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- HP Community
- Printers
- Printing Errors or Lights & Stuck Print Jobs
- HP 6001 has error code 3

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09-20-2025 05:16 AM
@lbill44, Hello and welcome to the HP Support Community!
Thanks for posting your question. I'm here to help you get things back on track.
The E3 error on your HP Smart Tank 6001 typically indicates a carriage jam, meaning the ink cartridge carriage is stuck or obstructed. You've already tried powering off the printer, which is a great first step. Let's go through a more detailed troubleshooting process to resolve this:
- Turn off the printer and disconnect the power cord from the wall outlet.
- Open the ink cartridge access door and gently check if the carriage (the part that holds the ink cartridges) is stuck or obstructed.
- Remove any paper fragments, foreign objects, or packaging material that may be blocking the carriage path.
- Manually move the carriage:
- Gently push the carriage to the left and right to ensure it moves freely.
- Do not force it if it resists, check again for obstructions.
- Close the ink cartridge access door securely.
- Reconnect the power cord directly to a wall outlet (avoid using power strips).
- Turn on the printer and check if the error clears.
If the error persists:
- Try a firmware update via the HP Smart App or Official HP® Support
HP Smart Tank 6000, 7000, 7300, 7600 Printers - Blinking lights and error codes | HP® Support
Use Diagnose & Fix in the HP app to repair common printing issues (Windows, macOS) | HP® Support
I hope the information shared has been useful and resolves your concern.
Wishing you a smooth and hassle-free experience ahead!
If this solution helped, please click “Accepted Solution” so others can benefit too. Don’t forget to hit the “Yes” button if you found this helpful!
Warm regards,
Max3Aj
HP Support