Printerheads missing

[Mandolynn]

My printer heads are "missing"....in actuality they are not. I have done all the troubleshooting with the printer, and nothing seems to be working. It has not been handled it has been in the same spot for years at this point. It was having a printer head issue last week, but then it printed what I needed to. Now it is not working at all, not sure what to do and I can't find the 1-800 number to call. Do I need new printheads? Has anyone had an issue and solved it? This is also happening conveniently after the warranty has expired. Have not even used up all the ink inside yet. 

[Meghana_10]

Hello @Mandolynn, Welcome to the HP Support Community.

Thanks for reaching out!
 

We're thrilled to have the opportunity to assist you and provide a solution.

I understand your HP Smart Tank 7602 is showing a “Printheads Missing” message and also tried all the troubleshooting steps Please confirm if you have gone through these few steps provided below.
 

• Restart the printer properly
  With the printer turned on, unplug the power cord from the rear.
  Wait 60 seconds, then reconnect it directly to a wall outlet and turn it back on.
• Reseat the printheads
  Open the ink access door and remove all ink cartridges.
  Carefully remove the printheads, then reinstall them firmly until they click into place.
• Clean printhead and carriage contacts
  Use a lint-free cloth lightly dampened with distilled water.
  Gently clean the copper contacts on the printheads and inside the carriage, then let them dry for 5 minutes.
• Reinstall ink cartridges correctly
  Insert each cartridge into its color-coded slot and press until it clicks.
  Close the access door and allow the printer to initialize.
• Check for firmware-related glitches
  Leave the printer powered on and idle for 5–10 minutes after startup.
  Temporary communication errors can sometimes clear after a full initialization cycle.
• Reset the printer electronics
  Turn the printer on, then unplug the power cord while it is running.
  Press and hold the Power button for 10 seconds, reconnect the cord, and power it back on.
• Verify internal self-test behavior
  If the printer allows it, try printing a printer status or self-test page.
  If the error appears before printing starts, it confirms a printhead detection issue.
• Understand what this message usually indicates
  “Printheads Missing” means the printer cannot electrically detect one or more printheads. This can be caused by contact contamination, printhead failure, or carriage electronics issues.

I hope this helps.

Have a great day!