Audio Systems: E20 error on cd player in Pontiac Grand Prix GT, pontiac grand prix, laser diode

Question
I have been receiving an error code of E20, this error occurs as soon as I place the CD in the player.  I does not matter whether the CD is burned or one that was bought at the store.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Answer
This is a general error code that is telling you the player is defective.  It can be caused by a weak laser diode inside the optical pickup of the player, a defective digital converter, a defective drive mechanism or just a badly misaligned optical pickup.

Sometimes a reset will bring it back to life.  To reset it you must remove power from the unit for 15 to 20 minutes.  But doing so will remove the theft code as well (if your set  has the anti-theft feature - most new cars do) and so don't do this unless you have the code written down somewhere so you can enter it when the set is powered up again.

To remove power you must disconnect the wires that feed the set, or remove it from the car temporarily or pull the 12v cable off the battery in the engine compartment.

Normally, the cost of repair is quite high and unless the unit is a relatively new and quite expensive player you are most likely to be better off just replacing the unit with a new one.  I know that isn't what you wanted to hear but that is the reality of the situation.

Cleggsan