Installed unit, there is obvious power, but the display does not light. Will accept and eject cd, but will not play.

you need to call radio shack or a stereo place to see if they can help if you take the loader out and bring in.

it sounds like you didn't hook up both your power wires on your cd player. there is a red and yellow power wire. one is constant power to keep memory and the other turns on the radio when the key is turned. check to see if both are hooked up

I would suggest checking the accessory (red wire), the yellow is a constant feed from the battery, which will allow the clock to be displayed no matter what. The accessory wire is what is used to turn on the cd player. You may need to restrip the red wire and check the lead going to the red wire with a test light to make sure it is getting a voltage light.

The remote control missing shouldn't be a factor - Pioneers will usually select the same sources with the "source" button as they will with the remote.

I would suggest 2 things - first, try different CDs. If it's accepting and ejecting just fine it may be a problem with reading your CD (I'm assuming you haven't tried this already). Ideally use a regular audio CD (not an MP3/WMA disc) that is relatively scratch free.

If that doesn't work, check to see if the initial settings can be adjusted to enable CD play.
To get to the initial settings menu you need to hold the "source" button until the unit powers off (the car's key will still need to be on at this point). Push and hold the "function" button and it should go into a menu with various adjustments, such as clock, aux enable, etc...
There may be a setting in there to enable CD play. I realize that the display may also be in Japanese but I'm hoping it will be somewhat intuitive for you - you seem to have a decent technical grasp on things already.

The player thiinks the CD is still in the player. you have a shorted or open sensor. Usually thee players have 3 phto sensors to tell the controller that a Disc is inserted , or ejected or present. Sometimes a wire or piece of lint covers a sensor and makes the controller think the CD is still there. Get you a can of Air from Radio Shack and blow out the DVD drive You might get lucky and this do the job.

It sounds like it is attempting to read the t.o.c. (table of contents) which tell the unit where everything is on the cd,and failing to do so, then ejecting, the first thing to do is try cleaning the lens and if there is no change then replace the laser pickup

Hi Kev Frey, Have you checked the mechanism for a broken or loose belting or possibly a broken gear teething. With Regards, Edmund

i have the same problem in a 2001 mercury cougar. i got power all the way to the back of the radio from the ignition (red) and constant (yellow) wires and the ground wire is good. Think the head unit might be screwed the fuses are all fine. not sure though

I am having the same problem but only with a KDC-MP335 unit. I installed it in a 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee to the stock system, pretty easy install just matching colors for wires and everything works (Radio). but not one CD plays. it says reading and it acts as if it is playing the tracks but no sound... what is going on? did I mess up wiring it or something?