Officejet Pro 8600 Printhead issue

[JHDesigns]

I purchased the Officejet Pro 8600 Plus about a year ago, and just recently the printing has gotten very bad.  I have a lot of horizontal gaps in the pictures (both color and b/w) as well as in the text.  It is not as crisp as it was when I first purchased it.  I use it to write contracts and as of late, have had to go to the local Kinkos to print as this is not acceptable to give to a potential client.  I have HP geniune ink installed.  I have tried cleaning the printheads via the tool on the printer, as well as downloading and trying to solve the issue via "hardware diagnostics tool."  I am still having the streaking/missing lines.  According to my Printer Status Report, I have only printed 1,266 pages.  I have a hard time believing that after only that many pages the printhead has been overworked or put in its time.  I have looked up the cost of a new printhead, and at almost half the price of a new printer, I have a hard time justifying the expense.  I really like the printer and don't want to replace it.  I am hoping that this is just a faulty printhead that might be somehow covered or could be replaced at a more reasonable price.

Any insight, thoughts or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

[8lives]

If your warranty is still valid HP should be able to help.

Did you run more than 1 cleaning cycle?

[JHDesigns]

It is of course out of warranty.  And yes I have tried more than 1 cleaning.  I think I did about 5, with little to no adjustment or change in quality.

[8lives]

Did you try removing the printhead and cleaning the electrical contacts?

It's important to never turn off a inkjet between use.

[JHDesigns]

I have taken the printhead out and tried cleaning it.  I did not see any improvement.  So either I cleaned it wrong or it is something else.  

Thanks for the suggestions so far.  Please keep them coming.

[8lives]

One last thing to try.

Get a pan and pour 1/2" of very hot (not boiling) water in it.
Next remove all the ink cartridges, then remove the printhead assembly.
Gently put the printhead nozzles down in the water and let it soak for five minutes  
Remove the printhead from the water and gently dry the electrical contacts.
Put the printhead back in the printer and then reinstall the ink cartridges.
Run a few cleaning cycles from the front panel.

[Sonpower]

Awesome- worked perfectly- I had ordered a new printhead taken off a new machine, but didn't work out of the box - did this solution, dried the printhead on a paper towel, and it works beautifully again!- Thanks!

[Zhianm]

Sounds interesting, i will try (maybe)

How about using specialized printerhead cleaners (isopropyl alcohol etc.)?

My magenta is stuck partially - bad banding. As a result i cannot allign printer - always fails (used black and magenta)

for aligning. I have only had the printer for 1 month but cannot afford the time to send it away. Am still using the initial inks, too.

I am at the moment a bit miffed...

[8lives]

Since the warranty is still in effect I would contact HP directly.

[vernclinton]

I'll pass this on  for what it's worth.  Magenta stopped printing on my hp officejetpro.  Changing cartridges, repeated cleaning with the utility cursing and whining did no good.  Needed the printer asap so was going to run down to Staples to get another but decided since I was willing to scrap the thing I couldn't lose by trying to clean the existing head.

Took it out using directions from an HP YouTube video.  Cleaned the face of the printhead with Windex and voila works ok.  Saved a couple of hundred dollars and a lot of time.

Good Luck