Installing a CD Changer 2001 Lincoln TC

[jkingiii]

I'm wanting to install a CD in the trunk. Has anyone ever done this and is it difficult. That was an option on this car, but whoever bought it new didn't get it. It cost $400 at the dealership, but I can buy one for $200. Help if you can. Thanks,

[Towncar]

It's not easy to do with the factory system. If the CD changer was not included from the factory, the proper wire harnesses weren't either.

It's not impossible, $400 is a bit steep. If your handy with wires, fascia panels, brackets, & nuts 'n bolts you can get it down to around $250ish for the factory system. The CD changer wont read MP3, and has trouble with some burned discs.

This is why most folks just upgrade to more futuristic technology and change the whole system.

Someone here in the TC forum has done it, it took allot of resources, several wire harness problems, but persistence paid off.

[jkingiii]

Thanks towncar; big help. I wasn't even thinking about the technology, and that is a great point.

[Towncar]

Well, I'm the teapot calling the kettle black..... my CD changer died twice now, and I've had it repaired at some expense just to keep the system original.

Also, several of us have a on/off knob/switch that no longer turns off. It'll momentarily go off when pressed, but comes right back on when released; I know of four other guys with the same problem. Seems to me to be some sort of ratchet problem, but I haven't been in there yet.

So, some of us put up with obsolete technology to keep them 100% original

[ltdltc]

I've put an "after market" one that works with the factory in my 1995 2 years ago and thanks to Steve I was able to make it work.

It plays MP3s CDs which the original one cannot do, kind of nice seeing Track 99 on the radio headunit. But it is a flakey unit (I get a lot static and sometimes it takes for ever to find songs) but much better then not having it at all.

Its called the Neochanger by SSI America but they no longer manufacture it.

While it is nice to have factory audio system the aftermarket systems of present look great and sound a whole hell of a lot better. A friend with an Honda Element has a very light system with a Eclipse headunit (which looks good, not alien like) and the thing sounds awesome. Much better then the JBL system that came with my 1995.....