Troubleshooting HP Printer Problems

Types of HP Printers

Before starting the trouble shooting process on your printer.  It is good to know which type of printer you personally have. Each printer type have internal specifications unique to them.

• Ink-jet printers
• Laser jet printers
• 3D printers

Dirty or Poor Quality Prints

Having problems with consistent output such as splotchy prints, unintentional grayscale or white lines?  Here are a few common issues and solutions.

Banding

Banding stripes across a page of text can be a pain, and they are commonly caused by two things - low ink cartridges and a dirty printer head.

Carriage Rod Needs Lubrication

The carriage rod suspends the print carriage and allows the print carriage to move smoothly. If this is not properly lubricated, the print carriage may not operate at full capacity.

Dirty Printer Head Nozzles

Cleaning the print heads can solve the problem. The procedure varies from printer to printer and there may be an option on the printer control panel or in the printer software on the computer.

Faded Prints

• The printer is getting low on toner
• The print density is set too low
• Economode printing is turned on

Ghosting

Ghosting is a condition when the image prints properly, but a second unintentional copy of the image also prints elsewhere on the page.

This could be due to a problem with the power outlet that is supplying power to the printer. Check the power outlet by plugging in a different printer to see if the issue remains.  Alternatively, ghosting can be caused when the drum or imaging kit are near the end of their life.

Crooked Prints

A few things can cause your printer to not properly align the ink with the page.

Encoder Strip Needs Replacement

The encoder strip tells the print carriage where to spray what. If this is dirty, your pages may print misaligned.

Toner Smearing

• If words and images come off the paper when a hand is run across them, there are a few possible problems.
• the fuser assembly may be damaged or at the end of its life.  
• The toner cartridge may be defective and letting too much toner out at one time.
• Toner may have spilled in the printer

Hardware Problems

Paper Jams

The most common issue with any make of printer are paper jams. A printer will jam for any number of reasons:

• It is dirty
• The wrong paper type is being used
• Worn down feeder rollers
• Vertically fed printer model
• Old paper absorbing moisture
• The paper in use is too thick

Printer Printing from Undesignated Paper Tray

There are two places to correct this error:

•         On the printing PC

If the application is set to print to the wrong paper tray, correct it within the application by clicking on Printer Properties and finding the Tray Selection source.

•         On the printer, itself.

Make sure that the paper sizes in the control panel match what are in the paper trays.

Printer Picks Up Multiple Sheets Instead of Single Sheet from Feed Tray

The pad that is responsible for separating the paper has likely worn out and needs to be replaced.  It is also possible that the paper may be wet due to humidity. To prevent this from being issue, ensure all paper is properly stored, dry, and or "fanned" before loading into the printer.

Network and Connection Problems

Firewall Errors

Firewalls can prevent you from printing.  Causing the printer to not be found on the network and display the printer's status as "offline" or "disconnected".

Here is how to troubleshoot the issue:

• Double click the HP print and Scan Doctor tool.
• Click the "Network".
• Click "Troubleshoot Firewalls" on the drop down menu.
• Proceed through the instructions to resolve the firewall hangups.

USB Connection

Those who are experiencing USB connection problems should first try to unplug and the reconnect the USB cord from the computer as well as the HP printer. If the problem persists, proceed to connect the cable to another available USB port. It is important to note that all HP printer models provide support for USB cables that are 9 feet 10 inches and shorter in length. If your USB cable is longer than this length, you will need to connect a shorter one to ensure compatibility with your HP printer.