Solving print quality problems

The information in the following topics may help you solve print quality problems. If these suggestions still do not correct the problem, call Customer Support. You may have a printer part that requires adjustment or replacement.

Isolating print quality problems

Print the print quality test pages to isolate print quality problems.

Turn the printer off, and then open the front door.
Press and hold while turning the printer on.
Release .
Close the front door. The light sequence that represents the Home menu appears.
- On
- On
- On
- On
Press and release until you see the light sequence for print quality test pages, as indicated on the printer settings configuration sheet.
Press and hold until all lights cycle.
After a few minutes, the print quality test pages print. The pages include:
- An information page containing information about the device, the cartridge, margin settings, and minimum stroke width, and a graphic for evaluating the print quality
- Two pages for assessing how well the printer is capable of printing various types of graphics
Examine the pages to determine the quality of printing. If there are problems, see Solving print quality problems.
To return to the Home menu, press and hold until all the lights cycle. To exit the menus, turn the printer off.

Blank pages

Try one or more of the following:

Remove and reinstall the toner cartridge.
Remove and reinstall the photoconductor kit.

If the printer still prints blank pages, it may need to be serviced. For more information, contact Customer Support.

Clipped images

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.

Gray background

From the Quality menu, select a reduced Toner Darkness setting before sending the job to print. To access the Quality menu, do one of the following:

If the printer is on a network, access the Embedded Web Server by typing the printer IP address into the address field of your Web browser. From the Settings tab, click Print Settings.
If the printer is connected to a computer by a USB or parallel cable, open the Local Printer Settings Utility for Windows or Printer Settings for Macintosh. One of these utilities installs with the printer software.

Ghost images

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

The photoconductor kit may be defective

Replace the photoconductor kit.

Check the paper size and paper type settings

From the Paper menu, change the paper size and paper type settings to match the paper loaded in the tray. To access the Paper menu, do one of the following:

If the printer is on a network, access the Embedded Web Server by typing the printer IP address in the address field of your Web browser. From the Settings tab, click Paper Menu.
If the printer is connected to a computer by a USB or parallel cable, open the Local Printer Settings Utility for Windows or Printer Settings for Macintosh. One of these utilities installs with the printer software.

Incorrect margins

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.

Check the Page size setting

Before sending the job to print, specify the correct page size in Print Properties or the software program.

Paper curl

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

Check the Paper Type setting

Make sure the Paper Type setting matches the paper loaded in the tray.

The paper may have absorbed moisture due to high humidity

Try one or more of the following:

Load paper from a fresh package.
Store paper in its original wrapper until you use it.

Print is too dark

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

Check the darkness, brightness, and contrast settings

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

From Print Properties, change these settings.
Note: This solution applies to Windows users only.
From the Quality menu, change these settings.

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.

Check the paper

Avoid textured paper with rough finishes.

Check the Paper Type setting

Make sure the Paper Type setting matches the paper loaded in the tray.

The toner cartridge may be defective

Replace the toner cartridge.

Print is too light

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

Check the darkness, brightness, and contrast settings

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

From Print Properties, change these settings.
Note: This solution applies to Windows users only.
From the Quality menu, change these settings.

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.

Check the paper

Avoid textured paper with rough finishes.

Check the Paper Type setting

Make sure the Paper Type setting matches the paper loaded in the tray.

The toner may be low

When Toner is low appears on the virtual display, or when the print becomes faded, order a new toner cartridge.

The toner cartridge may be defective

Replace the toner cartridge.

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

Replace the toner cartridge.

There is toner in the paper path

Contact Customer Support.

Toner rubs off

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

Check the Paper Type setting

Make sure the Paper Type setting matches the paper loaded in the tray.

Check the Paper Texture setting

Make sure the Paper Texture setting matches the paper loaded in the tray.

Streaked horizontal lines

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

The toner is smeared

Select another tray or feeder to feed the 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 paper path may not be clear

Check the paper path around the toner cartridge.

CAUTION—HOT SURFACE: The inside of the printer might be hot. To reduce the risk of injury from a hot component, allow the surface to cool before touching.

Clear any paper you see.

There is toner in the paper path

Contact Customer Support.

Streaked vertical lines

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

The toner is 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 is defective

Replace the toner cartridge.

The paper path may not be clear

Check the paper path around the toner cartridge.

CAUTION—HOT SURFACE: The inside of the printer might be hot. To reduce the risk of injury from a hot component, allow the surface to cool before touching.

Clear any paper you see.

There is toner in the paper path

Contact Customer Support.

Solid black or white streaks appear on transparencies or paper

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

Make sure the fill pattern is correct

If the fill pattern is incorrect, choose a different fill pattern from your software program.

Check the paper type

Try a different type of paper.
For transparencies, use only ones recommended by the printer manufacturer.
Make sure the Paper Type setting matches what is loaded in the tray or feeder.
Make sure the Paper Texture setting is correct for the type of paper or specialty media loaded in the tray or feeder.

Make sure the toner is distributed evenly in the toner cartridge

Remove the toner cartridge and shake it from side to side to redistribute the toner to extend the life of the cartridge, and then reinstall it.

The toner cartridge may be defective or low on toner

Replace the used toner cartridge with a new one.