Tape deck issues

In my 1999 9-5 wagon, it has the premium steroid system. I modified the head unit to allow for an aux input along with a switch to put it in "telephone" mode. Works fine but I got a whining noise when my phone was plugged in to charge. I installed a suppressor device which made a huge difference but not totally gone. So I tried a Bluetooth cassette device but it wont play. I always get "tape err 12" on my SID. I have a cassette with a plug that will work for a direct connection but I still get whining noise if the phone is charging. I searched for the error code and got "B2815: TAPE ERR 12 (cassette player)" which also leads to "Diagnostic trouble code B2815 is generated if the tape head does not move correctly."

This issue doesnt come up with the wired cassette which has me wondering if anyone else has had any issues like this and what might be a fix as I have come to a dead end of information.

Does your Bluetooth device have a battery or a connection to the cigar lighter? If there is no power it won’t work and the error code is probably the same you would get if the tape in a “real” cassette were broken.

It has a battery. Fully charged and connected to my phone via Bluetooth. Mechanically, it works. When I turn the "gears" in one hole, the other hole turns at the same rate. They wont allow me to turn them in opposite directions. And I have tested the deck with actual cassette tapes with no problem and the "wired adapter" and everything works. I even bought a second Bluetooth adapter and have the same problem. It is possible that it just because it's a cheap adapter from Wal-Mart ($12 US) but I can't justify spending 40 or more for a better quality device and have the same problem. I will soon test it out on another car that has a tape deck and or my home stereo to see if it is just a garbage adapter.

I finally got to test out that Bluetooth tape cassette adapter on a few different tape playing devices and it works just fine everywhere but in the Saab.

Best I can figure is biting the bullet and purchasing a higher quality adapter to see if it works and return it if it doesn't.

I still just find it odd that the car plays regular cassettes fine as well as the wired cassette adapter (but I still get ground fault background noise if the phone is plugged in and charging that way). It only has issues with the Bluetooth adapter.

I have no idea why your device doesn't work in the Saab but it may have something to do with the tape drive system. If the adaptor needs the spools to be turning to give an output it is possible that the cassette mechanism doesn't do that without actual tape. The wired adaptor doesn't need the spools to be turning. Just an idea with no way to check it.

You probably don't want to do this but, why not fit a newer head unit? I fitted on in a 2005 9-5 Aero without difficulty and it did the job, still does as far as I know. Probably more reliable than an adaptor that needs a battery or having cables all over the place.

As already said, it sounds like the tape mechanism is acting up. Could be a drive belt etc etc.

Do yourself a favor and buy one of those small bluetooth FM transmitters that plug into the lighter socket and tune to a radio frequency. Saves the hassle of fitting a new head unit and goes through the original radio. You can get them for under $10 and allow you to play music from a bluetooth device or an SD/TF card so you can have hundreds of songs at hand. Link it to your phone and you can take or make calls as well. They usually have an AUX input if you do want to run a cable plus USB slot if you want to charge your phone.

I've had them in my cars for years and they are the best invention ever. You get to use and keep the original radio without having to do anything except plug it in to your lighter socket and tune it to an FM frequency. I can't remember the last time I played a CD or a tape. Why would you spend hundreds on a head unit then go to the trouble of installing it just to get the same result?

Spend $10 and I promise you'll never look back.

Sounds good and all... Only thing is that I modified the original head unit and gave it an aux port that tells the head unit that I'm in telephone mode. Works great except I also swapped out the lighter socket for a dual USB charging port. I can easily use the phone through that port and it all works great except for when I am charging my phone at the same time and then I get the high pitched whining from ground fault loop thing. I installed a filter that helps greatly but doesn't eliminate it.
The FM transmitter sounds like a great idea but had bad experiences with them in another car years ago trying to play a portable DVD through the stereo for the kids. Reception was garbage.

Ah yeah, that's a few changes right there! I'm lucky, my 9-5 is all stock.

I hear you with the transmitter. They've come a long way in the last few years, an old one I had wasn't great either but the last few have been really good and work great in both my 9-5 and my old Mazda 626.

Hope you sort it out.