VW Gamma radio with CD changer problems

Hi there,

I've recently bought a 1998 Passat with Gamma head unit and boot
changer.

The documentation with the car has a correct CD-changer supplement,
but the main "Sound System Gamma" manual appears to be for a different
model than the one in the car!

I can't seem to switch the head unit to CD. It will happily select AM,
FM and CC (compact cassette) but pressing the CD selection button out
of the 4 does nothing.

It doesn't even display "no changer", "no magazine" or "no cd" as the
manual implies it might if you press the button but don't manage to
get a CD to play.

The changer appears to be alive. It ejects the magazine no problem and
whirrs a bit when you first re-load the magazine.

Any ideas? Broken contact on the "CD" button? Something wrong with the
wiring loom between the head unit and the changer?

The head unit has a flashing red light on the "TIM" button. Also, on
turning the ignition off, I have seen the head unit display (the head
unit was off) "TIM 2h". I'm guessing this is some kind of timer, but
then the radio and cassette works happily. This may or may not have
anything to do with the CD problem. There is nothing about TIM in the
wrong head unit manual.

Thanks and regards,
Matt Nolan.

"Matt Nolan" <matt@rbtb.co.uk> wrote in message
news:d1b74ab4.0311061500.33f8531e@posting.google.c om...
> Hi there,
>
> I've recently bought a 1998 Passat with Gamma head unit and boot
> changer.
>
> The documentation with the car has a correct CD-changer supplement,
> but the main "Sound System Gamma" manual appears to be for a different
> model than the one in the car!
>
> I can't seem to switch the head unit to CD. It will happily select AM,
> FM and CC (compact cassette) but pressing the CD selection button out
> of the 4 does nothing.

Sounds like the CD button is broken as there should be some display
response, TIM is Traffic Information Memory which records RDS travel reports
while the ignition is switched off.