Replaced ink cartridges, not printing

[miller3401]

HP Officejet Pro 8040e

s/n: Edited

FPU  1L0H6-64001

Not printing

Replaced ink cartridges

Originally, only blue printed

Checked ink level and all showed full when I started this, and now yellow, blue, magenta are almost only ½ full

Printed from word, pdf, and excel

Reset printer

Ran diagnostics – all updates are current, -  Print quality –

Print head alignment

Align print heads – says that new HP Cartridges installed – I don’t know what that means

Printer report – showed magenta, blue, yellow, no black

Cleaned print heads via HP Smart and all colors came up

Plugged and unplugged printer

NOW – no colors print

[Max3Aj]

@miller3401, Welcome to HP Support Community. 

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

I understand your OfficeJet Pro 8040e is not printing in color or black even after replacing the ink cartridges and performing multiple troubleshooting steps. You've done a great job already with resets, printhead cleaning, alignment, and testing.

Here are a few additional steps to narrow down and hopefully resolve the issue:

Check Cartridge Authenticity

• Make sure the new cartridges are genuine HP and compatible with the 8040e series. Counterfeit or refilled cartridges can cause print issues.
• Go to the printer’s control panel or HP Smart app > Ink info > and confirm the status of each cartridge.
• Look for any “Non-HP” or “Used” warnings.

Run a Print Quality Diagnostic Report

From the printer control panel or HP Smart app:

• Go to Settings > Reports > Print Quality Report.
• Check if any color is completely missing, streaked, or faded.
• If black is missing but others print, it might be a clogged black printhead.

Deep Clean Printheads

You’ve already done a basic clean now try a deeper clean:

On the printer or HP Smart app:

• Go to Settings > Printer Maintenance > Clean Printhead.
• Run the Second-Level Cleaning or Advanced Cleaning, if available.
• Allow the printer to rest for 10 minutes after cleaning.

Inspect the Vents on the Cartridges

• Sometimes, venting tape might still cover the ink vent.
• Remove each cartridge and inspect the plastic tab/vent at the top.
• Make sure it's fully exposed (i.e., the orange tab is removed).
• Gently wipe the ink nozzles with a lint-free cloth and reinstall.

Manual Printhead Reseating

• Open the cartridge access door.
• Gently lift and reseat the printhead latch and cartridges.
• Close everything firmly and try printing again.

Power Cycle with Ink Initialization

• Unplug the printer while it’s ON.
• Wait 2–3 minutes.
• Plug it directly into a wall outlet, not a surge protector.
• Restart and try printing a Test Page from Settings > Reports. 

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. Select "Yes" on the bottom left to say “Thanks” for helping! 

Max3Aj

HP Support