Color Laser MFP 178nw Printed With smudges and repeated of text

[CKPoh]

My HP Color Laser MFP 178nw causes smudges and repeats of text as others have described in this forum. 

The printer is just less than a year and having printed a total of less than 650 pages.

I have followed the guide to clean it inside, but it was perfectly clean and the drum had no visible issues. 

[Garp_senchau]

@CKPoh, Welcome to HP Support Community,

Thank you for posting your query; I’m here to help by guiding you through steps to resolve this issue

It sounds like you're dealing with smudges and text repetition on your HP Color Laser MFP 178nw, which is certainly frustrating, especially with such low page usage. Since you've already cleaned it and the drum looks fine, let's walk through some additional troubleshooting steps to see if we can resolve the issue:

Check the Toner Cartridges

Toner leakage: Even if the drum looks fine, sometimes toner can leak onto the paper due to improper cartridge seating or worn-out cartridges.

Open the printer and gently remove each toner cartridge.

Check for any visible signs of toner powder leakage or uneven distribution.

Re-seat the cartridges back into place, ensuring they are securely inserted.

Check the Drum Unit

The drum unit is critical for transferring toner to the paper, and if it's damaged or has toner residue, it can cause smudging or text repetition.

Inspect the drum closely for any wear, damage, or excess toner buildup that could be causing the issue.

Print a Diagnostic Page

To narrow down whether the problem is with the printer or the toner, print a self-test diagnostic page.

If the test page shows smudges or repeats, it's likely a printer hardware issue.

If the test page is clean, the problem may be related to the file or application you're printing from.

Check Fuser Assembly

The fuser is the part of the printer that applies heat to bond the toner to the paper. If it’s malfunctioning, it could cause smudging.

Inspect the fuser for any damage or toner build-up.

If you see any issues with the fuser, you may need to replace it.

Run HP Print and Scan Doctor (Windows only):

• Download and run the HP Print and Scan Doctor tool. Follow the prompts to diagnose and fix common printing issues.

Update Printer Firmware (Update the firmware on an HP printer | HP® Support)

• Go to the HP Customer Support - Software and Driver Downloads page. Enter your printer model number and search for the latest firmware update. Follow the instructions to download and install the firmware update.

I hope this helps.

Please feel free to reply here if you have any questions or if you need further clarification on any of the steps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

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