HP Deskjet 2540 won't print black

[SarahE82]

Hi,

Our 2540 is brand new, but won't print black. I've run all the tests under the 'Maintain Your Printer' section (device services, device reports) and checked that the ink is installled correctly with the tab taken off, and it's all fine with no errors reported. The ink cartridge is new and the ink levels are good, and colour prints perfectly. I'm struggling to find an answer! Any suggestions as to what to do next would be great, thanks!

[RnRMusicMan]

Hi @SarahE82,

Welcome to the HP Forums!

I see that you cannot print black with your HP Deskjet 2540, and I am happy to help!  

To see if the hardware is fully functional, does any black show on the test page? (Load clean, white U.S. Letter or A4 paper in the input tray, if necessary. Press and hold the Start Copy Black button () and the Start Copy Color button () at the same time. The test page prints.)

Also, what is the Operating System you are using? Windows or Mac? What version? If you do not know the Operating System you are using, please visit this website. Whatsmyos.

In the meantime, please take a look through this print quality guide, Printer Prints a Blank Page or Does Not Print Black or Color Ink for the HP Deskjet 1510, 2540, and ....

Hope this guide helps you, and hope to hear from you soon!

[SarahE82]

Hi, I'm using Windows 7. The first test page printed in black very faintly with half the text missing with 'Error Code 00000000' and other test pages are completely blank.

[RnRMusicMan]

Hi SarahE82,

Sorry to hear the test pages are blank, I would recommend to please take a look through this print quality guide, Printer Prints a Blank Page or Does Not Print Black or Color Ink for the HP Deskjet 1510, 2540, and ....

if you have gone through the guide already, or it still did not resolve your issue, then please call our technical support at 800-474-6836. If you live outside the US/Canada Region, please click the link below to get the support number for your region. Country-language selector.

Hope this helps!

[uselessmind]

method 1: control panel > devices & printers > right click on hp 2540 icon > printer properties > general > preferences > advanced > Document Options > Black ink only.( tried on win10)
method 2: take the color cartridge out.

[scholer]

Link doesn't work any more. Please use permalink..

[mehrantm]

Introduction

Please apply this instruction at your own risk, only and only  if you tried other solutions without success and you have decided to buy a new cartridge.  I also had the same issue. When I was printing all black parts of the page was omitted while at the same time my printer showed ink level almost 50%. I tried several solutions suggested here and none of them worked for me. For example, I set the printer properties to Black ink only and also tried all auto cleaning functions without any results.  

Solution

At the end, I tried pulling out the black cartridge and washed in softly under tap by warm  water. After a while, I dried it out by a tissue and I saw the nozzle started leaking black ink that was a good sign! when I put it in again, the problem was fixed! The nozzle (or printhead) is the area I have shown by a red circle. Hope this helps

[zubidooo]

This solution worked, thanks!

[maccioso]

Forget the crappy advice hp give and dont even bother with the diagnostics or servicing. If you experience this issue just do as mehrantm says kudos to him for a very simple solution that WORKS. As for hp this is a major design flaw of you're cartridge before reading this i bought extra cartridges for no reason thinking i had faulty cartridges. Do you do any testing on products before putting them on sale to the general public? Might have to get me an epson...