Solved: Narrow white vertical lines or "scratches" on black printo... - HP Support Community

cdysthe6 · ‎03-08-2021

This printer has worked flawlessly for 2 years. Then when we came back from a two week vacation there are white lines or "scratches" on all black printouts. It actually looks like the black ink is being scratched by something but that may not be the case. All colors print perfectly. We tried to swap out the black ink cartridge (HP original) but the problem remains. We have tried printhead cleaning several times but it makes no difference. Black printouts are of bad uneven quality in general, but the white stripes or "scratches" in black printouts is the worst. Gray is also uneven. You can see the problem here:

I am not able to get the image embedded here so please click the link:

https://i.imgur.com/3Pf3pjT.jpg

What could the problem be?

Repairatrooper · ‎03-08-2021

Black ink fade, pigment has separated from the ink carrier and blocks some of the nozzles. This was a common issue and inks with an expiry date earlier than 2021 may contain an outdate ink formulation. The fix is to ensure you have cartridges containing the new ink and then to print 100 entirely black pages on the printer. Make sure your firmware is up to date before you start.

If you find the information provided useful or solves your problems, help other users find the solution easier by marking my post as an accepted solution. Clicking "yes" on "was this reply helpful" also increases the chances that this solution will help others.
I am a volunteer, offering my knowledge to support fellow users, I do not work for HP nor speak for HP.

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Repairatrooper · ‎03-08-2021

Black ink fade, pigment has separated from the ink carrier and blocks some of the nozzles. This was a common issue and inks with an expiry date earlier than 2021 may contain an outdate ink formulation. The fix is to ensure you have cartridges containing the new ink and then to print 100 entirely black pages on the printer. Make sure your firmware is up to date before you start.

If you find the information provided useful or solves your problems, help other users find the solution easier by marking my post as an accepted solution. Clicking "yes" on "was this reply helpful" also increases the chances that this solution will help others.
I am a volunteer, offering my knowledge to support fellow users, I do not work for HP nor speak for HP.

Narrow white vertical lines or "scratches" on black printouts.

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