Printhead issues with HP Officejet Pro X476dw MFP

[TMG3]

I had to clean with rubbing alcohol and run the Clean print heads under tools 30 times before it would print properly.

[E_P_E]

I think running the "Printhead Recovery" multiple times is more effective than repeat Printhead Cleanings. Everyone with this model printer must know how to access the service menu & navigate to the printhead recovery selection. It only consumes approx 1mL of ink from each color per run so it's not a huge ink waste. Information on accessing this menu is posted on HP's website and in some youtube videos. If you don't see any improvement in print quality after 3-5 runs of the printhead recovery it's not going to work (most of time it will recover the print quality if it continue to improve).

I also strongly suggest leaning how to access the printhead surface by removing the waste ink tray and dropping down the lever just above it. The printhead surface is just back and up an inch or so (the printhead drops down for a few minutes only).  You can wipe it with a cloth saturated in flushing fluid, distilled water, or distilled water with maybe some windex sprayed on which can be used to wipe the printhead surface and eliminate smears that are usually some waste ink on the head surface. I recommend leaving the moist cloth in contact with the surface as this can help wick some ink into the nozzles. 

[shaber20005]

My 7-month-old X476dw has just been escorted off the premises. My spare cartridges are soon to follow it in the dumpster.

First of all, do NOT try the above procedure (printer on it side) after cleaning the duplex waste ink tray. If it's wet at all, your printer will leak a mess. And I should have had the common sense to remove the USB cord, which promptly snapped off its connector!

I had tried all levels of clean, multiple recovery attempts, and after a week of not having a useful printer and finding out that HP's 24X7 service is really M-F, I'm done with it. Not to mention the extra hour cleaning up its spilled ink.

Sorry HP, but having a printer that requires undocumented maintenance is downright STUPID. Obviously, you hope it will last just long enough until its out of warranty and then you can add to your ridiculous ink and Color-lok paper charges. I'm done with it, and although I've just thrown a lot of cash in the trash, I'll save in the long run.

This is the 2nd printer I've been through this with (the first ran a bit longer, but probably wasn't sitting on a shelf so long, it was the identical engine without the scanner.

If anyone else has found a brand that's just as fast and prints just as well (a shame, really that this model starts off so well), let me know.

I'm assuming that the PageWide Pro printers that seem to have replaced these models might suffer from the same flaws.

[E_P_E]

HI, 

I assumed that no one would immediately run the recommended procedure immediately after rinsing out the waste ink tray for the very same reason you described (kind of common sense that if not drained and allowed to dry for a while that it will leak inky water when set on it's back surface ... again same with power cord and USB putting the weight of the printer on these cords of sticking out must be avoided). 

The waste ink / duplex tray is defined as a service consumable but may not meet HP's original expectation on duty cycle. If cleaned appropriate it can last the life of the printer though.  I did discover one issue with just rinsing it out. At the leading edge there is a flat grey plastic cover over a wiper blade that collects a lot of ink residue. This needs to be removed by either agressively shaking while rinsing with warm/hot water such that some is captive in that front chamber or the two front torx screws need to be removed to lift that front edge up to wipe it clean before rinsing.

The waste ink tray issue causes what is an ink smear (almost always initially with black) with some banding. This  is not the dropping of an entire segment of the printbar as is the primary issue of this forum. These are separate issues but once you understand how to recover these two print quality issues these printer can actually provide good long term service over 500,000 confidently (I know because we have some with higher page counts than that). 

I have recovered lost printbar segments and actually entire bar drops where one color is completely lost by running one or two printhead recoveries.  I do believe HP has integrated the recovery process into the 2nd and 3rd level head cleanings on the new PageWide Pro models but you must access the service menu to run the process on the 1st generation Pro Xs. 

Why NO ONE at HP (I worked there for 8 years and would hope there are still some employees there that care about helping customers) is responding to these customers forums is just beyond me.  The printer does need to be serviced to be reliable in the field ... it's not a bad thing but I do understand they are probably concerned that most people are incapable of learning anything. 

[shaber20005]

Well, you sure do know these printers. I was at least as mad at myself as I was at the Printer for being this stupid!

But really, after just 4 months it needed service beyond what was called for in the user guide?

Anyway, thank you for ALL the information you've provided. If I decide to be tempted by the lastest version of this (you can't beat its speed), I'll keep what you've said in mind.

It was a few days since I cleaned it, not immediately after, but water must have been lurking in the duplex unit. I should salvage the old one and test it on the top rack of the dishwasher!

[E_P_E]

I actually service some of these printers that are under MPS leases and the #1 repeat service is cleaning the waste ink tray. Until we figured out that the wiper blade under that front cap retained some gooey ink even after typical clean rinse process we were seeing ink smear print quality issues re-occur every 7,000-15,000 pages, but keep in mind HP recommends replacing it with a new one which could not have the ink build-up on the front wiper.  We just started making sure that ink was removing duing the cleaning cycle so we expect to see the intervals go back to in the 25,000+ page range which is a tolerable service interval.

The printbar segment drops are much more perplexing as some seem to recover easily (if you catch the drop eary they seem to recover with one "printhead recovery."  If run dry for too long we believe they may not recover unlesss some extensive process is done...like sitting the printer on it's back (the idea is that it's air related and this should at least pump the air up to the front most head which is on top when the printer is on it's back. We've only done this a few times but it seem to recover some segments that would not recover otherwise.

What we have suggested to all MPS customers is that they run a print quality report every 5,000-10,000 pages and if they see any color drops or that waterfall effect loss of a printhead segment we ask them to run up to 3 printhead recoveries until the print quality report proves good results.  Some have not recovered completely in 3 cyces but if the print quality is improving with easy cycle we instruct them to repeat until recovered or print quality stops improving. 

This is the best information I can provide at this time on the 1st generation Pro Xs.  We are running a new PageWide Pro 452dw which has not shown any signs of print quality issues and over 20,000 pages printed thus far.

[shaber20005]

Thanks. I'm going to keep your tips in mind. After looking at how much extra ink I have for this machine, I've decided to order one more. I hadn't looked at that flap you mention in the duplex unit either.

I'm thinking of ordering a spare duplex assembly so that after cleaning one, I can let it thoroughly dry and not have any downtime with the printer. Sounds like if I clean it every 5000 pages (each case of paper), I should be OK.

I'll check the print quality report every few weeks too.

I've been using 3rd party ink from SuppliesOutlet.com and I hope that doesn't hurt the printbar segments. Have you tried this continuous ink supply from Ekuten?

https://www.amazon.com/EkutenTM-liter-super-system-officejet/dp/B00JVAOU8S/ref=pd_sbs_229_4?_encodin...

I've tried this too and if I can keep things clean, it's a LOT of ink for $300. They sell one without ink for $200, and I wonder if I can get things working if it might be worth getting another and filling it with flushing fluid instead of ink. I keep thinking that I might be damaging the printheads if I try to clean them with a cloth.

So, I'll try your suggestions on the new one, and try to keep it running until I use up the ink I have left. If it's still going strong, I'll order more ink, and if not, I'll look at the newer version that you seem to be having less trouble with.

Considering the speed and quality of the prints when it DOES work, it's worth the small extra hassle. I'm just a home user who likes having a really fast printer.

Thanks for all of your tips.

[paxberg]

I am having the same issue with the print quality.  Hp was unable to help over the phone.

[paxberg]

I am having the same issue with the print quality.  Hp was unable to help over the phone.

[shaber20005]

So, I've replaced my X476dw with a 377DW.

I know that I can't use my old cartridges, even though they look the same. I'm sure the chips on the 972s are specific to the newer versions of the printer.

But I do have some bulk ink from a third party. Does anyone know if the ink formulations from the original page wide printers to the newer ones is the same?

Or should I avoid 3rd party ink altogether to stretch out the duty cycle? At least I know how to clean out the waste ink tray thanks to this forum!