how to fix a CD player

There are LOTS of mechanical parts on a CD player that can age/wear.  Does your car run 10 years with zero service needed?  And there is also the issue of the laser assembly -- its performance also deteriorates with age and use.  

Most of those issues are going to require the attention of a trained technician with access to the needed test equipment.  Unless you are really lucky, I doubt its something you can fix with a $15 kit. The one exception to that might be if the CD tray area and laser are dirty.  There are cleaning kits you can buy but there's no guarantee that this will fix things.

thanks @mlsstl I am looking for easy steps to try, if they won't work, that will be the end of it. Nobody will diagnose it under a $100, I won't throw good money after bad. 

I would try a can of compressed air, available at most Office Depot stores. Open the case and blow out the transport mechanism and try to clean the lens by blowing across not directly at as that can sometimes distort the lens cover. If that doesn’t help then I would look for another player. Maybe if you have a good DAC the run the digital out, if so equipped, and that can increase your SQ. Good luck.

The transport mechanism rides on rails. These require lubrication - lithium grease. My old Pioneer has the same problem - it gets stuck a few minutes into all CD's. I will have to buy some lithium grease and lube the rails so the transport can track smoothly.

thanks @theo and @jasonbourne71  I will try those suggestions!

Try clean the laser lens and lubricate the spindle motor. Hopefully this will fix the problem so you won't have to buy another CD player

Once had an old Rotel CD player that would quit tracking.  It had a Phillips swing arm transport with a pivot bearing that went dry.  One drop of transmission fluid fixed it.  Make sure the grease you pick is not too heavy and plastic compatible. 

thank you @classicrockfan ​​​​​@corelli I will do it today, hopefully not screw it up  :)

I have an old NAD that stopped reading discs. Before anyone asks why I want it, it's because it reads HDCD. Maybe I will try the compressed air things. A "cleaner" disc did nothing.

available new for $250. walmart.

this is an opportunity to learn for yourself what they are about, diddle around inside, see what you can fix yourself.

unplug, take the case off, plug it in. watch it

motors, gears, sliding tracks, rubber bands

laser mechanism moves the laser from inner area of the disc, out toward the front, outer part of the disc. 

drawer opens/closes

mechanism spins disc

................................................

cd lens cleaner

alcohol, q tips, small painter's brush, can of compressed air, small tube of lithium grease

have at it!

need a belt?

Cleaning and lubricating helps, but I had once strange problem with Philips mechanism on Cambridge CD4SE player.  Felt at the bottom of the puck that presses down CD after door is closed was worn, leaving gap and making CD to wobble.  

@elliottbnewcombjr I am watching youtube videos to not screw it up :)

Ditch the seedee player. Rip your discs and stream them. Improved convenience and sound quality. Win, win….

@ozzy62 Not an option, I don't have a DAC or streamer