JVC HR-S9500U The vcr flashes AUTO all the time now. It will turn on for a few seconds then turn off and start flashing AUTO again. If I put a tape in it only stays on long enough to load it and returns to power off auto flashing mode. I checked the child lock(holding the power button)and it's off. It allowed me to do that while loading a tape since that's the only way I can keep it on more than three seconds.

OK, found the problem. Another website had the same question on the HR-S9600U, the 9500's replacement:

http://www.cippico.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?p=528&sid=ce3dfc944e4539181195720b836021f4

I checked my vcr, and, sure enough, there was a sort of clicking sound coming from the drum area immediately before the unit would go into "Auto" mode. I removed the complete drum assembly, and tore into the little gearbox, and found the two black, plastic gears with inside pinions that drive the metal screws to change the video head position had each cracked and were slipping on the shafts. This caused the gearbox to bind up.

Using a jeweler's screwdriver, I roughed up the metal shaft and the inside of the gears where they slip onto the shafts, and glued them on using a two-part epoxy. I then re-assembled it all, sorta setting the screws about two turns after their contact with the base of the upper drum. Now, upon power-up, the drum adjusting motor toggles one direction, then the other, and the unit stays on. Playback seems OK.

So, there you go. Yay me....

Power down unit and unplug. Wait 15 minutes and see if all functionality comes back.    Accordianman