Machine is eating tape on cassette player. How to fix?

The reason that a tape player eats tapes is that the take up reel is not turning, There is a sensor that shuts off the machine if the take up reel is not turning. The tape goes between the pinch roller and capstan which pull the tape out of the supply side of the cassette. Since the take up reel is not turning the tape that is pulled out spills into the mechanism of the tape deck, so if it did not shut off about 2 more inches of tape would continue being pulled out of the cassette every second. There is a mechanical problem on the back side of the tape player. A reel, a belt, or a pulley.
If it will not FF it is likely a small belt.

Heads are dirty, need to clean & demagnetize the players Heads.
Cassette Tape Player Audio Head Capstan Cleaner Demagnetizer Kit

you may have a bad belt, or belts. did it eat a tape?

Probalby the only way to get stucked tape out of a player is in pieces. Then repair the cassette and clean your player. If it keep stcking tapes, dispose it.
By the way, cassette tapes an players are rather obsoleteby now. Any digital source is better quality the a cassette.

These units are just like cassette players and have rubber parts inside. This unit should be overhauled. A good cleaning along with replacement rubber parts should resolve the problem. Figure on $10-$20 for parts.

Dan

Because the tape doesn't roll smoothly, causing the tape to be eatin by the cassette player.

Try a video head cleaner first of all, OR eject the tape before turning off power.

Hey there.
Cassette head cleaners generally only improve the sound quality on playback. This problem sounds more like something mechanical; I would open the player and check out the capstan and rollers. If they are dirty, clean them with a mild soap and water solution, (carefull to not get it too wet). Also, as for the tape deck in your vehicle, OEM systems are notorious for eating and destroying cassette tapes.
Let me know how this goes over,
HortonA!

Durabrand is one of walmarts cheap electronics brands.. This boombox probably only costs $15-$20 off the shelf. Id just junk it.