My HP Color Laser Jet Pro MFP M477fdw says there is a paper jam but I cannot find any paper to pull

[Miller524]

My HP Color Laser Jet Pro MFP M477fdw says there is a paper jam but I cannot find any paper to pull out. I have checked all the possible places. I have turned it off and turned back on.  I have reset the printer but still tells me I have a paper jam in the print paper path.  Any help what to do?

[Andcr]

Hello Miller524,

Normally when we get some error the printer show some code. If you have an error code you can use it to search online for any solutions. Sometimes printers will report a paper jam but there is nothing stuck inside, that is called "ghost" or "fake" jams. That happens when the printer was expecting the paper to travel at some specific part of the paper path, and that never happened or there was a delay. When that happens the printer stops the process and throw some error.

You mentioned you already checked and there is no apparent paper inside. If that is the case maybe you are facing a ghost jam. 

If the printer is connected to the network you can reach the Embedded Web Server by entering the printer's IP address in a browser. There you can find more details in the event log: that is a record of errors and other events the printer senses. Once you have error codes you can more precisely search for solutions.

Also make sure about the paper you are using: it has to be within the specs the printer has. You can search online for your printer's datasheet if you are using some paper type or thickness that is not very common.

In addition, make sure your printer is connected directly to the power outlet, as any current variation can affect the printer's behavior.

It could be also that the pickup rollers on your printer are worn out due to use, so you can check if they still have some texture on them and they are evenly worn out.

If you already exhausted those recommendations, you can take the unit to a repair center for further inspection.

[Repairatrooper]

We find that often when you are getting a phantom paper jam, there is actually a sheet of paper wrapped up in the fuser mechanism. Unfortunately, with the design of this model, it is nearly impossible to see this without removing the fuser from the printer. The only other phantom jam I have come across is in the pickup roller area. Power off the printer, remove the paper tray and drop the duplex tray then remove the  toner cartridges. turn the printer on one side, being careful of the scanner and the ADF as they have a habit of popping open. Examine the area around the pickup roller for any bits of paper. The pickup roller is located towards the back of the paper tray cavity.