Everything that is supposed to Print Red comes out Yellow

[Parkwood_Prop]

     Hey can anyone help me out here,  I have a Smart Tank 6001.  I can print practically anything as long as it is not red. 

     Now I have Done a print head cleaning all 3 levels MULTIPLE times it still only prints yellow.  I did a print quality test and it wouldn't print Magenta. 

      So I figured since I don't print a lot of stuff in colour maybe something happened with the ink in the Print Head.  So I bought a kit and preformed a print head cleaning actually flushing all the ink out and getting them super clean.  I reprinted the Quality Test Diagnostic page and low and behold all colours were printing on the test page. 

     When to tried to print something like a sign in giant red letters saying "TEST",  nope it still printed only the yellow.  So I checked the drivers.  According to my printer settings after looking for now drivers it read NO NEW DRIVERS or FIRMWARE NEEDED Printer up to date. 

     I'm so baffled at this point I'm not sure what to do next.  I really like this printer but I also really need one that prints all the colours.  Any Suggestions?

[Max3Aj]

Hi @Parkwood_Prop, Welcome to HP Support Community. 

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you. 
It sounds like you've done a thorough job troubleshooting your HP Smart Tank 6001, but the issue persists. Let's go step by step to narrow it down further:

Check Ink Levels & Cartridge Status

• Even though you flushed the print heads, ensure there’s enough magenta ink in the tank.
• Try printing a Printhead Report from the printer menu to confirm ink levels.

Run a Nozzle Check & Test Print via Different Methods

• Run a nozzle check via the printer menu.
• Print a full-page magenta test directly from an image editor (like MS Paint or Photoshop) to rule out driver issues.

Bypass Print Settings & Color Management Issues

• Print in RGB mode: In your printer settings, check if there’s an option for “Color Management” and set it to Automatic or Printer Managed Colors.
• Try different print modes: Best Quality vs. Normal vs. Draft to see if there's any change.

Reinstall Printer Drivers Completely

• Uninstall the printer from your PC (Control Panel → Devices & Printers).
• Download the latest drivers manually from HP’s website.
• Reinstall and test again.

Factory Reset the Printer

• Try resetting the printer to factory defaults via the control panel to rule out any internal setting errors.

Firmware Update (Manually)

• Even if the system says no update is needed, download the firmware update manually from HP website and install it.

If none of these steps fix the issue, there could be:

• A faulty magenta ink supply line (even though the printhead is clean, the ink may not be reaching the printhead properly).
• A defective printhead

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day. 

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping! 

Max3Aj

HP Support