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- HP Community
- Printers
- Printing Errors or Lights & Stuck Print Jobs
- error 71.02.4A

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11-13-2025 02:13 AM
Welcome to the HP Support Community! We're here to help you get back up and running.
Thank you for your patience—this kind of error can be frustrating, especially when it interrupts your workflow.
The error code 71.02.4A typically indicates a carriage stall or obstruction in your HP OfficeJet Pro printer. Let’s walk through a careful, hands-on recovery to get things moving smoothly again.
Step-by-Step Recovery for Error 71.02.4A
1. Power Cycle and Reset the Carriage
- Turn off the printer using the power button.
- Unplug the power cord from the wall and printer.
- Gently open the ink access door.
- With the printer off, manually slide the carriage (printhead assembly) from right to left. If it’s stuck, gently nudge it—don’t force it.
- Look for any obstructions, like bits of paper, dried ink, or debris near the right side or under the carriage path.
- Use a lint-free cloth slightly dampened with distilled water to clean any ink buildup or pooled ink near the rubber belt or plastic track.
- Let everything dry for 5–10 minutes.
- Close the access door, plug the printer back in, and power it on.
2. Check for Ink Cartridge Fit
- Open the ink access door again.
- Remove and reinsert each cartridge, ensuring they click firmly into place.
- Close the door and check if the error clears.
3. Run a Printer Self-Test
If the printer starts normally:
- On the control panel, go to Settings > Printer Maintenance > Print Quality Report or Print Test Page.
- This helps confirm the carriage is moving freely and ink is flowing correctly.
Optional: Clean the Carriage Track
If the error persists and you’re comfortable:
- Use a flashlight to inspect the far-right side of the carriage path.
- Look for ink pooling, especially around the rubber loop or belt.
- Gently clean the area with a damp lint-free cloth.
- Avoid touching any electrical contacts or ribbon cables.
If you'd like to explore further, this HP support page may help:
Let’s see how your printer responds after this. If the carriage moves freely and the error clears, you’re all set. If not, we can try a deeper reset or explore firmware recovery next.
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Take care, and have an amazing day!
Regards,
Hawks_Eye