Lexus Rx400H Error 4 Cd Player

[DonHacker]

Hello everybody.I'm Alex from Romania(Europe).

I have bought another RX400h and i have a problem with the CD Player.On the display appear Error 4 and i can't do anything,if I want to eject or load CD - he goes on Radio.

This a 4WD Lexus,the other Lexus is a FWD,but this is better.He amazed me at consumption :D

P.S.Sorry for my English :|

[Barefoot Bob]

I had the same problem with mine with aftermarket cds. Use a tweezers and pull the cd out that is stuck in there

[RX400h]

I need to try the tweezers trick, myself. I'm getting the same error.

[RXREY]

This has happened to me. The way that fixes it for me t to simply turn the car off and then on again...

[RX400h]

Rey, that worked for me the first time but does not work, presently.

[RXREY]

That's really weird. It only happens when I put CDs that I have burned but the few times that I have gotten the error warning, I have been able to get it back to normal by turning the ignition off and starting the car back up again...hmmm. This sort of problem happen in this day and age...for Pete's sake.

[DonHacker]

First time i turned off the ignition and the CD works,but only first time.

I will try with tweezers but is a plastic where the CD is insert and i must force to go down to have acces at CD.

Today i tried to repair CD,but i haven't see any CD.:(

[RX400h]

I had the same problem with mine with aftermarket cds. Use a tweezers and pull the cd out that is stuck in there

Bob, can you elaborate as to how you did it?

[jimbeam]

Had this problem and was going to try to pry the CD out with tweezers, but turns out I didn't have to. I had tried turning the car off hoping it would reset, and even removing then reconnecting a battery terminal as suggested on another thread, but neither worked. So I used a credit card to pry and hold the door open, but when I looked in I couldn't see anything to grab onto with tweezers. So I thought hitting eject at that point might at least move the CD into sight, but when I did that with the door held open, the display went a little nuts, ERROR 4 changed to EJECT ALL (which I've never seen before) and it spit my CD out!

Don't know if this will work for anyone else, but it couldn't hurt to try.

[RX400h]

I went to doodle with the CD player, yesterday and what-do-you-know, it was working perfectly! You just gotta love electronics.......

Dave

[DonHacker]

jimbeam - i tried everything you said but it doesn't work :(

[fiddlerjoe]

I got lucky. I'd been getting the Error 4 message constantly for weeks, after getting Error 3 which would clear by turning off vehicle and restarting.

I was afraid I would need to get a new CD player (I still might!), but I tried a suggestion from this forum.

I got a credit card into the CD slot, and initially nothing happened. When I hit the eject button, it just switched to FM radio. Then I tried sliding the credit card in further, which I imagined to be on top of a CD, since I didn't see any CD edges to try to grab with a tweezers or long nosed pliers. After trying this a couple of times, and trying to push down slightly with the credit card, the Error 4 message changed to "5-1" and it started playing the first part of disk number 5. It also plays other CD's, ejects them, and reloads them (i.e. normal functioning). I hope it continues to work for a while.

Anyhow, the credit card trick is definitely worth trying!

[1990LS400]

I got lucky. I'd been getting the Error 4 message constantly for weeks, after getting Error 3 which would clear by turning off vehicle and restarting.

I was afraid I would need to get a new CD player (I still might!), but I tried a suggestion from this forum.

Or just add an aux-in, forget your CD player and go digital. The CD changer in my LS400 still works perfectly but I have used it only once in the nine months since I added a 3.5mm aux-in port and copied the music from my CD's to my phone. I am picky about sound quality but I can't tell any difference between the same music playing from my phone and from an original CD in the changer.

There are a number of options from VAIS and other suppliers: http://www.vaistech.com/

[chrishu]

I got lucky. I'd been getting the Error 4 message constantly for weeks, after getting Error 3 which would clear by turning off vehicle and restarting.

I was afraid I would need to get a new CD player (I still might!), but I tried a suggestion from this forum.

I got a credit card into the CD slot, and initially nothing happened. When I hit the eject button, it just switched to FM radio. Then I tried sliding the credit card in further, which I imagined to be on top of a CD, since I didn't see any CD edges to try to grab with a tweezers or long nosed pliers. After trying this a couple of times, and trying to push down slightly with the credit card, the Error 4 message changed to "5-1" and it started playing the first part of disk number 5. It also plays other CD's, ejects them, and reloads them (i.e. normal functioning). I hope it continues to work for a while.

Anyhow, the credit card trick is definitely worth trying!

hi fj

i used a "rock bottom" rewards card to pry open the changer door, pressed the eject button a couple of times, and used

the card (any cc will do) to lift up the cd, and whola! the cd changer spit out the cd

repeated the process to get all 6 of them out.

so lets see if this fixed the issue

(rock bottom is a local micro brewhouse, great beer by the way)

so i dont need to spend the $$ for the changer swap out

anyway,i wouldnt have spent the $$ to repair it, but would just live with a non-functional changer

as my RX is 8 years old

kudos to this website for all the sage advice!

ch

[Philhops]

I just fixed mine after doing all these tips listed below in this order. You'll need to following: a small blade(small knife, butter knife even), piece of cardboard or paper folded (old CD) to keep CD door proped open(thicker is better), a large paperclip, flashlight):

Once you see orange lighting appear in the corners of the CD load/onload
area it's funtioning again. You should then be able to remove, load and
play CD's again like I am able to once again. Good luck

1 - Used the small knive blade to push UP the CD door, then Stick a piece cardboard to keep door open at Right side (anything thinner than a 1/4 " will work (paper folded, a twig).

2 - Unfold a paperclip and poke it into the pinhole on LEFT SIDE in CD slot opening a few times.

3 - You'll see three lighter spots, in middle of CD opening. Aim above & below there using the knife tip to push up and down on cartridge face which you see just inside CD load/unload opening. Press eject or load while doing this a few times.

4 - With the car running and stereo on, press and hold down both EJECT and LOAD buttons, at the same time, for 2-3 minutes, then release both buttons.

5 - Press Eject button a couple times.

turn engine off and restart again. Turn on stereo to Disc and press eject.

Once you see orange lighting appear in the corners of the CD load/onload area it's funtioning again. You should then be able to remove, load and play CD's again like I am able to once again. Good luck

[RX400h]

I turned the ignition on and off (without starting the vehicle) a few times while pressing the eject button. That was 6 months ago and we haven't had a problem, since.

[Volleypop]

I have a 2004 Lexus RX330 and my CD was stuck for the past month with this error Code 4 !  I tried resetting the "Ship Mode" seen on other sites by holding the "Disc" and "Seek Up" button at same time ( yeah it's a stretch for one hand ) while you turn the ignition key to ACC then press the "Load" button without any luck. 

Then I saw the credit card trick and figured it's worth a shot so I stuck one in- you have to aim it down and sort of lift up on the front cover and then keep wiggling it side-to-side until you can work it almost all the way in but don't drop it inside ! Remove the card and turn off the radio and ignition key, then repeat the "Ship Mode" reset  in 1st paragraph  by holding the "Disc" and "Seek Up" button at same time while you turn the ignition key to ACC . My display showed "Ship Mode" and the pressed Load, then the Eject button until all my CD's were ejected. I then pressed Load button again and inserted a CD and it started playing normally again.  It may not work for everyone but it saved my day. Thanks to all the contributors here.