Color Laser Jet 3600 dn door won't close on right hand side

[NealW37]

After inserting new cartridges the front door on the printer will not close completely - on the right side when facing the front of the printer.  I can't see any broken pieces.  The printer is a duplex printer.

[Repairatrooper]

There are three possible issues:

1. The cartridge locks are broken and prevent the cartridge from seating properly, look where the cartridge slides in for a nylon hook handing down and blocking the slot

2. The engagement lever that connects the front door to the cartridge locks is broken. Remove the transfer belt and manually move the arm that the transfer belt mounts to. If it does not move smoothly then likely the arm has broken.

3. The lock level that holds the front door closed is in the closed position even though the door is open. Run your fingers across the top edge of the door cavity, there are two hooks that are supposed to be retracted when the door is open. If you can feel them they have dropped down, simply pull them forward to reseat them in the proper position.

[NealW37]

Thanks for your speedy reply.  I checked all of the things in your post.  The door tab was preventing the door closure.  However, when I corrected that the problem remained.  I then noticed that the toner cartridges were for the 3800.  When I removed all of the toner cartridges, the door closed properly..  It appears that the tabs on the toner cartridges protrude out too far and are preventing the door from closing properly.  

Should I order the 3600 cartridges?  Should I try shortening the pull tabs on the current cartridges?

[Repairatrooper]

3600 and 3800 cartridges are physically interchangeable, if the cartridges protrude then something is block the cartridge from seating completely in the printer and in most cases it is the cartridge locks. Picture below may help you locate the problem. Ther e are locks on both the left and right sides but this picture only has arrows for the left side, you can see the locks on the right hand side as well in this photo. They are in the correct retracted position you should see with the door open and the cartridges removed.

[NealW37]

Thank you for your reply and photo.  I added the cartridges from the bottom up and the door closed properly until I loaded the black (which is a 3600 cartridge).  I took a photo of the left side of my printer with the top two cartridges out.  See Below.

If something looks wrong to you, what do I do next?  Thanks again.

[Repairatrooper · Accepted solution]

This lock is broken and that is what is keeping the cartridge from seating. Some users have been able to pivot that up and hold in place with a bent paperclip to slip the cartridge in and been able to print successfully after that.

[NealW37]

Thanks.  I should have paid more attention to your first post.  The number 1 cause.  I had tried laying the printer on its side and pushing the lock up and then sliding the cartridge in.  The cartridge went in all the way and the door closed properly but I still got the cartridge not seated error.  I will try the paper clip trick.  I don't suppose that this is an easy thing to repair/replace.

[Repairatrooper]

Requires disassembly of the left side (facing) of the printer and removal of the high voltage board. Your best bet if you are thinking of tackling it would be to purchase the service manual from feedroller.com

[NealW37]

part side 1part side 2

[NealW37]

I was able to download the service manual from hp and remove the printed circuit board.  As you pointed out, the black cartridge lock was broken.  The magenta lock was also broken.  I replaced both of them and inspected the right side as well.  They both seem to be ok now.  HOWEVER, after I reinstalled the printed circuit board and reinstalled the upper back panel and the right panel I found the piece in the photos above.  I looked in the manual and could not see it in any of the pictures there. (For that matter, there is no picture of the locking mechanism, either.  

I would appreciate any information about the identity of the leftover part - one of the worst things that can happen after a repair job is to have a leftover part that probably will prevent the printer from operating properly.