Isolating print quality problems

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

1. Turn the printer off.

2. Load letter- or A4-size paper in the tray.

3. Hold down and while turning the printer on.

4. Release the buttons when the screen with the progress bar appears.

   The printer performs a power-on sequence, and then the Configuration menu appears.

5. Touch Print Quality Pages.

6. Touch Print Quality Pages again.

   The print quality test pages print.

7. Touch Back.

8. Touch Exit Config Menu.

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.

Toner is low

• Remove the toner cartridge from the printer. Shake the cartridge back and forth several times, and then reinstall it.

• Install a new toner cartridge.

A toner cartridge is defective or empty

Replace the defective or empty toner cartridge.

The printer requires servicing

Call for service.

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

Recalibrate the printer

From the printer control panel Quality menu, perform Color Adjust.

Reinstall the photoconductor

Remove and reinstall the photoconductor.

Adjust the color alignment

1. Turn the printer off.

2. Load letter- or A4-size paper in the tray.

3. Hold down and while turning the printer on.

4. Release the buttons when the screen with the progress bar appears.

   The printer performs a power-on sequence, and then the Configuration menu appears.

5. Touch the down arrow until Color Alignment appears.

6. Touch Color Alignment.

7. Touch Color Alignment again.

   The color alignment pages print.

8. Touch the down arrow until Color Alignment appears, and then touch Color Alignment.

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

10. Touch the left or right arrow to select that number.

11. Repeat steps 9 and 10 to align sets B through L.

12. Touch Back.

13. Touch Exit Config Menu.

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

Clipped images

These are possible solutions. 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, check the Paper Size setting from the Paper menu.

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

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

The photoconductor is not functioning properly

• Make sure the Paper Type setting is correct for the media that you are using.

• Replace the photoconductor.

Toner is low

Replace the toner cartridge.

Gray background

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

Check the Toner Darkness setting

Select a different toner darkness setting in the printer software before sending the job to print.

A toner cartridge may be worn or defective

Replace the worn or defective 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, check the Paper Size setting from the Paper menu.

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 setting

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

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

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 has 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 setting

Make sure the Paper Type and Paper Weight settings match the type of paper that you are using.

Check the paper

Avoid textured paper with rough finishes.

A toner cartridge, the transfer module, or the fuser is 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:

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.

• From the printer control panel, change these settings from the 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 printer may not have recalibrated recently

Perform Color Adjust from the printer control panel Quality menu.

A toner cartridge is worn or defective

Replace the worn or defective 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 RGB Brightness setting is too light, or the RGB Contrast setting is too low.

• From the printer control panel, change these settings from the 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 printer may not have recalibrated recently

Perform Color Adjust from the printer control panel Quality menu.

Check the paper

• Load paper from a new package.

• Avoid textured paper with rough finishes.

• Make sure the paper you load in the trays is not damp.

• Make sure the Paper Type and Paper Weight settings match the type of paper that you are using.

Color Saver is On

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

A toner cartridge is low

• Remove the specified cartridge from the printer. Shake the cartridge back and forth several times, and then reinstall it.

• Install a new toner cartridge.

A toner cartridge is worn or defective

Replace the worn or defective toner cartridge.

Repeating defects

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

Repeating marks occur in only one color and multiple times on the page

Replace a toner cartridge if the defects occur every:

• 33.0 mm (1.30 in.)

• 35.3 mm (1.39 in.)

Replace a photoconductor if the defects occur every:

• 28.3 mm (1.11 in.)

• 72.4 mm (2.85 in.)

Repeating marks occur in all colors and multiple times on the page

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

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:

Make sure the photoconductors are properly installed

Remove and then reinstall the photoconductors.

The photoconductor is defective

Replace the defective photoconductor.

The printer requires servicing

Call for service.

Streaked horizontal lines

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

A toner cartridge is defective, empty, or worn

Replace the toner cartridge.

The fuser is defective or worn

Replace the fuser.

A photoconductor may be defective

Replace the defective photoconductor.

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, select the Default Source from the Paper Menu.

• 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.

A toner cartridge is defective

Replace the defective toner cartridge.

The transfer module is 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:

A toner cartridge is defective or installed incorrectly

Reinstall or replace the defective toner cartridge.

The transfer module is worn or defective

Replace the transfer module.

A photoconductor is worn or defective

Replace the worn or defective photoconductor.

The fuser is worn or defective

Replace the fuser.

Toner is 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 Weight and Paper Texture settings

Change the Paper Weight from Normal to Heavy. If necessary, change the Paper Texture from Normal to Rough in the printer control panel Paper menu.

The fuser is worn or defective

Replace the fuser.

Toner specks

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

The toner cartridges are worn or defective

Replace the defective or worn cartridges.

There is toner in the paper path

Contact Customer Support.

Transparency print quality is poor

Try one or more of the following:

Check the transparencies

Use only transparencies recommended by the printer manufacturer.

Check the paper type setting

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

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

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.