Please help! Pin stuck in AUX port

[yvette726]

Hi guys,

I just bought my corolla like 3 months ago. And this morning when I was unplugging the cable from the auxiliary port, somehow the tip of the pin was stuck in there (all the way in).

I called the dealership and they said I will have to bring the car in for them to see if they could get it out, if not I would have to replace that port. And they said this is not something that’s covered under the warranty, and if they have to replace it, labor alone will cost 50 bucks plus the price of the part.

Is this something that should be covered? If not, do you think I should just bring it to a regular car repair shop b/c it would or might be cheaper?
Do you have any suggestions on how to get it out?

I can’t believe this little thing is going to cost me like 80 bucks….

Any recommendations would help…

Thanks a lot
Yvette

[mmasse]

A high power magnet or vacuum may work even a tiny pair needle nose pliers; Or if you are really careful you can get a hobby hand drill and get the smallest gauge drill bit drill it half way and pull it out.

[flamedrgn]

you could probably find the part used on ebay or junkyards from totaled corollas and install it yourself. basic plug and play. but any pics of the plug that broke off?

[Exit9]

A Toyota parts department should be able to get you the part within a few days but you probably have to pay up front. Taking the console apart is pretty easy and you can search the forum for radio installs to get the details.

[OkSlim]

If it is stuck all the way in , find something just a tad larger than the ID and stick it all the way in and pull it out with some force on the side instead of straight out.

[joeylgarcia]

you would need to take out the radio console all the way to the level of the aux plug in port. u can then push from behind the aux port that stucked pin. hopefully i am correct on the picture in my mind.

[littleboi64]

that happened to me on my ipod before. i superglued one end of the broken headphones and just stuck it in the slot thingy. i waited like 10 min and yanked. ipod still works fine and got piece out. but i think i got lucky that no superglue got on the sides

[SuperchargedMR2]

Cheap plug wires , aren't they great?
Make sure that you never pull on the wires themselves to help reduce this risk. Also pay a little more if possible for a 3.5mm cable, there are quality differences!

Toyota is correct in that this would not be covered under warranty. The cable is bad, not the port in the car.

[yvette726]

Thanks for everyone’s responses. I am thinking about taking out the radio to see if I could get to the aux port and try to get it out that way…but honestly I am so clueless when it comes to car stuff…I’m afraid I’ll end up breaking something else….ugh….I hate this thinggggggg

Now I can’t listen to my ipod on my hour long drive to work! SUXXXX

[hungt1999]

try inserting a BBQ bamboo stick in there to retrieve the plug

maybe you could coat a bit of epoxy glue on the tip of the bamboo stick, wait a while and pull out

it might save you the trouble of taking the radio apart

the worse is that you need to take the radio apart and re-solder a new audio port on the radio board

[yvette726]

I had just attempted to get that piece out with a pointed tweezer…but no luck...=(

[hungt1999]

you need this extracting tool:

http://www.qwikfast.co.uk/catalogue/...xtractda70.jpg

you turn the tool clockwise, the tool end will penetrate into the stuck audio pin and extract it out

just find the correct diameter for the audio port, it should be 3.5mm. Try one that is slightly smaller than 3.5 mm. It is tappered

the extracting tool can be bought in hardware stores (Lowes, homedepot etc.) in a kit or single (under $10)

If the tool is sucessful, it is far easier than having to take apart the radio, well worthed the $10 or so