PDF User Manual

Print quality guide

Many print quality problems can be solved by replacing a supply or maintenance item that is approaching the end of its intended
life. Check the printer control panel for a message about a printer supply.

Print irregularities

Try one or more of the following:

L

OAD

PAPER

FROM

A

FRESH

PACKAGE

The paper may have absorbed moisture due to high humidity. Store paper in its original wrapper until you use it.

C

HECK

THE

PAPER

TYPE

AND

WEIGHT

SETTINGS

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

1

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

2

Before sending the print job, specify the correct paper type setting:

•

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

•

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

A

VOID

TEXTURED

PAPER

WITH

ROUGH

FINISHES

M

AKE

SURE

THERE

IS

NO

DEFECTIVE

PRINT

CARTRIDGE

Replace the worn or defective print cartridge.

M

AKE

SURE

THE

TRANSFER

BELT

IS

NOT

DEFECTIVE

Replace the defective transfer belt. For more information, see the instruction sheet that came with the replacement part.

M

AKE

SURE

THE

FUSER

IS

NOT

DEFECTIVE

Replace the defective fuser. For more information, see the instruction sheet that came with the replacement part.

Print quality guide

Page 1 of 10

Repeating defects appear on prints

Try one or more of the following:

R

EPLACE

THE

PRINT

CARTRIDGE

Replace the print cartridge of the color with the repeating defect, if the print defects occur in the following instances:

•

in every 37.7 mm (1.48 in.) of the page

•

in every 41.6 mm (1.64 in.) of the page

•

in every 42.7 mm (1.68 in.) of the page

•

in every 94.3 mm (3.71 in.) of the page

R

EPLACE

THE

FUSER

Replace the fuser if print defects occur in the following instances:

•

in every 95.0 mm (3.74 in.) of the page

•

in every 146.7 mm (5.78 in.) of the page

Light colored line, white line, or incorrectly colored line appears on prints

ABCDE
ABCDE

A

B

C

D

E

A

B

C

D

E

A

B

C

D

E

Try one or more of the following:

M

AKE

SURE

THERE

IS

NO

DEFECTIVE

PRINT

CARTRIDGE

Replace the defective print cartridge.

M

AKE

SURE

THE

TRANSFER

BELT

IS

NOT

DEFECTIVE

Replace the defective transfer belt. For more information, see the instruction sheet that came with the replacement part.

Print quality guide

Page 2 of 10

Streaked horizontal lines appear on prints

ABCDE
ABCDE
ABCDE

Try one or more of the following:

S

ELECT

ANOTHER

TRAY

OR

FEEDER

•

From the printer control panel Paper Menu, select 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.

M

AKE

SURE

THERE

IS

NO

WORN

, 

DEFECTIVE

, 

OR

EMPTY

PRINT

CARTRIDGE

Replace the worn, defective, or empty print cartridge.

Uneven print density

A

B

C

D

E

A

B

C

D

E

A

B

C

D

E

M

AKE

SURE

THERE

IS

NO

DEFECTIVE

OR

WORN

PRINT

CARTRIDGE

Replace the worn or defective print cartridge.

Print is too dark

Try one or more of the following:

Print quality guide

Page 3 of 10

L

OAD

PAPER

FROM

A

FRESH

PACKAGE

The paper may have absorbed moisture due to high humidity. Store paper in its original wrapper until you use it.

A

VOID

TEXTURED

PAPER

WITH

ROUGH

FINISHES

C

HECK

THE

 P

APER

 T

YPE

SETTING

Make sure the Paper Type setting matches the paper loaded in the tray or feeder:

•

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

•

For Windows users, check this setting from Print Properties.

•

For Macintosh users, check this setting from the Print dialog.

M

AKE

SURE

THERE

IS

NO

DEFECTIVE

PRINT

CARTRIDGE

Replace the defective print cartridge.

Print is too light

Try one or more of the following:

L

OAD

PAPER

FROM

A

FRESH

PACKAGE

The paper may have absorbed moisture from high humidity. Store paper in its original wrapper until you use it.

A

VOID

TEXTURED

PAPER

WITH

ROUGH

FINISHES

C

HECK

THE

 P

APER

 T

YPE

SETTING

Make sure the Paper Type setting matches the paper loaded in the tray or feeder:

•

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

•

For Windows users, check this setting from Print Properties.

•

For Macintosh users, check this setting from the Print dialog.

Print quality guide

Page 4 of 10

M

AKE

SURE

THE

PRINT

CARTRIDGE

IS

NOT

LOW

ON

TONER

When 

88.xx [color] cartridge low

 appears, make sure the toner is distributed evenly within the print cartridge.

1

Remove the print cartridge.

Warning—Potential Damage: 

Be careful not to touch the photoconductor drum. Doing so may affect the print quality of

future print jobs.

2

Firmly shake the cartridge side-to-side and front-to-back several times to redistribute the toner.

3

Reinsert the print cartridge.

Note: 

If print quality does not improve, then replace the print cartridge.

If the problem continues, then the printer may need to be serviced. For more information, contact customer support.

M

AKE

SURE

THERE

IS

NO

DEFECTIVE

PRINT

CARTRIDGE

Replace the defective print cartridge.

Transparency print quality is poor

Try one or more of the following:

C

HECK

THE

TRANSPARENCIES

Use only transparencies that meet the printer specifications.

C

HECK

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.

Gray background on prints

ABCDE

ABCDE

ABCDE

M

AKE

SURE

THERE

IS

NO

WORN

OR

DEFECTIVE

PRINT

CARTRIDGE

Replace the worn or defective print cartridge.

Print quality guide

Page 5 of 10

Shadow images appear on prints

Try one or more of the following:

C

HECK

THE

PAPER

TYPE

AND

WEIGHT

SETTINGS

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

1

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

2

Before sending the print job, specify the correct paper type setting:

•

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

•

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

M

AKE

SURE

THE

PRINT

CARTRIDGE

IS

NOT

LOW

ON

TONER

When 

88.xx [color] cartridge low

 appears, make sure that toner is distributed evenly among all four print cartridges

or whichever color has the shadow images.

1

Remove the print cartridge.

Warning—Potential Damage: 

Be careful not to touch the photoconductor drum. Doing so may affect the print quality of

future print jobs.

2

Firmly shake the cartridge side-to-side and front-to-back several times to redistribute the toner.

3

Reinsert the print cartridge.

Note: 

If print quality does not improve, replace the print cartridge of the color that is giving a shadow.

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

Toner fog or background shading appears on a page

Try one or more of the following:

M

AKE

SURE

PRINT

CARTRIDGES

ARE

INSTALLED

CORRECTLY

AND

ARE

NOT

DEFECTIVE

Reinstall or replace the print cartridge.

M

AKE

SURE

THE

TRANSFER

BELT

IS

NOT

WORN

OR

DEFECTIVE

Replace the transfer belt. For more information, see the instruction sheet that came with the replacement part.

Print quality guide

Page 6 of 10

M

AKE

SURE

THE

FUSER

IS

NOT

WORN

OR

DEFECTIVE

Replace the fuser. For more information, see the instruction sheet that came with the replacement part.

M

AKE

SURE

THERE

IS

NO

TONER

IN

THE

PAPER

PATH

Clean any visible toner from the paper path. If the problem persists, then contact customer support.

R

ECALIBRATE

THE

PRINTER

Perform color adjust from the printer control panel Quality menu.

C

HECK

THE

SOFTWARE

PROGRAM

OR

APPLICATION

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

Toner rubs off

Try one or more of the following:

C

HECK

THE

PAPER

TYPE

AND

WEIGHT

SETTINGS

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

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 print job, specify the correct paper type setting:

•

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

•

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

C

HECK

THE

PAPER

TEXTURE

SETTING

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

M

AKE

SURE

THE

FUSER

IS

NOT

WORN

OR

DEFECTIVE

Replace the worn or defective fuser. For more information, see the instruction sheet that came with the replacement part.

Print quality guide

Page 7 of 10

Clipped images

Try one or more of the following:

C

HECK

THE

GUIDES

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

C

HECK

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.

Skewed print

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

C

HECK

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.

C

HECK

THE

PAPER

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

Incorrect margins

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

C

HECK

THE

PAPER

GUIDES

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

Print quality guide

Page 8 of 10

C

HECK

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.

Printer is printing blank pages

Try one or more of the following:

M

AKE

SURE

THERE

IS

NO

PACKING

MATERIAL

LEFT

ON

THE

TONER

OR

PRINT

CARTRIDGE

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

M

AKE

SURE

THE

TONER

OR

PRINT

CARTRIDGE

IS

NOT

LOW

ON

TONER

When 

88.xx [color] cartridge low

 appears, make sure that toner is distributed evenly among all four cartridges:

1

Remove the cartridge.

Warning—Potential Damage: 

Be careful not to touch the photoconductor drum. Doing so may affect the print quality of

future print jobs.

2

Firmly shake the cartridge side-to-side and front-to-back several times to redistribute the toner.

3

Reinsert the cartridge.

Note: 

If print quality does not improve, then replace the cartridge of the color that is not printing.

If the problem continues, then the printer may need to be serviced. For more information, contact customer support.

Solid color or black pages appear on prints

Print quality guide

Page 9 of 10

M

AKE

SURE

THE

PRINT

CARTRIDGES

ARE

INSTALLED

CORRECTLY

, 

ARE

NOT

DEFECTIVE

AND

NOT

LOW

ON

TONER

•

Remove the print cartridges.

Warning—Potential Damage: 

Be careful not to touch the photoconductor drum. Doing so may affect the print quality of

future print jobs.

•

Reinsert the print cartridges.

Note: 

If the quality does not improve, replace the print cartridges.

•

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

Paper curl

Try one or more of the following:

C

HECK

THE

PAPER

TYPE

AND

WEIGHT

SETTINGS

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

1

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

2

Before sending the print job, specify the correct paper type setting:

•

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

•

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

L

OAD

PAPER

FROM

A

FRESH

PACKAGE

Paper absorbs moisture due to high humidity. Store paper in its original wrapper until you use it.

Print quality guide

Page 10 of 10