Panasonic RQ-2102 Troubleshooting

Device buttons get stuck often and are difficult to push out.

The solution could lie in the pinch roller, which is a device that pushes the cassette into place in order to function properly. Push the pinch roller back to alleviate mechanical locking that occurs. If this fails to fix the problem, the user should consider replacing the pinch roller altogether.

To fix this problem, clean exterior of buttons with a damp rag. If this does not work, remove buttons carefully and clean the place where buttons used to be with a damp rag.

Link to button repair guide:

Button Repair

The cassette door will sometimes get stuck and fail to open.

The belt may be stuck and simply turning it by hand could fix this problem. If your drive belt is damaged beyond the point that manually turning it is impossible, then the best option is to simply replace the belt with a new one.

Carefully pry open cassette door with a small flat blade screwdriver. Another method could be to push various buttons to release any additional locking mechanisms that may have become stuck due to extended/harsh use.

Link to Cassette Holder Spring repair guide:

Cassette Holder Spring Repair Guide

The cassette player fails to power on.

Remove battery door and check for damage to the four C batteries. If no damage is visible, remove batteries and replace with new ones. If no replacements are available, try removing dead batteries and reinstall to make sure they were placed properly.

Link to battery replacement guide:

Battery Replacement Guide

Check the AC adapter to ensure that it is properly plugged into the outlet and device. If the device does not work when adapter is plugged in, then the adapter is damaged and either needs to be replaced or plugged into a different outlet.

Buzzing or clicking sound can be heard when playing tapes.

The device could be suffering from normal wear. The solution to this could be checking all power connections, checking for dust build up inside outlets and the device. If the problem still persists, the speaker may need to be replaced.

The battery could break and leak into the main board of the device, causing a clicking/buzzing sound. Clean the board or any affected areas with petrol and a damp rag. Avoid cleaning areas that are not affected by leakage with the petrol as this can further damage the device.

The cassette may get stuck when put into the device for use.

Check to make sure that the drive belt isn't damaged. If the belt is broken it could cause the cassette to get stuck. The best way to get rid of this issue is to replace the drive belt with a new one.

Check to ensure that the spindle on the device is not lodged in the tape. If the spindle causes the cassettes to keep getting stuck, take apart the device and replace the spindles with new ones. Also, the issue could occur if one is using the wrong type of cassette for the device.