Audio Systems: Lumina 2001 CD, dish soap, pit structure

Question
i have an original CD player in my car and it has a problem which i think is the Lens as it sometimes gives an error message "Err 4" and ejects the CD. it depend on the radios if it actually likes the CD or not to make it work so what is the problem exactly the lens or something else? THX

Answer
The player mechanism has a tracking problem.  If it is the original player in a Lumina it means it is very old.

Older players develop tracking due to the adjustments of the laser beam wandering off the optimum adjustment. Some disks pressed at the end of the life of the master molding unit do not have good pit structure and are harder to read than others.  All these things add up to a disk reading problem.

You can try cleaning the lens and the surface of the discs to see if that helps, but if not, I suggest you will be better off just replacing the cd player.

LENS: Use a cotton q-tip and reach in where the lens reader is and flick off the microscopic particles a few times.  Do not use any liquids of any kind.

DISCS:  Use mild dish soap.  Rinse them in cool water to make sure all soap residue is cleared away.  Dry them in open air on a dishrack.

Good Luck,
Cleggsan