M252DW toner leakage

[QRiver]

The cyan toner cartridge has a leak that comes and goes.  It causes a 2"x3" smear centered about 2" from the top of the page.  It looks like a rain cloud - heavy at the top, then descending into sprinkles towards the bottom.  This is the second time it's happened.  It cleared up on its own after several dozen pages the first time.  I don't trust it to not get worse.  This is an HP-certified replacement cartridge, not a knock-off.

[MarcelusWallace]

Hi @QRiver, and welcome back to the HP Community.

I saw your post about the print quality issues on your HP Color LaserJet Pro M252, and I would like to help you out.

Below, I have posted a document that has some troubleshooting solutions to this issue. Please try all of the steps, in order, and get back to me with the results as well as any problems or error codes you experienced.

HP Color LaserJet Pro M252, M274, M277 Printers - Fixing Poor Print Quality

I hope this helps.

If this helps show appreciation for my reply by hitting the thumbs up below

Click the "Accept as Solution" button if I have helped you reach a solution.

[QRiver]

Hi Marcelus,

Thank you for your reply.  I've reviewed the steps in the link you've sent. I'd already tried the cleaning option, and inspected the toner cartridge.  The one that's leaking is the newest of them all. I also tried adjusting the print quality.  It hasn't corrected the problem.  I've noticed that the problem occurs only when I'm printing a black and white document.  It doesn't happen when I'm printing something in full color. Hope that helps.

Best wishes,

Chip

[SHThompson · Accepted solution]

Leaky toner cartridges are defective toner cartridges, you should contact your supplier or hp and ask for a replacement since the cartridge is warranted until you end up with a toner low message on the printer.

No amount of cleaning will stop a leak, it's kind of like when a water pipe is leaking and you keep drying it off but more water comes out, it might seem okay for a while but it still a problem.

If my post resolves your issue please click the accepted as solution button under it.

To thank a Tech for a post click the thumbs up button under the post.

You can even click both buttons. . .

[SHThompson]

To prove its the toner cartridge do a half self test.

Load a sheet of paper in tray 1, that is the front fold down tray.

Press the big button once to print the demo page.

When the page from tray 1 has fed about three quarters of the way into the printer pop open the top cover.

Open the top cover and remove the toner cartridge and look inside at the printed sheet.

If the streaks are on the paper inside the printer then toner cartridge is defective, if the paper looks perfect inside the printer but has streaks after it feeds out of the top then the fuser is damaged and needs to be replaced.

If my post resolves your issue please click the accepted as solution button under it.

To thank a Tech for a post click the thumbs up button under the post.

You can even click both buttons. . .