Audio Systems: stereo, cold winter days, player mechanism

Question
Greetings; my 99 slt 4X4 Durango stereo is on the fritz. The radio plays fine, but whenever I insert a cd I get an "err" msg(?) I've cleaned them and even tried a brand new cd, but no luck...
I hope to avoid buying a new set!  

Answer
CD player mechanisms live in a very hostile environment, relatively speaking.  They suffer from the bumps and vibrations of the vehicle, the extreme temperatures from hot summers when the windows are closed and the sun is shining brightly to cold winter days and humidity building up inside the housing.  As a result it takes a very robust player to suffer through these conditions day after day and month after month.  As a result, it is not uncommon for them to fail after a few years.  In your case if the player mechanism is the original one it is now about 10 years old!  It has survived longer than average and you should feel lucky to have had its enjoyment for such a long time!

It may be your best strategy to just replace it (the whole head unit will need to be replaced) and get on with life.  The repair, if you were to decide to go that route, will likely cost about as much or more than the price of a new installation.

That is my opinion!  Best wishes.