What are the Most Common Printer Problems?
Most Common Issues in an Inkjet Printer
One of the most common complaints we hear is that a printer will no longer print. The carriage is moving from side-to-side, but nothing is coming out on the paper. In most cases, this is the result of a clogged printhead. A clogged printhead can also result in skipped or missing lines on your print pages. In some cases, your printer will display a printhead error. This is common if your ink printer sits unused for a while. There are steps that you can take to resolve this error yourself by performing a cleaning on the printhead directly from your device. Please refer to your printer’s User Manual for instructions on how to do this. Please note that when you perform a printhead cleaning, your printer utilizes your ink cartridges to force the ink through that printhead to clear it of any debris that may be clogging the printhead. Most of the time, you will have to repeat this process a couple of times, depleting your ink supplies. That’s why we recommend scheduling a service call in this case. ONYX Imaging’s technicians can remove and clean your printhead with our solvent while preserving your printer’s ink supplies.
Another issue we hear quite often is, “My printer won’t recognize after-market ink cartridges.” This may be a result of a Dynamic Security Feature update that HP has put out to disable some of its printers from accepting Non-HP Supplies. If you see a Cartridge Problem Error and have one of the following models, this may be the case. We have provided a link below to help you resolve this issue.
- HP Officejet 6950
- HP OfficeJet Pro 6230 / 6810 / 6820 / 6830 / 6970 / 7740 / 8210 / 8610 / 8620 / 8630 / 8640 / 8660 / 8700 / X451dn /X451dw / X476dn / X476dw / X551dw / X576dw
- HP PageWide 300/400/500 printers.
If you have one of the printer models listed above and are receiving an error that says, “One or more cartridges appear to be damaged. Remove them and replace with new cartridges”, you will need to perform a firmware update. The firmware update will disable the dynamic security feature and should resolve your issue regardless of the date your printer was manufactured. You can find a link to that update here.
Any other error messages that you are receiving are not related to this issue. If the cartridge still fails after you perform this update, then please give ONYX Imaging a call so we can help resolve this issue.
Most Common Issues in a Color Laser Printer
If you see blurry prints or the color seems a little “off” on your color laser printer, the first thing we recommend is to perform a manual calibration on your printer. The process of how to perform this varies from printer to printer. Please refer to your User Manual for instructions on how to calibrate your device.
Another common issue we see is colored tracks printed on the back of the paper. In most cases, this indicates that it is time to replace the transfer belt.
If you see light prints in all four colors, check your settings located under the Print Quality menu. If you have Economy Mode or Econo-mode turned on, turn it off. Restart your printer and see if this resolves your faded prints. If the problem persists, please give Onyx Imaging a call to schedule service. There could be issues with your Laser/Scanner or your high-voltage power supply. However, it is unlikely to be scanner related in printers that contain a separate scanner for each color. This would mean that all four scanners would have to be bad.
Do you see voids or white bands on the pages? This can be caused by numerous issues. One of the most common that we see results from formatter failure. You can troubleshoot this issue by performing an “Engine Test.” The engine test bypasses the formatter. If your print pages appear normal while performing this test, you will need to replace your formatter to resolve this problem.
If toner can still be smeared after you have printed your document, it may be time to replace the fuser. This can also happen as a result of using a media or paper that is not compatible with your device. Be sure to reference your printer’s specifications. The fuser assembly is the heating element in the printer that fuses or binds the toner on to the page. If you are using a paper that is glossier or heavier than usual, a fuser temperature adjustment may resolve this issue. Please call Onyx Imaging to schedule a service.
Most Common Issues in a Multi-Function Printer
The biggest problem we hear from customers with a multi-function printer is a line on the page when copying or scanning. This is usually a very simple fix. If you print a document from your computer and you don’t see the line, then the next place we need to look is your Scanner or ADF (Auto Document Feeder) assembly. Lift the lid to expose the glass where you would copy a document. Using a lint-free cloth and your favorite glass cleaner, wipe down the large platen glass as well as the small strip of glass to the left of it (only present on some models). Be sure to apply the glass cleaner directly to the cloth – do not spray the glass. This can result in further damage to your printer. Continue this process until there are no visible specs or debris on the glass.
Another complaint that we often receive is blank pages when copying or scanning. This can result from either a failed scanner unit or a loose cable. Be sure to check that the cable from the scanner assembly to the printer is firmly connected.
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