Missing or failed printhead

[CDS58]

Will not print, keep getting message "missing or failed printhead." I tried restarting the printer and unplugging system for 60 seconds but did not help.

[8lives · Accepted solution]

You need a new printer as you have done the reset. (link)

[RoySancho]

I have a 6600 that has been quite solid - but recently I went on holiday for 3 weeks, and being a person that cares about the environment, I unplugged my printer while I was away. When I returned, I now get the "missing or failed printhead". The HP website is worthless about the "unplug for 60 seconds" "fix" - they might as well have said, "Wave a dead parrott over your head" - same result.

The automation (on the printer itself) that plays shows a lever that can disconnect the printhead from the carrier bar.  This is bogus also, as there is no lever to disconnect the print cartridge holder (which holds the printheads).

I am surprised by this, and by HP's answer of "throw it away and buy a new one". Is this how HP is going "green" - to have us throw a perfectly good printer out just because a printhead is clogged or needs replaced?  Shame on HP.

I did find on Alibaba a Chinese website that claims to sell a replacement printhead for between $10-$12. (I live in the U.S., so my Chinese is rusty - it could have said, "dead parrotts for HP support" for all I know. )

Being an engineer by trade, I will attempt to dismantle the printer and clean the printheads the best I can - then put it all back together and see what happens - I will post my result.

[Mike1014]

Brand new 7520e just set up along with software correctly installed with a windows 7 system.  The error message is Printhead missing, not detected or incorrectly installed.  Way past the warranty period and bought at Best Buy.  Fixable?  Can the Geek squad fix?

[8lives]

@Mike1014, take a look at the cleaning steps in this HP doc.

[dmbcoin]

I can't use my Hp Office Jet Pro 8610 printer. It was working until I ran out of ink. I replaced the Black ink cartridge and now I get the message Missing or Failed Printhead.

[snorton1948]

Were you ever able to correct the printer head problem on your oj6600 (posted in 2016)?