Isolating print quality problems

To help isolate print quality problems, print the print quality test pages:

1. Make sure paper is loaded in Tray 1.

2. Turn the printer off.

3. From the printer control panel, press and hold and the right arrow button while turning the printer on.

4. Release both buttons when the clock appears, and wait for Config Menu to appear.

5. Press the up or down arrow button until Prt Quality Pgs appears, and then press .

   The print quality test pages print.

6. Press the up or down arrow button until Exit Config Menu appears, and then press .

   Resetting the Printer appears briefly, followed by a clock, and then Ready appears.

Blank pages

These are possible solutions. Try one or more of the following:

Packing material may be on the toner cartridge

Remove the toner cartridge and make sure the packing material is properly removed. Reinstall the toner cartridge.

The toner may be low

Remove the toner cartridge from the printer. Shake the cartridge back and forth several times, and then reinstall it. If necessary, install a new toner cartridge.

The toner cartridge may be defective or empty

Replace the toner cartridge.

If the problem continues, the printer may need to be serviced. For more information, contact Customer Support.

Characters have jagged or uneven edges

If you are using downloaded fonts, verify that the fonts are supported by the printer, the host computer, and the software program.

Color misregistration

Color has shifted outside of the appropriate area or has been superimposed over another color area. Try the following:

1. Recalibrate the printer.

   Perform Color Adjust from the Quality menu.

2. Remove and reinstall the photoconductor.

3. Adjust the color alignment. For more information, see Adjusting the color alignment.

   Note: If you have not resolved the issue, then recalibrate again. If necessary, adjust the color alignment again.

Adjusting the color alignment

1. Make sure that the printer is turned off.

2. From the printer control panel, press and hold and the right arrow button while turning the printer on.

3. Release both buttons when the clock appears.

   The printer performs its power-on sequence, and then Config Menu appears.

4. Press the up or down arrow button until Color Alignment appears, and then press .

5. Press again to print the alignment page.

6. Press the up or down arrow button until Set A appears, and then press .

7. From the printed sheet, find the straightest of the 20 lines beside the letter A.

8. Press the left or right arrow button until that number is displayed, and then press .

   Submitting selection appears.

9. Repeat steps 6 through 8 to align sets A through L.

10. Press .

11. Press .

12. Press the up or down arrow button until Exit Config Menu appears, and then press .

    Resetting the Printer appears briefly, followed by a clock, and then Ready appears.

Clipped images

Try one or more of the following:

Check the guides

Move the width and length guides in the tray to the correct positions for the paper size loaded.

Check the paper size setting

Make sure the paper size setting matches the paper loaded in the tray:

1. From the printer control panel Paper menu, check the Paper Size setting.

2. Before sending the job to print, specify the correct size setting:

   • For Windows users, specify the size from Print Properties.

   • For Macintosh users, specify the size from the Page Setup dialog.

Fine horizontal lines appear on color pages

You may notice fine, horizontal lines in photographs or pages with a high concentration of color. This can occur when the printer is in Quiet Mode. To fix this, set Quiet Mode to Off (Image/Photo).

Ghost images

Check the paper type and weight settings

Make sure the paper type and weight settings match the paper loaded in the tray:

1. From the printer control panel Paper menu, check the Paper Type and Paper Weight settings.

2. Before sending the job to print, specify the correct type setting:

   • For Windows users, specify the type from Print Properties.

   • For Macintosh users, specify the type from the Print dialog.

The photoconductor may be defective

Replace the photoconductor.

The toner may be low

Replace the toner cartridge.

Gray background

Check the Toner Darkness setting

Select a lighter Toner Darkness setting:

• From the printer control panel Quality menu, change the setting.

• For Windows users, change the setting from Print Properties.

• For Macintosh users, change the setting from the Print dialog.

The toner cartridge may be worn or defective

Replace the toner cartridge.

Incorrect margins

These are possible solutions. Try one or more of the following:

Check the paper guides

Move the guides in the tray to the correct positions for the paper size loaded.

Check the paper size setting

Make sure the paper size setting matches the paper loaded in the tray:

1. From the printer control panel Paper menu, check the Paper Size setting.

2. Before sending the job to print, specify the correct size setting:

   • For Windows users, specify the size from Print Properties.

   • For Macintosh users, specify the size from the Page Setup dialog.

Light colored line, white line, or incorrectly colored line

These are possible solutions. Try one or more of the following:

A toner cartridge is defective

Replace the defective toner cartridge.

A photoconductor is defective

Replace the defective photoconductor.

The transfer module is defective

Replace the transfer module.

The printhead lenses are dirty

Clean the printhead lenses.

Paper curl

These are possible solutions. Try one or more of the following:

Check the paper type and weight settings

Make sure the paper type and weight settings match the paper loaded in the tray:

1. From the printer control panel Paper menu, check the Paper Type and Paper Weight settings.

2. Before sending the job to print, specify the correct type setting:

   • For Windows users, specify the type from Print Properties.

   • For Macintosh users, specify the type from the Print dialog.

The paper may have absorbed moisture due to high humidity

• Load paper from a fresh package.

• Store paper in its original wrapper until you use it.

Print irregularities

These are possible solutions. Try one or more of the following:

The paper may have absorbed moisture due to high humidity

Load paper from a fresh package.

Check the paper type and weight settings

Make sure the paper type and weight settings match the paper loaded in the tray:

1. From the printer control panel Paper menu, check the Paper Type and Paper Weight settings.

2. Before sending the job to print, specify the correct type setting:

   • For Windows users, specify the type from Print Properties.

   • For Macintosh users, specify the type from the Print dialog.

Check the paper

Avoid textured paper with rough finishes.

The toner cartridge, the transfer module, or the fuser may be worn or defective

Replace the toner cartridge, the transfer module, or the fuser.

Print is too dark

These are possible solutions. Try one or more of the following:

Recalibrate the printer

Perform Color Adjust from the printer control panel Quality menu.

Check the darkness, brightness, and contrast settings

The Toner Darkness setting is too dark, the RGB Brightness setting is too dark, or the RGB Contrast setting is too high.

• Change these settings from the printer control panel Quality menu.

• For Windows users, change these settings from Print Properties.

• For Macintosh users, change these settings from the Print dialog and pop-up menus.

The toner cartridge may be worn or defective

Replace the toner cartridge.

Print is too light

These are possible solutions. Try one or more of the following:

Recalibrate the printer

Perform Color Adjust from the printer control panel Quality menu.

Check the darkness, brightness, and contrast settings

The Toner Darkness setting is too light, the RGB Brightness setting is too light, or the RGB Contrast setting is too low.

• Change these settings from the printer control panel Quality menu.

• For Windows users, change these settings from Print Properties.

• For Macintosh users, change these settings from the Print dialog and pop-up menus.

The paper may have absorbed moisture due to high humidity

Load paper from a fresh package.

Check the paper

Avoid textured paper with rough finishes.

Check the paper type and weight settings

Make sure the paper type and weight settings match the paper loaded in the tray:

1. From the printer control panel Paper menu, check the Paper Type and Paper Weight settings.

2. Before sending the job to print, specify the correct type setting:

   • For Windows users, specify the type from Print Properties.

   • For Macintosh users, specify the type from the Print dialog.

Color Saver may be set to On

Turn Color Saver off in the printer control panel Quality menu.

The toner may be low

Replace the toner cartridge.

The toner cartridge may be worn or defective

Replace the toner cartridge.

Repeating defects

These are possible solutions. Try one or more of the following:

Replace the toner cartridge if the defects occur every:

• 33.0 mm (1.30 in.)

• 35.3 mm (1.39 in.)

Replace the photoconductor if the defects occur every:

• 28.3 mm (1.11 in.)

• 72.4 mm (2.85 in.)

Replace the fuser if the defects occur every:

• 47.4 mm (1.87 in.)

• 94.8 mm (3.73 in.)

• 113.0 mm (4.45 in.)

Skewed print

These are possible solutions. Try one or more of the following:

Check the paper guides

Move the length and width guides in the tray to the correct positions for the paper size loaded.

• Make sure the guides are not too far from the paper stack.

• Make sure the guides are not pressing too lightly against the paper stack.

Check the paper

Make sure you are using paper that meets the printer specifications.

Solid color pages

These are possible solutions. Try one or more of the following:

The photoconductor may be defective or installed incorrectly

Remove and then reinstall the photoconductor. If the problem continues, the photoconductor may need to be replaced.

The toner cartridge may be defective or low on toner

Remove the toner cartridge and shake it from side to side to redistribute the toner, and then reinstall it. If the problem continues, replace the used toner cartridge with a new one. The printer may also need to be serviced. For more information, contact Customer Support.

Streaked horizontal lines

These are possible solutions. Try one or more of the following:

The toner cartridge may be worn, defective, or empty

Replace the toner cartridge.

The fuser may be defective

Replace the fuser.

The photoconductor may be defective

Replace the photoconductor.

Streaked vertical lines

These are possible solutions. Try one or more of the following:

The toner may have smeared

Select another tray or feeder to feed paper for the job:

• From the printer control panel Paper Menu, select the Default Source.

• For Windows users, select the paper source from Print Properties.

• For Macintosh users, select the paper source from the Print dialog and pop-up menus.

The toner cartridge may be defective

Replace the toner cartridge.

The transfer module may be worn or defective

Replace the transfer module.

Toner fog or background shading appears on the page

These are possible solutions. Try one or more of the following:

The toner cartridge may be defective or installed incorrectly

Reinstall or replace the toner cartridge.

The transfer module may be worn or defective

Replace the transfer module.

The photoconductor may be worn or defective

Replace the photoconductor.

The fuser may be worn or defective

Replace the fuser.

There is toner in the paper path

The printer may need to be serviced. For more information, contact Customer Support.

Recalibrate the printer

Perform color adjust from the printer control panel Quality menu.

Check the software program or application

The software program or application may have specified off-white background.

Toner rubs off

These are possible solutions. Try one or more of the following:

Check the paper type and weight settings

Make sure the paper type and weight settings match the paper loaded in the tray:

1. From the printer control panel Paper menu, check the Paper Type and Paper Weight settings. Change the Paper Weight setting from Normal to Heavy.

2. Before sending the job to print, specify the correct type setting:

   • For Windows users, specify the type from Print Properties.

   • For Macintosh users, specify the type from the Print dialog.

Check the paper texture setting

From the printer control panel Paper menu, make sure the Paper Texture setting matches the paper loaded in the tray. If necessary, change the Paper Texture setting from Normal to Rough.

The fuser may be worn or defective

Replace the fuser.

Toner specks

These are possible solutions. Try one or more of the following:

The toner cartridge may be worn or defective

Replace the toner cartridge.

There is toner in the paper path

The printer may need to be serviced. For more information, contact Customer Support.

The photoconductor may be defective

Replace the photoconductor.

Transparency print quality is poor

Try one or more of the following:

Check the transparencies

Use only transparencies that meet the printer specifications.

Check the paper type setting

Make sure the paper type setting is set to Transparency:

1. From the printer control panel Paper menu, check the Paper Type setting.

2. Before sending the job to print, specify the correct type setting:

   • For Windows users, specify the type from Print Properties.

   • For Macintosh users, specify the type from the Print dialog.

Uneven print density

These are possible solutions. Try one or more of the following:

A toner cartridge may be worn or defective

Replace the worn or defective toner cartridge.

A photoconductor may be defective

Replace the defective photoconductor.