HP Color LaserJet MFP M281 cdw copies and scans crooked

[Idaho_Joe]

My HP Color LaserJet MFP M281 cdw copies and scans documents crooked.  It prints just fine.  However when I scan or copy documents, the product is crooked.  It looks terrible.  Is there an easy fix for ths?

[John_Getzke]

Your rollers are slipping or gripping too much, resulting in a skewed output.

Easy steps are to examine and clean the rolllers with a damp lint free cloth.  Print off a test page.  If the problem goes away then you are good to go.

If the problem persists then the next step is to swap the rollers with a roller kit.  Rollers go bad from time to time, roller kits should be easy enough to find for your model.

[vista1966]

My printer was refurbished and sold as new-refurbished by Amazon. I got it in Sept. and didn’t know about the crooked scans (and possibly faxes) until recently. I have cleaned the rollers with a lint-free cloth and water as shown in an HP video. It didn’t help. Would the rollers still need to be replaced? Can I do it myself?

[John_Getzke]

Swapping out rollers requires a replacement roller kit and access to a Service Manual.  You can find roller kits all over the internet without much effort.  The Service Manual contains the specific steps necessary to replace the rollers.  

If you have those two requirements then you can perform the swap on your own.  If not then it is better to ask for a quote from a PC Repair shop.

[vista1966]

Thank you for your message. I ordered replacement feeder rollers.

Does the separation pad have to be replaced at the same time as the replacement rollers? Where do I find a service manual? Is it the same as the user manual?

[John_Getzke]

Rollers and pads are different components.  It is not necessary to swap the pad when you swap the rollers.

Service Manuals are privileged resources for HP certified techs.  However, you can often search for them on the internet and find a copy with a little digging.  A lot of the common repairs like swapping out roller kits have videos and guides posted to various websites too.

[vista1966]

Thank you for your answers.  They were very helpful and timely.

Still not able to locate a Service Manual, but instructions on how to install are being sent with the roller replacement. 

[ALS-77]

Are your scans skewed if you scan from the flatbed glass? If yes, then you have a problem with the internal scan bar being out of alignment. If it only happens when you use the ADF, does the paper go in skewed when it's pulled in? If yes, it could be the rollers, but more likely there is an obstruction in the paper path, like a small piece of paper, a staple, paper clip, etc... that needs to be removed, and they can be hard to find. I've also seen where a hinge on the scanner top is broken and causes the whole lid piece to not be straight as it sits on the flatbed and causes skewed copies.

I also sent you a private message with a link to the repair manual.

[vista1966]

Thank you very much for your reply.

Scans are not skewed from the flatbed glass. Scans from the ADF also have a couple of small artifacts on them. (I don’t know if these are related to the same trouble, however.)

I have replaced the rollers and thoroughly cleaned the glass strip, but the same problems continue. So, I believe your diagnosis is correct. 

I will check the repair information you have sent to see if it can be helpful.

[vista1966]

There is no link to the repair manual in my private messages.