How to fix the printer when is says missing or failed printhead

[Jaw409]

The printer says missing or failed printhead. I went step by step with the steps online and it still will not work. I am not sure if I need to order a new printhead. Help

[Bob_Headrick]

If the first eight troubleshooting steps in the document here did not resolve the printhead error on your Officejet Pro 8600 there are a few additional things to try before replacing the printhead:

• Remove the ink cartridges, then remove the printhead.  Use a lint free wipe (a clean damp coffee filter works well for this) and gently clean the electrical contacts in the printer and on the back of the printhead assembly.  Unplug the printer (without turning it off), replace the printhead and the ink cartridges, then plug the printer back in, turn it on, then close the cartridge access door.
• If the above did not resolve the issue there is one more possibility: remove the ink cartridges, remove the printhead, and unplug the printer as before.  Next soak the printhead in hot water as described in step 8 of the document here.  (For a different printer model, but same principle.)  After allowing the printhead to dry reinstall it in the printer, install the print cartridges, plug the printer in, turn it on and close the access door.

If neither of the above resolved the issue you will need a new printhead (or printer).  The printhead assembly is rather pricey, but it does include a set of setup cartridges, which equivalent to the standard cartridges.  If your printer has had a lot of pages printed over its life you might consider a replacement printer.  There are not any current models that use the 950/951 cartridges.  The most comparable replacement would be the Officejet Pro 8700 series.  The Officejet Pro 8710 would have similar features to the Officejet Pro 8600 or 8600 Plus.