HP Photosmart 6520

[Rawyzf]

My printer just started this issue today, glad I found this thread on the forum.

I am currently on the phone with support. (I'm in the US if that matters)

5 Mins of Hold

15 Mins of Rep asking me questions (Serial # and Procedures Done and Ink Levels and Lot Numbers, etc.)

10 Mins of Hold waiting to speak with Supervisor (currently oh hold).

Will update once I talk with supervisor.

[Rawyzf]

Spoke with supervisor for about 15 minutes, they are sending a replacement printer.  HP ENVY 5660 E All In One Printer.  $1 is the hold when you supply your CC info, and that is refunded once they get the old printer back.

They supply you with a box and return shipping label, so no cost associated with that.

[MoonlightShadow]

 I'm having the same problem as so many others and have come to the conclusion this printer isn’t fit for purpose, if I was in America I would be making a claim under the lemon law.  My printer was working fine until I replaced all print cartridges including black which doesn’t work. I have run all the suggested cleaning methods and it is still not working. I suppose I will be told the same as others it must be a problem with the printer if that’s the case it needs replacing but I’m out of warranty. I have only used the cartridges that came with the machine and one other set. If it’s a problem with the printer lots of people have the same problem, but why was it working fine until I replaced new ink? I should mention the new ink cartridges were new today and almost empty because I have cleaned the heads so often trying to fix the problem.

HP YOU REALLY NEED TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. I WILL NOT BE BUYING ANOTHER PRINTER FROM YOU!.. I have not phoned HP because I dont want to be insulted being told they can supply me with another printer for a fee!..

[-cdm-]

Printer ran out of black ink today in the middle of a three page print job.  Put in a new, wrapped, unexpired HP black cartridge, and black will not print.  I followed all the troubleshooting setps on that page, cleaned the vent, ran the clean printhead three times, up to and including soaking the print head in hot water. (since ink was coming out on our hands, I figured that wasn't the issue, and that didn't help).

Printer is not two years old yet, this is the third black ink cartridge replacement, so we aren't heavy users.

I just spent an hour on the phone with tech support, with a guy with rather poor command of English.  He couldn't understand me spelling my name, and didn't recognize the term PO Box, and asked me for the ink purchase date when he meant expiration date.  An hour on the phone with him asking me twice to do each troubleshooting step that I'd already told him I had done, and he told me to buy a new printer.  I told him that was unacceptable on a printer not yet two years old when this is a known defect with this model.  Asked him to explain how installing a new ink cartridge "broke" the print head that worked two hours ago.   Asked to speak to a supervisor.  

Now they are sending me a new black ink cartridge.  (hopefully he understood my address well enough for it to actually get to me)  I have a case number for when the new ink cartridge doesn't solve the problem.  I didn't bother to ask how, when he'd already decided the cartridge wasn't the problem but the print head was, that suddenly a new cartridge would solve the problem.

I foresee another hour on the phone with HP tech support sometime next week.  Or I'll just go buy an Epson.  Pity, we've had 5 or 6 HP laser and inkjets dating back to the early 90's, and have always been happy with them. Until this one.  

[HevnLgh]

Hi Folks, I have brought your issue to the attention of an appropriate team within HP. They will likely request information from you in order to look up your case details or product serial number. Please look for a private message from an identified HP contact. Additionally, keep in mind not to publicly post serial numbers and case details. Thank you,

[Rawyzf]

HP is addressing this problem, and replacing the problem printers with new ones, even if out of warranty.   A lot of people have posted this info above.

[-cdm-]

You got a replacement printer.

I was told I had no option other than buying a new printer last night by HP tech support, and when I asked to speak to a supervisor, all I got was a promise of a new ink cartridge and no supervisor.

I pointed out that this is a known printer issue, there are multiple threads about this on the HP forums and that other people have received replacement printers, yet I am not getting a new printer as of this point in time.

I am still waiting for a private message from the "appropriate team" as promised by HevhLgh in her reply, and have not yet given up hope that HP will eventually stand behind their product.

But tech support first line responders are still telling people with this model and this known issue that they need to buy new printers. 

[Rawyzf]

I'd call back, let them know you followed all the steps and repairs procedures, and still have no black printing, only color.

Ask them for thier email and send them this thread as well.

[MoonlightShadow]

I still have the same issue after spending almost two days trying to resolve my problem, I have cleaned print heads NINE times, and nearly used up all new colour cartridges (They were all new yesterday).  I have perfect colour printing but NO black bars in the "Black" Print Quality Diagnostics. 

My warranty expired but I have only used the NOT SO PHOTOSMART 6520 a few times, this is only my second genuine printer cartridges. The funny thing is when I run a printer status report, the black lines that divide the colours are there but the box where black should be is blank!

The black worked fine until I ran out of ink and replaced the black along with other cartridges, Why should it work up until I changed the black cartridge?. I have looked at videos on YouTube for a fix and see so many with the same problem, one video with 90,405 hits! So why no admission or recall from HP when it’s very clear there is a problem? Just encase HP decide they want to help I’m in the UK

[-cdm-]

" The funny thing is when I run a printer status report, the black lines that divide the colours are there but the box where black should be is blank!"

I got that also, but I am fairly certain it is because those black parentheses marks on the printer status report are made by mixing the magenta, yellow and cyan inks rather than printed from the black cartridge.  If you look closely, they are slightly off true black.  Some of the early inkjet printers printed black by mixing the other three colors.