Color LaserJet Pro MFP-M281fdw shows 49 Service Error after firmware update from 20th October

[Repairatrooper]

I think that the issue is that the information regarding fix/replacement has been slow to get into the hands of everyone and this is what would be considered an unusual situation. In over 20 years repairing HP products I have never seen a firmware update do this to a printer. I know also that they initially had some troubles replicating the problem in their lab which slowed down the whole process.

[Gatory]

I have the same problem on my M281cdw printer. I called the tech support today and check how to proceed to get repaired or replacement. But the support engineer says he didn't see any information regarding the firmware issue or can look up the forums on the issue. Just wonder what's the best way to communicate with the tech support on this known issue and get printer fixed/repaired. Appreciate if anyone to share how or has been successfully talk to HP support on it. Thanks! 

[IVANSS]

Hello everyone - I too, experienced the same problem. I contacted HP support and  had me run several tests. I was told that I needed to pay for technical support, which I did. So I’m talking to the tech for about 3-4 days then finally the tech recognized and admitted that their firmware update was the problem, it doesn’t recognize original genuine HP toners and told me HP was sending a courier to pick up the next day; that Hp was also sending me a printer on a loan basis and if HP techs cannot repair the printer, they’re sending me a new printer. I even got the confirmation from the courier that I should expect the pick up the following day but then the same tech called me back a few hours later and told me that my warranty had expired and there was nothing HP can do. He told me just to buy a new printer!!! Unbelievable. I told him,

… just to be sure, you are telling me that a firmware by your company, HP, ruined my printer and your solution is for me to buy a new printer, it’s simple unacceptable. He said that there was nothing else to do. 
I read about the class action. Does anyone know the details of the lawyer or firm handling this case. 

[Codtel]

Spoiler

Same identical problem here.   As my device is out of warranty, i cannot count on HP support.    Will still search for a solution, hoping to find something sooner or later on any forum.   Anyway, if no solution crosses my way, never a HP printer anymore!

[balotin]

I just spoke with HP support. They said that there is NO program to fix/replace these printers and that I should just buy a new one. Is this correct?

[LM-IT-OPS]

I'd say it depends on who you're getting and your level of persistence and your willingness to jump through the hoops of support.

I started with a paid HP support incident and went through hoops of t-shooting and asked for escalation.  My only "demand" was "it was working fine before, the firmware updated and now its not".  Every level, this has been my premise.

FINALLY I got pushed to a case manager.  Hoops and hoops and hoops later, got to a "smart friend".  The "smart friend" was the most knowledgeable person I spoke to.  They reviewed all the notes on the case, said up, the firmware fried the printer, they had seen a lot of these and they were sending this in for replacement.  Back to case management.

Hoops and hoops later, you're out of warranty, no options, oh your device serial number does not match proof of purchase (hey look, this was in the height of COVID lockdowns when i bought it, here's my best buy order, here's my store pickup confirmation, here's the e-mail where I picked it up.  They put it in the back of my truck and who verifies the serial number on the box against the receipt against the unit itself.  song and dance, so sorry, nothing we can do, we, we have a good offer for you, $50 towards purchase of a new unit.  NO, declined, that won't cover the shipping, tax or the sunk costs of toner just replaced in the printer.  Do better, escalate.  yada yada yada.  No, your solution is unacceptable...I understand that the $50 offer towards a purchase at hp.com is all that you are personally empowered to do but I do not accept, I would like to talk to a more senior case manager or the next level.

this was around the time that people here were starting to find ways to do some jumper resets and get some models to accept firmware.  Pretty much every time there was any milestone here, I'd screen shot that post and include a direct link to my "case manager" saying "is this official", "does HP have an official procedure", "does this download work for my board", "can you see what board is in my printer".  

Supposedly there was some escalation. 

Now we are about a week before thanksgiving....good news, our product teams have identified a known issue on this printer and are researching options.  This was AFTER aggressively pushing them to this forum post, engaging twitter teams every week, and basically being a pain.

so about 10 days ago, they offer to replace the printer with the same model, refurbished, etc.  ok sure, I'll take it.  The new one arrived yesterday, have not powered it up yet.  First order of business:  disable automatic firmware update.

I've also never used non genuine HP toner which rules out their argument there.  My bigger piece of advise is don't demand replacement, aggressively push for a fix.  I offered HP options, I offered to host a HP authorized repair tech at my office to work on the printer, I offered to ship the printer to a HP service center if they provided a label, I offered to zoom/facetime a hp rep to see the behavior, I offered to set them up with a computer to work on the firmware directly and setup a camera they could see the screen in real time.  HP's BATNA is "get the customer to throw away the printer and buy a new HP product" whereas our / my BATNA is "I need a working printer".

The other item I would say is that Smart Friend, CAse Manager, etc, had a tendency to call right when it was time to leave for the day or shortly after.  I made sure to put a forwarding rule in my phone to ensure the calls would come to my mobile.  Because as soon as they reached voicemail, its almost "case closed".  

As a side note, I was shopping for another MFC / AIO printer last week for a new site and found one reasonably priced, features needed, available to ship...then saw the brand.........and continued my search.  Despite a replacement now in hand and being "made right" I don't know that I will purchase, on behalf of my company, any non-enterprise HP printer at this point.

[kahanop]

Same exact issue, brand new original HP toner cartridge set that I purchased on Amazon - the printer didn't recognize them as original; Some HP employee on this forum suggested I do an NVRAM reset the result of which was an endless loop of 49 Service Error.   [content removed]

Thanks!

odk

[Repairatrooper]

@LM-IT-OPS Well I am still waiting for a replacement unit for my customer. After a big flurry of activity and being contacted by a case manager who profusely  apologized, nothing for 10 days and she now does not respond to my emails, so I figure either she is on vacation with no one covering her case load or they are hoping I just give up.  As you noted, it appears that if they get a voice mail they do not leave a message and that seems to reset any action. 

[Dawn1812]

This has just happened to me 😡

I was getting a non-HP chip error for a genuine cartridge. Tried to change firmware and then got 49 service error.

I will never buy a HP product again. I have a new toner cartridge never used, my coloured ones are 70% full and now a printer that may as well go on the scrap heap.

Thanks for a sh1t service HP!

If anyone found a solution (47 pages to trawl through)....I got over half way but no solution other than change a board which I do not have the technical know how to do 😞