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- HP Community
- Printers
- Printing Errors or Lights & Stuck Print Jobs
- False carriage jam

Create an account on the HP Community to personalize your profile and ask a question
10-16-2025 01:19 PM
@RJS64, Welcome to HP Support Community,
Thank you for posting your query; I’m here to help by guiding you through steps to resolve this issue
If you encounter a false "Carriage Jam" error on your HP OfficeJet Pro 6978, follow these steps to resolve the issue:
Restart the Printer
- Power off your printer using the power button.
- Unplug the power cord from both the printer and the power outlet.
- Wait for about 60 seconds.
- Reconnect the power cord, then turn on the printer.
Check the Carriage Path
- Open the ink cartridge access door to expose the carriage.
- Check for any obstructions that might be blocking the carriage path like small pieces of paper or foreign objects.
- Gently move the carriage to the right and left to ensure it can travel freely without hindrance.
Clean Paper Feed Rollers
- Remove the input and output trays.
- Inspect and clean the paper feed rollers using a lint-free cloth lightly moistened with distilled water.
- Remove any debris or dust particles that could interfere with the roller’s performance.
Update Printer Firmware
- Ensure your printer firmware is up to date by visiting HP's support website or by using the included software from your installation CD.
- Updating the firmware might fix bugs that contribute to false error messages.
Also, you may refer to this guide for further troubleshooting steps: HP Printers - Carriage jam or E3 error | HP® Support
I hope this helps.
Please feel free to reply here if you have any questions or if you need further clarification on any of the steps.
Take care and have a good day.
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Regards,
Garp_Senchau
I am an HP Employee