Faded Printing

[Figgy26]

Printed pages have random faded portions. Solutions tried:

• All three levels of printer head cleaning
• Manual printer head cleaning
• Clean Smear
• Filling Ink
• Print settings checked (printing on regular printer paper from the HP smart app for diagnostics)
• Print quality diagnosis
  • Test pattern 3 has white gaps where the arrows are (so it says to align the print heads)

The alignment is failing because the print job is faded in certain portions, so when it tries to copy it, there's an error. 

[Hawks_Eye]

Hi @Figgy26 

Welcome to the HP Support Community! We're here to help you get back up and running.

I understand the concern. We represent HP, and I appreciate the thorough troubleshooting you've already completed, including all printhead cleaning levels, manual printhead cleaning, Clean Smear, ink refilling, print quality diagnostics, and alignment attempts.

Based on the details you've shared, the key clue is that Test Pattern 3 contains white gaps and the printer cannot complete printhead alignment because the alignment page itself is printing with missing sections. 

Since cleaning procedures have already been performed multiple times, it is important to focus on the printhead health, ink delivery path, and alignment prerequisites.

Please try the following checks:

Verify the Diagnostic Page Pattern

• Print another Print Quality Diagnostic page.
• Examine whether the white gaps appear in the exact same locations each time.
• If the missing areas remain consistent, the printer is likely not depositing ink correctly through specific nozzle groups.

Check Ink Venting

• Open the ink tank covers.
• Confirm that all tank caps and vents are fully opened in the operating position specified for your printer model.
• A restricted vent can affect ink flow and create intermittent faded areas.

Perform One Additional Printhead Cleaning Cycle

• Since all three cleaning levels have already been used, avoid repeatedly running cleaning routines.
• Print 5 to 10 full-color pages containing text and graphics.
• After printing those pages, run a single printhead cleaning cycle and print a fresh diagnostic page.
• This can sometimes help stabilize ink flow through partially restricted nozzles.

Inspect the Printhead Electrical Contacts

• Turn the printer off and access the printhead area.
• Remove and reseat the printheads if your model supports user-removable printheads.
• Inspect the electrical contacts for ink residue, debris, or damage.
• Reinstall the printheads securely and print a new diagnostic page.

Attempt Alignment from the Printer Control Panel

• If alignment was initiated through the HP App, try starting the alignment directly from the printer's embedded menu or control panel.
• Place a clean white sheet of plain paper into the input tray before beginning the process.
• Ensure the scanner glass is clean before the printer scans the alignment page.

Evaluate Printhead Condition

• When all cleaning stages have been completed, manual cleaning has been performed, and Pattern 3 continues to show missing segments, the printhead may not be producing a complete nozzle pattern.
• The alignment process depends on a readable test page. If sections of the page are missing, the scanner may not be able to detect the alignment marks accurately, resulting in alignment failure.

Take care, and have an amazing day!

Regards, 

Hawks_Eye