my CD changer had been skipping during the cold days since I bought the car.

I fixed the cut-out problem by placing layers of Scotch tape on the back of the ribbon where the ends go into the sockets and it's been no problem for one year.
today, I was messing around with the laser sensor in the CD changer and found a potentiometer on the side of it. I heard you could adjust the power of the laser with it, so I did.

I turned the potentiometer to the clockwise about 3-5 degrees, it went worse. so I turned it back to factory position, and then turned it counter-clockwise about 3-5 degrees. put everything back in, and went for a test drive.

the skipping went away.

I still need to test it tomorrow morning and see if it works after a night of parking.
UPDATE: it worked, not complete kill the skipping, but at least a lot of improvement.

first part of the how-to

make sure you take all the CD's out before doing this.

1. take the HU out (seach for procedure)
http://www.shiftice.com/Maxima_02-03_Bose_6CD_Changer_Audio_repair.pdf

2. unscrew the screws around the top plate.





scroll down for the second part

 

second part of the how-to
4. the disk pressrer might get in the way, so you lift it up by a little without damaging the spring.


4. use a small screw driver and turn the potentiometer about 3-5 degrees counter-clockwise. align the little dot to the uppper left corner of the potentiometer.


the black line is the original position on mine, it can vary between HU's, but the way to do it is the same.


5. put everything back

 

Very nice writeup. My brother just got an 02 and it skips. We'll have to try and see if it works.

 

great fix, thanks for the info.

 

it's basicly just an old trick back when I was messing around the CD drives in my computer.

 

Im gonna try this today, i have the skipping issue... not the cutting out of the speaker issue.

crosses fingers.

 

Another awesome bump.

 

Wow, it definately fixed my cd players skipping issues. Thing works awesome now, I also took the time to clean the lens with some alcohol and q-tips while i was in there (it looked pretty foggy). Eitherway, I owe you a beer if we ever have a nebraska meet!

 

OEM stereo= Fail

 

IMO best solution is to replace it with aftermarket

 

Over a week since i did this, working great.

HUGE thanks to ya jason, great find!

 

haha, hope it works for everybody.
just make sure not over adjust it, too much power isnt always the best.

 

---3-month-old thread alert---

Wondering how this adjustment is working for everyone now that the temps are a little colder?

I get skipping initially on cold days and don't want an aftermarket HU.

 

My Cd player skips to all time during cold weather for the first few minutes of driving. What I noticed was that when I ejected the disk it was all foggy and frosty, which isn't going to be read easily.
This isn't the first time, every other CD player I had before always did this. Well only if I left the same CD in there for a week or 2, which for sure is going to happen with the maxima when it can hold 6 cds.

Now my speakers are cutting out on the left side, so I'm thinking of just ripping it out and putting in aftermarket(bose is pissing me off). I got 2 spare mp3 players just sitting my closet collecting dust.

 

Jason, I prolly asked you before but did u ever do a How To for the alternative scotch tape method for the left cut out fix?

This method just seems so much easier compared to the acutall ribbon replacement/reseat. Considering you dont have to take apart the acutal headunit, just take it out and through on tape as you described. Maybe its not all that confusing, but jsut wondering.

 

the tape should be placed on the back where the part of the ribbon goes into the socket so its pressed down harder to the pins.
and you do have to take apart the unit, its no difference than replacing the ribbon.

 

This worked for me!!! My CD player has literally been useless for years. Thanks for the simple and perfect fix!!

 

I'm gonna bump this up for a couple questions that hopefully someone can answer.

The directions say to adjust the pot with a screwdriver. I can't make it out very clearly in the picture but it looks like it takes an allen key. Does anyone know what kind of screw driver it'll be?

Also, in step 4, it says to align the black dot to the top left corner of the pot. Can anyone explain which dot we're talking about here and where it's supposed to align to?

 

I wedged a flat blade in mine and it worked. Not sure what black dot they are talking about. I just turned it a smidge.

 

Great, thanks TallTom.

 

Thank you very much Jason! I followed your procedure on my 2004 Max's Bose system and have had a huge improvement in CD skipping!!! I turned the potentiometer more like 10-15 degrees counterclockwise. One note to anyone trying this, get a set of tiny electronics screwdrivers before starting.