The service was quick and simple, finding the service manual easy and it appears to be the original with colour schematics. It contained the info I was after and so sorted the problem.
I have copied it to CD and attached the envelope to the inside back cover of the owners manual. Good manual and excelent service. Robin Wood, Wood Electronics, New Zealand.
Nice to have the service manual for the Sony DCR-TRV345E now. The document is of excellent quality.
Text excerpt from page 8 (click to view)
KD-S795
2.2 CD Mechanism Assembly 2.2.1 Removing the top cover (See Figs.1 and 2) (1) Remove the two screws A on the both side of the body. (2) Lift the front side of the top cover and move the top cover backward to release the two joints a.