Answer
Aug 27, 2025 - 10:35 AM
Yep, a tape adapter stuck in the deck is not uncommon on well-aged models like this Volvo. Here’s what I’d try:
- Turn the key to accessory (don’t start the car), power on the radio.
- Hit the eject button, and while you’re doing that, try gently pulling on the tape — use your fingers or like, a butter knife wrapped in a rag so you don’t scratch stuff up. Sometimes it just needs a little nudge.
- No go? Try this weird trick — tap the eject button like 5–10 times, kinda rapid-fire. I’ve seen that reset the mechanism enough to kick it out.
- Another thing that sometimes works — hold eject while turning the radio off. Sounds dumb, but on some of those old Volvo decks, the motor does a little cycle when it powers down.
Now, if it’s really stuck — like, cable’s caught in the rollers or the eject motor’s toast — you’re probably gonna have to pull the radio. Not the end of the world. Get it out of the dash, pop the top cover, and you can usually slide the tape out by hand with a pick or needle-nose. Just don’t force it — those plastic gears inside can snap real easy.
Once you get it out, give the deck a good cleaning — probably dusty and gummy in there if it hasn’t been used in a while. And if you keep using one of those tape adapters, maybe look for a shorter one or tuck the cable better so it doesn’t yank itself around.
Good luck!
