New Toner 94A Produces Black Streak Down the Middle of the Page

[Frustsrated]

I bought a backup toner cartridge HP 94A from Amazon when mine started giving me "low ink" warnings.  The original toner had tons left in it, so I didn't use the backup for months and now it's too late to return it.  When I put it in today -- to have perfect toner for tax prep -- it made an inch-wide streak down the middle of the page top to bottom.  When I use the old toner (still hanging in there) the it's fine, no streak.  I removed the new/bad toner, wiped it with a soft cloth and quite a bit of toner came off on the cloth.  Put it back, ran the cleaning function, but nothing changed and there was toner on outside of the cartridge again.   I repeated this process a few times.  It's clearly a dud cartridge.  I can't get anywhere close to having HP respond.  It's all virtual assistants with the wrong questions and no human contact.  Is there an email address?  A live person chat?  Those toner cartridges are not cheap, so I hate to give up. 

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @Frustsrated,

Welcome to the HP Support Community! 

I hear you loud and clear, and yes, you’re talking to a real, live person, not a virtual assistant running you in circles! I know how frustrating it is when a brand-new toner cartridge doesn’t perform as expected, especially when you need perfect prints for something as important as tax prep. 

You planned ahead, and your printer should be rewarding you for that, not giving you black streaks down the middle of the page. 

Let’s tackle this together and get your prints back to looking sharp.

Remove & Shake Gently

• Take the toner cartridge out and gently rock it side to side to evenly distribute the toner.
• Reinsert it and print a test page.

Check the Imaging Drum (If Accessible)

• Some toners have a built-in drum; if yours does, inspect it for damage or streaks.
• If it’s scratched, the toner is defective.

Run Another Cleaning Cycle

• On your printer menu:
  Setup > Printer Maintenance > Clean Page Smudges / Cleaning Mode
• Print a blank page to see if excess toner gets absorbed.

Try a Different Paper Type

• Use a thicker, high-quality paper for testing.
• If streaking remains, the issue is with the toner.

You’re not alone in this, I’m here to help, and we’ll get this sorted out together! Try these steps and let me know how it goes. If that toner is still causing trouble, we’ll figure out the best way forward. No more unexpected plot twists, just clean, professional prints like they should be!

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?"—your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 👍✨

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 🚀

Best regards,