Car:1998 Bonneville
Stereo 1997 Stock Delco CD Player/AMFM with Equalizer

My parents purchased this car a few years ago and not too soon after purchasing it the CD player stopped playing. It will take a CD spin it around give the E20 on the display and spit the CD out. I've tried a variety of CDs in all types of weather so I'm guessing it actually is a mechanical problem. It hasn't worked in about 2 years because my mom was driving this car and didn't bother with it but since I'll be driving it now I'd like to listen to something other than the terrible radio.

My question is whether or not this is repairable or if I need to just replace the whole thing? However as an alternative is there a way to hook up an auxillary input in this type of stereo? If so I could survive quite easily utilizing my MP3 player with that input. Any advice is much appreciated.

How mechanical are you? If you are not that mechanical, I have a couple working CD players that just need display bulbs replace, which I could do before selling them.

If you are mechanical, and have the right tools, you can remove the radio top plate and clean the CD laser lense off with a q-tip and alcohol. I've done that on several and it works great for fixing that issue.

If you do it and it doesn't work, let me know and I can get one around if you want a stock one.

I'll try and get pictures up this weekend when I am swapping bulbs out of the procedure.

If you get to it Geoff, put the whole procedure in a new thread in "How To" and link it back to here. Thanks.

I pulled the whole thing out earlier just to get my bearings about it. I think I'd be able to clean the lens without an issue. Just need to look around for a few tools to do so. If it doesn't work however I will definitely be in touch about getting a replacement.

Thanks for the help.

Alright. sounds good.

You basically need to remove the front cover (plastic clips and it pulls off). then remove the top cover (some small bolts) and then you should have access to the lense through the side (small hole. Longer q-tip makes it easier) Just dip it in alcohol, then reach in and gently clean the lense off by rubbing it back and forth.

Also, the insides of these radios changed over the years. Basically the same, but some internal parts did move around, although none affect this procedure, it does affect it if you try and swap components inside it.