Faint after HP toner change

[JLitchford]

We ordered new HP 202A all colors toner cartridges.  I have upgraded the firmware to the latest version.  Completed the power drain and restart twice.  Test pages are faint but legible.  Supplies report displays 100% for all colors.  The Magenta bar is very faint on the extreme left of the report.  The Demo page is visiable with all of the colors faint, black included.  The printer has very low usage and is very clean throughout.   The new toner cartridges did not have the plastic orange tear off film to expose the fresh toner.   What am I missing?

[Raj_05]

Hi @JLitchford,

Welcome to HP Support Community.

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

It sounds like you’ve done a lot of troubleshooting already. Given that the test pages and demo page are faint and the new toner cartridges didn't have the plastic orange film, here are a few additional steps to consider.

• Check the Toner Cartridges: Ensure that the new toner cartridges are correctly installed. Even if they didn’t have the plastic film, they should still be fully seated in their slots. Sometimes, if a cartridge isn’t properly seated, it can cause faint printing.
• Remove and Reinstall Cartridges: Remove the toner cartridges and gently shake each one from side to side to redistribute the toner powder inside. Reinstall them, making sure they click into place.
• Check the Drum Units: The drum units, which transfer toner onto the paper, could also be a source of the problem. Make sure they are clean and properly seated. If they are worn out or defective, they might need to be replaced.
• Perform a Calibration: Use the printer’s built-in calibration tool to adjust the color balance and improve print quality. You can typically find this option in the printer’s settings menu.
• Check the Paper Path: Ensure there are no obstructions or issues with the paper path. Sometimes, paper dust or debris can cause print quality issues.
• Update Firmware: Double-check that you have the latest firmware installed. Sometimes, an issue might persist if the firmware update was not applied correctly.
• Run Printer Diagnostics: Many printers have built-in diagnostic tools that can help identify and resolve print quality issues. Check your printer’s user manual for instructions on how to run these diagnostics.

Given that the printer has very low usage and is clean, it’s likely not an issue of excessive wear or dust, so focusing on cartridge and drum unit issues is a good approach.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

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Alden4

HP Support 

[Repairatrooper]

Just had a 283 (nearly identical printer, just newer) with the same problem and it turned out to be the grounding spring for the transfer roller. If you open the back door you see a spongy roller, that is the transfer roller. Look on the right end and you will see two metal parts and in the body of the printer there should be two springs that contact with when the transfer roller is closed into position. In my case the upper spring was not extending past the plastic sleeve it sits in so it was not contacting the transfer roller contacts. Somehow the spring had become dislodged and had slipped back too far into the sleeve. I had to remove the left cover, loosen the sheet metal that the formatter and modem mount to so I could dislodge the sheet metal and reach in with a hook and push the spring back into position.

[Repairatrooper]

A picture might help you out.

Red circled mate together and green mate together.