My printer is only printing images and not text

[NZSteveC]

My InkJet Advantage 4675 only prints images, not text. It was working well with my Mac laptop using OS 10.13.4 since August 2017 but stopped working this year. I tried uninstalling and re-installing the driver software, but the problem persits. Suggestions??

[Bob_Headrick · Accepted solution]

The troubleshooting steps in the document here may help resolve black not printing on your Deskjet Ink Advantage 2675.  The printer will typically use color ink to print images for quality, so even areas that appear dark may be printed with color rather than black.

[NZSteveC]

SOLVED

Thanks for the ideas Bob

All my cartridges showed ink over 2/3 full, but when I ran a test page with text in different colours

Red

Blue

Yellow

Black

I found that it was as simple as black not printing at all.  I tried cleaning several times but to no avail.

I have replaced the black cartridge and it now works fine. 

Apparently the printer needs to have a page printed every week or two so that the ink does not clog up in the cartridge. I di not see this kind of warning anywhere, perhaps a more prominent warning message would be useful. 

Steve

[Bob_Headrick]

The printer should not require printing every week to keep the nozzles from clogging.  One thing to do - make sure you only turn the printer off from the printer's switch.  The printer should always be connected to a live outlet.  If an external switch (such an an outlet switch or power director) is used to turn off the printer it may be left in a state where the cartridges are not parked properly.  

If the cartridge was an original HP and is still 2/3 full but does not print you should get a replacement from HP. HP cartridges do have a warranty, see the document here for information. To get warranty coverage you will need to go to the Contact HP page, then enter the information for your printer.  At this point it may say "Manufacturer's warranty has expired".  If so do the following: to the right of this it will say "See details".  Click the "See details" link, which will open another page with more details.  Near the bottom of the text will be a paragraph that says : 

HP has checked your product information, including the product and serial numbers, to determine your warranty results.The legal warranty expiration date is based on the date of purchase, as indicated on your receipt. If you feel these results are incorrect, you may submit a dispute for review. Dispute this > 

Click on the "Dispute this" link which will ask for some additional contact information.  Fill out the contact information, then in the bottom section select: 

Dispute reason 

  Issue with my Accessories, Supplies and/or Software. 

In the comment section indicate that you have a defective supply that is in warranty, you have verified the supply is defective by switching it with a replacement supply.

[NZSteveC]

Brilliant advice - thanks Bob! Do you know if these warnings are prominently displayed?

Certainly the advice about how to check that the black only is not working and try replacing it even though it looks full was not seen anywhere.

Your advice about disputing the warranty is brilliant! I bought it in August, but the site said it expired in December already, supposedly because the shop had bought the machine a year earlier. 

Thanks again - Steve

[Bob_Headrick]

I have read the warnings about leaving the printer connected to a live outlet in many user manuals over the years, for the Deskjet Ink Advantage 2675 it is on page 60 of the manual here which says:

To protect the cartridges from drying out, always turn the printer off using the Power button, and wait until the Power button light goes out.

The suggestion for disputing the warranty assumed the printer was out of warranty and you needed warranty coverage for the cartridges.  If you bought the printer new in August you can use the same process.  You will need to have a copy of the receipt or some other documentation to verify the printer warranty date.

[NZSteveC]

Thanks again - brilliant!