Sony 6cd radio on mk2 facelift

[glyn hannan]

My player wont load cd,s keeps saying DRIVE FAULT, anybody any ideas

[JW1982]

This is a well known problem of the 6-CD Sony radio's.

The problem is usually caused by a broken part inside the CD changer mechanism. The mechanism contains lots of fragile plastic parts that can fail. Replacement CD changer mechanisms are available from 3rd party suppliers but usually cost more than the radio is worth.

Back in the days I repaired quite a few of these radio's by replacing the broken parts with custom made fiberglass parts. The adjustment of the CD changer mechanism however is extremely difficult and time consuming.
 

For future reference. There is a known workaround to prevent this problem. You should only load 5 CD's and leave slot 6 empty. This prevents the mechanism from getting stuck (and breaking parts) while changing the CD that is played.