Issues with not printing red and there is a mess of ink under the color cartridge

[cchmorris88]

I have had this printer since 2019 and I absolutely love it. However, today it won't print red and the pictures are all distorted and either light yellow or blue with white striations going through it. I thought maybe I needed to change the cartridge and when I took the old one out there was ink all over the bottom of the cartridge. I replaced it with a brand new HP color ink cartridge and I had the same problem. The printer is no longer under warranty. However, I don't want to have to re buy. 

[Raj_05]

Hi @cchmorris88,

Welcome to HP Support Community.  

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

If your HP printer is not printing red and there is a mess of ink under the color cartridge, it's possible that the print head or ink cartridge is clogged or damaged. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue.

• Check the ink level: Make sure that the color ink cartridge has enough ink to print red. If the ink level is low, replace the cartridge.
• Clean the print head: Run the printer's cleaning cycle to remove any clogs or buildup on the print head. You can usually find the cleaning function in the printer's software or in the printer's menu.
• Manually clean the print head: If the cleaning cycle doesn't work, try manually cleaning the print head. You can use a soft, lint-free cloth or cotton swab to gently wipe the print head. Be careful not to touch the metal contacts or nozzles.
• Replace the ink cartridge: If the print head is not clogged, the ink cartridge may be damaged or defective. Try replacing the color ink cartridge and see if that solves the problem.

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day.

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Alden4
HP Support