Ink leaked .. printer not printing all colours

[Jeyce]

My printer has started to print without using all the colours so now colour pages look more pink print than anything else. I've tried to contact hp support and been passed from one agent to another to a virtual agent to another since early afternoon today.

When changing tge ink cartridges I've never noticed that anyone of them have leaked .. and there is no error code coming up on my printer and all the ink cartridges are full. 

Anyway in m frustration of not resolving the problem this afternoon,  my printer is only 3 yrs old and I only use it for personal use .. I tried goggling problems with a hp officejet pro 8024 printer .. and decided to take out all the cartridges to see if replacing them would help. Unfortunately,  I found loads of ink primarily black but also red and yellow in the base corner underneath the black cartridge area. An awful lot of ink .. thus I'm assuming it's so bad I won't be able to clean it all up and my printer won't be of use to me. Has anyone been successful in cleaning their printer of the leaked ink ? It's such a difficult area to reach . But definitely irritating as the printer isn't that old. 

[Raj_05 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Jeyce,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

It sounds like your HP OfficeJet Pro 8024 is dealing with a significant ink leakage issue, which is affecting the print quality. The ink leak around the cartridge area, particularly the black, red, and yellow ink, can indeed create print issues such as colors looking off or missing.

While cleaning ink leaks from difficult-to-reach areas can be a challenge, it's definitely possible to address the situation if you follow these steps carefully:

Turn Off and Unplug the Printer

First, make sure the printer is powered off and unplugged to avoid any electrical hazards.

Remove the Ink Cartridges

Carefully remove all the ink cartridges from the printer, and place them in a safe, clean area to avoid any additional mess or damage to the cartridges.

Clean the Printer Area

• Use a soft lint-free cloth or paper towels to gently wipe away any visible ink. Be careful not to press too hard and cause further leakage.
• For areas that are difficult to reach, you can try using cotton swabs dipped in warm water to absorb the ink. Avoid using any harsh chemicals, as they can damage the internal components of the printer.
• You can also use a small, flexible brush (like a paintbrush or a toothbrush with soft bristles) to clean around tight spots like under the cartridge area.

Dry the Area

Once you have wiped away most of the ink, let the printer air dry completely before proceeding. Do not turn it back on until you are sure the area is dry.

Check the Ink Cartridges

Inspect the ink cartridges themselves for any leaks or damage. If one or more cartridges are leaking, it may be necessary to replace the faulty cartridge(s).

Test Print

After you've cleaned up the mess and reinstalled the cartridges, try running a test print. You may need to go through the printer’s built-in cleaning cycle (usually accessible through the printer’s settings menu) to ensure the print head is fully cleared and ink is flowing correctly.

Prevent Future Leaks

• Make sure that the ink cartridges are inserted properly and do not exceed the recommended fill capacity.
• Regularly check for any ink buildup or leaks that might indicate a faulty cartridge or another issue before it worsens.

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!

Alden4

HP Support 

[Jeyce]

Thank you for this . Much appreciated.  My only confusion so to speak is that none of the ink cartridges look like they have leaked and I checked the previous ink cartridges as I haven't recycled them yet and they don't look like they leaked either, so I'm assuming the ink cartridges especially the black must be faulty .. for the leaked ink to be in the bottom corner. I will attempt to clean up the area as described.. though I'll have to fix cotton buds to a toothbrush handle or something as the area is deeper and impossible to reach just by cotton bud length. But seriously thank you very much for your assistance,  with a printer only being 3 yrs old I didn't want to have to buy a new one. Thank you for your time.