Printer head sensor damage?

[CapeCodMo1]

Edit: Correct model is Photosmart c8180

When the black cartridge (tried two, both full) started printing erratically (very faint, partially or completely missing, etc.) I noticed that a small white "tab" under the jets was torn or partially missing.  The white tab under the other cartridge ports are intact. I believe the tab might be some sort of sensor.

I've included photos of the black cartridge port and another color port for comparison. The first shows the two white fragments below ink jets; the second shows a working cartridge port, with white "sensor" intact.

Printer head replacement not possible with this model. Any suggestions for a fix, or "work-around"?

Thanks.

Defective "sensor" (2 white fragments)Intact "sensor" (white area)

[Valsimot]

That white is an absorbing pad for collecting an ink drop when you change cartridges.

Your faint print is caused by the printhead.

[CapeCodMo1]

Thank you for replying so quickly, but I think I may have been unclear when I worded my question.

I'm not referring to the single absorbing pad/foam, which would be pretty gunky by now, but to the tiny, individual pads located directly under each inkjet port.Each is pure white, and seems clean.

As I tried to illustrate with the photos, the pad under each of the five color cartridges is intact, but the one under the black cartridge looks torn (the middle part is missing.)

My apologies if I was unclear.

But just what does the pad absorb? They're all pure white, so they're not absorbing ink.

[Valsimot]

Absorbing pad it's there to collect a small amount of ink if by any chance during a cartridge removal/replacement a small ink droplet creates and falls down. Those two spikes above the pad are nozzles for ink, through them ink flows in the printhead. I don't see anything broken.

[CapeCodMo1]

If that's the case, do you have any suggestions? I've already run the print head cleaning tool.

[Valsimot]

New printer.

[CapeCodMo1]

Thank you. That's very discouraging, as I paid a lot for this printer (new) and recently purchased a full set of new cartridges for it. 😞

[Valsimot]

If the printer was unused for a longer period or left without cartridges, the printhead is permanently gone.