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Diagnosing the Problem

Error indicators
Status Monitor 2
Running a printer operation check

Troubleshooting printer problems is best handled in two easy steps: first diagnose the problem, then apply likely solutions until the problem is fixed.

The information that you need to diagnose the most common problems is provided by the printer's control panel lights and by the Status Monitor utility. You can also print an operation check page to determine whether the problem comes from the printer or the computer.

Error indicators

You can identify many common printer problems with the lights on your printer's control panel. If your printer stops working and the lights are on or flashing, use the following table of panel light patterns to diagnose the problem, then follow the recommended corrective measures.

Lights

Problem and Solution

images/led3.gif

Paper Out

No paper is loaded in the printer.

Load paper in the sheet feeder; then press the load/eject button to turn this light off. The printer resumes printing.

images/led9.gif



Paper Jam

Paper has jammed in the printer.

Press the load/eject button. The printer ejects the jammed paper and then resumes printing. If the error is not cleared, open the printer cover and remove the jammed paper. Then reload paper in the sheet feeder, and press the load/eject button. The printer resumes printing.

images/led5.gif

Ink Low (black ink cartridge)

The black ink cartridge is nearly empty.

Obtain a replacement black ink cartridge (S020187).

images/led6.gif

Ink Out (black ink cartridge)

The black ink cartridge is empty.

Replace the black ink cartridge with a new one (S020187). See Replacing an Empty Ink Cartridge for details.

images/led7.gif

Ink Low (color ink cartridge)

The color ink cartridge is nearly empty.

Obtain a replacement color ink cartridge (S020193).

images/led8.gif

Ink Out (color ink cartridge)

The color ink cartridge is empty.

Replace the color ink cartridge with a new one (S020193). See Replacing an Empty Ink Cartridge for details.

images/led10.gif




Carriage Error

The print head carriage is caught by jammed paper or other foreign material and cannot return to the home position.

If the paper is not ejected, turn off the printer. Open the printer cover and remove any paper from the paper path by hand.

If the error is not cleared, contact your dealer.

images/led11.gif




Unknown Printer Error

An unknown printer error has occurred.

Turn off the printer, and contact your dealer.

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Status Monitor 2

For Windows, you can check the printer's current status with the Status Monitor 2. This utility's Printer Status window provides status messages and a graphic display showing the current state of the printer. The graphic display can depict the following conditions:

images/stm1s.gif

Ready to print.

images/stm3s.gif

Paper is not loaded correctly.

images/stm4s.gif

Paper is jammed.

images/stm7s.gif

Black ink is out.

images/stm2s.gif

Color ink is out.

images/stm5s.gif

A communication error has occurred.

images/stm6s.gif

Other error has occurred.

When ink is out, click the Replace Ink Cartridge button in the Printer Status window and the Status Monitor will lead you step-by-step through the cartridge replacement procedure.

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Running a printer operation check

Performing a printer operation check can help you determine whether the problem comes from the printer or the computer.

To print a printer operation check page, follow these steps:

1. Make sure both the printer and computer are turned off.

2. Disconnect the cable from the printer's interface connector.

If you use the parallel interface, first, unlock the wire clips on both sides of the interface connector and remove the ground connector, if necessary. Then disconnect the cable from the printer's interface connector.

images/rs31.gif

3. Load paper into the sheet feeder.

images/caution.gif Caution:
Use paper at least 210 mm (8.27 inches) wide; for example, A4 size paper loaded short edge first. Otherwise, the print head will spray ink directly onto the platen during the operation check and smear any documents you print afterwards.

4. Hold down the load/eject button and press the power button to turn on the printer. Then release both buttons.

images/rs33.gif

The printer prints an operation check page including the version of your printer's ROM, the ink counter code, and a nozzle check pattern. Here is a typical printout:

images/nzlchk2s.gif

5. Press the power button to turn off the printer after it finishes printing the operation check page.

  • Compare the quality of the printed check page with the sample shown above. If there are no print quality problems, such as gaps or missing segments in the test lines, the printer itself is all right and the problem probably lies in the printer software settings, application settings, the interface cable (be sure to use a shielded cable), or the computer itself.

  • If the check page does not print satisfactorily, there is a problem with the printer. For example, if any segment of the printed lines is missing, this could be a clogged ink nozzle or a misaligned print head.

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