Error: Missing or Failed Printhead

[Nikki2007]

Is it normal for a printhead to fail out of the blue. It was working on Friday, and now Monday I am receiving the error: Missing or Failed Printhead

[MKazi]

@Nikki2007

Welcome to HP Support Forums. 🙂

Let me take a moment to thank you for posting on the HP Support Forums. 

I understand that you have an HP Officejet Pro 8620 e-All-in-One Printer and it displays a "Missing or Failed Print head" error. Not to worry, I'll be glad to assist you with this case.

I would like to know the following information to assist you better:

• Did any hardware changes take place on the printer prior to this issue (such as ink cartridge replacement, paper jam, etc.)?
• Are you using original HP ink cartridges or refilled ink?

While you respond to that. I recommend you to perform the following steps to isolate the issue and arrive at a fix: 

• Disconnect the power cable from the printer while the printer is still ON.
• Disconnect any other cables if connected the printer.
• Press and hold the printer’s power button for 15 seconds.
• The printer should be directly connected to the wall outlet and not to a surge protector.
• Reconnect the power cable to print and the printer should power ON by itself. If the printer doesn’t power ON then please manually power it ON.

Please perform the following steps mentioned in "Solution two: Reseat the printhead" from this HP document as it helps in resolving printhead related issues.

If there is paper obstructing the printhead or if the printhead is not seated correctly, it might cause an error message. Turn on the printer, and then remove the printhead.

1. Press the Power button to turn on the printer, if it is not already on. Wait until the warm-up period finishes and your printer is idle and silent before you proceed.

2. Place your fingers into the slot on the left side of the printer, and then pull to open the cartridge access door. Allow the carriage to move to the cartridge access area, and the carriage stops moving.

   Figure : The slot on the side of the printer

   

3. Disconnect the power cord from the rear of the printer. Unplugging the printer prevents the carriage from moving.

      WARNING: You must disconnect the power cord before reaching inside the printer to avoid risk of injuries or electric shock.

4. Lift the carriage latch.

   Figure : Lift the carriage latch

   

5. Grasp the sides of the printhead, gently lift and remove the printhead from the carriage.

      NOTE: Do not remove the cartridges from the printhead. You can safely remove the printhead with all of the cartridges inserted.

   Figure : Remove the printhead

   

      CAUTION: The nozzle area on the bottom of the printhead is fragile! Make sure that the bottom of the printhead does not bump or rub on the printer. Do not touch the nozzles or electrical contacts. Touching these areas can cause electrical failures or print quality problems.

   Figure : Nozzles and electrical contacts

   1. Nozzles

   2. Electrical contacts

6. Place the printhead assembly (with the cartridges still installed) upside down on a clean sheet of paper.

      CAUTION: Do not leave the printhead assembly outside of the printer for an extended period. Doing so can result in damage to the printhead or the printer.

   Figure : Printhead upside down on a clean sheet of paper

   

Use a flashlight to check and remove torn pieces of paper that might remain inside the printer. If any torn pieces of paper remain inside the printer, errors are likely to occur.

Figure : Example of paper jammed in the carriage path

If issue still persists then reseat the printer 3 times as describe below:

Follow these steps to reseat the printhead.

   NOTE: You do not need to remove the printhead from the carriage.

Step 1: Unseat the printhead

1. Slip your fingers into the slot on the left side of the printer, and then pull forward to open the cartridge access door. The carriage moves to the left side of the printer. Wait until the carriage is idle and silent before proceeding.

   Figure : Open the cartridge access door

   1. Slot on the left side of the printer

2. Unplug the power cord from the rear of the printer. Unplugging the printer prevents the carriage from moving.

      WARNING: You must disconnect the power cord before reaching inside the printer to avoid risk of injuries or electric shock.

3. Lift the carriage latch.

   Figure : Lift the carriage latch

   

4. Grasp the sides of the printhead, and then slightly lift the printhead without fully removing it from the carriage.

   Figure : Slightly lift the printhead

   

Step 2: Reseat the printhead, and then lower the carriage latch

1. Reinsert the printhead into the carriage to reseat it. As you guide the printhead into the carriage, it settles into the carriage as it seats.

   Figure : Reseat the printhead

   

2. Gently rock the printhead to the left and right to make sure that the printhead fully seats in the carriage.

3. Lower the carriage latch.

   Figure : Lower the carriage latch

   

4. Make sure that the carriage latch is down.

   Figure : Carriage latch positions

   1. Carriage latch is up

   2. Carriage latch is down

5. Close the ink cartridge access door.

6. Reconnect the power cord to the rear of the printer.

7. If the printer does not turn on by itself, press the Power button to turn it on.

8. Wait until the warm-up period finishes and your printer is idle and silent before you proceed.

I sincerely hope this fixes the issue. Keep me posted for further assistance.

Cheers! 🙂

[bornfree1]

I have tried all that is suggested and there is still an error message. I have used genuine HP ink cartridges. I am very unsatisfied that this has occurred even though printer is lightly used. It is now out of warranty (2018) [edit], 

There seems no choice but to buy another printer with new cartridges at significant extra cost. Very unhappy about this. This is not the first time this has happened with HP printers.

I am seriously considering moving to Epson.

[Kumar0307]

Hi @bornfree1

Welcome to the HP Support Community. Apologies for the inconvenience. To assist you better, I require additional information.

• I've sent you a private message with required information, kindly revert.
• In order to access your private messages, click the private message icon on the upper right corner of your HP Forums profile, next to your profile Name or simply click on this link: https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/notes/privatenotespage

Hope this helps! Keep me posted.