Paper jams in fuser (output bin) - M281fdw

[Pereg]

Hello,

I have the LaserJet Pro M281fdw. Last week it started continuously jamming the paper in the output bin. The paper makes it almost all the way up where you could see the edge of it at the top output, but as you pull it out it's all crumpled up. So it's being fed up all the way through and gets stuck inside the fuser, crumpled up like an accordion.

I took the printer apart and took the fuser out, but didn't take it apart. I checked it (wasn't really dusty nor dirty), and I can manually feed a sheet of paper through the fuser, there are no obstructions.

Do you think I need to replace the fuser, or is there maybe some bad sensor or something else causing it?

Interesting thing is when I used the maintenance clean mode, the sheet comes out of the bin almost entirely out (no crumpling), but the last 2 inches are still inside the rollers, and the printer still ends up showing paper jam in the output bin.

Thank you

[Pereg]

I just found out from another thread that the problem is caused by the firmware upgrade released a month ago. The printer started jamming few weeks ago at least (I just didn't have time to look at it), so it makes perfect sense. I had absolutely no problems with the printer before then. I saw someone talk about a solenoid being stuck behind the fuser, but not sure which part that is exactly. Hopefully HP steps up and resolves this, finally. Luckily I have few printers, so it's not an urgency for me.

[Pereg · Accepted solution]

I was posting some updates in another thread, but in the nutshell, when I tried restoring printer settings, I got error 49.

I called HP support and they were UTTERLY USELESS, as they insisted to charge me $90 for a chance they waste my time trying to downgrade the firmware, when I repeatedly kept telling them the issue was caused by their faulty firmware affecting all 280-281 printers, and people have reported that downgrading the firmware did not resolve their problems.

So I took matters into my own hands.

I followed this and this thread (thank you everyone for your contributions) and I fixed error 49. In my case, I had to jump the below 2 pads and keep them jumped while connecting power to the printer. This took several attempts, as the pads are extremely small.

After resetting the firmware and sending in firmware 20220414 (as explained in those above threads, my printer finally came back to life. But when I tested printing, the paper was getting stuck in the output bin just as before.

I remember reading someone fixed that by cleaning some solenoid behind the fuser, but the post was very cryptic and ambiguous, so not much info there. Here's how I fixed my problem:

1) I took the right side cover off the printer (this may be a little challenging, but if you search videos online, there's a guy showing how to take it off on that printer).

2) From behind the fuser, I removed the gear assembly attached to the right side of the fuser. Once you remove the screws, you'll have to gently unhook the black tab, and then lift up the assembly to unhook the top metal tab.

3) I moved the white gears inside the box, and all moved freely. Then I removed the solenoid/actuator (whatever it is), and it was also moving very freely.

4) Then on the other side, at the fuser, I checked both points where the gearbox connects to gears. The white gear was moving very freely. The black one has some resistance, but that's normal, because it's on the motor. I moved the black gear with a flat screwdriver up and down several times.

After that I assembled everything back, and tested multiple times. The printer is working perfectly fine now. No more paper jams !!

I have my suspicions why the firmware upgrade caused these paper jams. Not that anything was particularly stuck, but I think that moving the motor to another position than what it was in fixed the problem. I t was probably in a dead spot the programming couldn't recognize, but this is far fetched. Perhaps someone with more experience with printer firmware can enlighten us.

Either way, HP broke it in many ways and wanted to charge me money for wasting my time with little or no possibility of fixing anything. I fixed it myself, though a lot of it is thanks to community support and contributions you all make!!

SHAME ON YOU HEWLETT-PACKARD ENGINEERING !!!