How to quickly troubleshoot print quality problems
by Kevin Dutton on 05/10/2021
Print quality issues are the most misdiagnosed issues I encounter. Often a service call
can be prevented by the customer by just taking 5-10 minutes to troubleshoot the
printers themselves. Here are a few steps you can take before calling us.
BLACK PRINTERS
1. Make sure the printer is plugged directly into the wall and not UPS.
2. Have you replaced any consumables in the printer recently? If you have and that is
when the problem started, then maybe you should replace it again with another new one or an old one.
3. Pull out the toner cartridge(s) and inspect the drum for marks. If you have another
toner cartridge, replace it to see if the problem persists. If you don’t have a new
cartridge, try an old or empty one. Or just borrow one from another printer.
4. Look into the cavity in which you removed the toner and inspect the rollers and
paper path for excess toner or debris. Be careful not to touch any rollers or drums
with your fingers. Use a clean cloth or towel to wipe inside.
COLOR PRINTERS
5. Perform steps 1 and 2.
6. If the problem is involving more than one color then look at the transfer belt. The problem could be a fuser issue, but for most customers, this would be the time to call us.
7. Perform steps 4 and 5.
8. If the problem appears to be an alignment(or focus) problem, then run a “Calibration” if it is available on your model. If none of these steps fix your issue, then call us and we can take it from there. You can feel safe that you have done all that you can do.