconnect the battery for a few minutes........then reconnect as this re-boots the system, and when re-booted the head unit should 'find' the 6 CD changer.
What do you think?

 

[Birdman]

Am wary of doing that as you've lots of other settings to lose, especially on a W211. There may be a time frame in which the stacker resets without also allowing the main systems to reset but I would get proper advice on that.
Would be interested to hear the outcome!

 

[SL300-24]

I disconected the battery, and it gave the same reading. I thene inserted a CD in the sat-nav slot (or single CD) which is CD number zero. Once it had started playing I tried to move to another CD(number 1) and low and behold it worked and is working fine now except that.....
a) If you turn the ignition off whilst playing CD, it plays FM radio on restart
b) when you switch to CD it always starts on CD number 5 track 1!

However we are getting there!

 

[Birdman]

....However we are getting there!

Maybe I should try disconnecting it too. Were there any unexpected resets?
- Richard

 

[sunman]

was the changer added afterwards or from factory? Was it version coded in the gateway if added afterwards? Was the gateway ever flashed with new software? Disconnecting your battery will not help.

 

[SL300-24]

The changer was factory fitted from new. After writing my last post I tried to put some new CD's in the changer and low and behold it now brings up the same message....defaulting to the single CD slot again. I think the head unit cannot find the changer. My MB tech is going to connet his laptop to the car this Saturday to see if he can sort out the problem. He suspects the changer is faulty....we shall see.......
By the way, no unexpected resets....alarm kept going off whilst the battery was disconnected (back up battery?) and the clock wizzed around and reset to the correct time on connection.

 

[NormanB]

Having just had my unit out this morning to investigaste - I would recommend you withdraw the head unit and check the optical connector is snug - they can come out very easily.

 

[Birdman]

Today I started out with an u/s autochanger, parked up and whacked the stack unit, found I had a working autochanger, then switched over to FM and afterwards lost the CD unit again. Maybe a faulty connection into the stack unit - Anyone?

 

[SL300-24]

I got mine sorted. Put it on the dealers laptop and re-set it. They think because I had 6 home burned CD's installed for some reason it did not 'wake up'
Put at least one genuine CD in it and it is fine. Now instead of burning onto my hard drive and then onto a disc, I just keep it on the hard drive......and put the genuine CD in the changer....all is now fine.....

 

[Birdman]

Mine won't recognise burned MP3 files and that's a problem. Whacking the auto changer and getting a result suggests there's a faulty connection in there. Or a stuck selector mechanism maybe.