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Lexmark Printer Ink Cartridges Problems

Printer problems….. can anyone help??

I’m having problems with my printer….. I bougth new ink cartridges about a week ago (color&black) for a lexmark 640 printer, but when I print something it seems like the ink is running out and quality is very poor on both color and black. I have tried everything…. going into the control panel, into the printer icon and troubleshooting and adjusting things there but nothing seems to be working. I was not having this problem prior to buying this new cartridges and i bought them because the other ones dryed out. Can anyone help me?

Il reproduce below detailed note dealing withthis problem.Hope you will find it useful.

TroubleShooting Tips

General Suggestions…
1. To ensure best printing quality, use the printer at least once a week.
2. Before installing the cartridges, read the cartridge manual sheet & instructions.
3. Place the cartridges upright for ~30 minutes prior to use; this allows the ink to flow down to the print head and the air bubbles to rise. Do not over-shake the ink cartridge before installing it.
4. Print a nozzle check page after installing the cartridge. Run print head cleaning utility if needed.
Get help from printer manufacturers…
1. HP Support
2. Epson Support
3. Canon Support
4. Brother Support
Problem: Ink level of the new compatible Epson cartridge is low, ink consumes fast.
Suggested solution:

1. Avoid replacing a cartridge before the printer tells you to do so. Otherwise the printer may show the ink level of previous cartridge. Should this occur, turn off the printer for a few minutes and turn it on again to reinstall the cartridges.
2. When you install an Epson cartridge, avoid taking out the cartridge once you put it in. It will take extra cleaning cycles to drive out the air bubbles that get into the cartridge while you take out the cartridge.
3. Don’t run the print head cleaning unless needed.
Problem: Misaligned vertical lines appear in the printout.
Suggested solution:

1. Run “Print Head Alignment” utility. Please refer to your printer manual for detail.
Problem: Print out white page; print quality is poor with gaps or faint areas in the printout.
Suggested solution:

1. Did you remove the protective label covering the vent hole of the cartridges?
2. The print head nozzle may need cleaning.
3. The ink cartridges may need replacing.
4. Make sure the paper Type or Media Type setting matches the paper you are using.
5. For some cartridges, check the print head to see if replacement is needed.
6. There is a very slight chance that you still get missing lines on your test page after 2 times of head cleaning. Simply turn off the printer and turn on the printer after at least 2 hours. Run a test page and you cartridge should work.
Problem: The color of the printout doesn’t look right, some color is missing.
Suggested solution:

1. Run a nozzle check to identify the missing colors.
2. If the ink is not running out for the missing color, chances are, the print head of one or more cartridges get clogged. Please run the print head cleaning utility.
3. For newly installed cartridges, if the problem persist after running print head cleaning twice, take out the cartridge, touch the ink nozzle with a soft tissue until the ink comes out; then install the cartridge.
Problem: The printer does not recognize the Epson cartridges.
Suggested solution:

1. Did you touch the chip on the compatible Epson cartridges?
2. If the chip cartridge cannot be recognized by the printer, move the cartridge around within the cartridge holder. 99% of the chance, it will work.
3. Is the print head out of usage?
Problem: While installing an Epson Cartridge, the computer warns, “the cartridge you are installing is not original”.
Suggested solution:

1. Epson sets the warning. Click “Yes” and continue. This will NOT negatively affect the printing. The default setting is “No”, Please do NOT accidentally press “Enter”. Once you select “No”, the printer may remember the setting, and won’t accept the cartridges on retry.”
Problem: While printing on plain paper is OK, banding appear on photo paper.
Suggested solution:

1. Before you print photos, we recommend that you print a sample to a plain paper.
2. You may need to run the print head cleaning utility more than once.
Remanufactured Ink Cartridges Problem: Cartridge Leaks; Color Mixing.
Suggested solution:

1. Cartridge leaks/color mixes when the internal pressure of the cartridge is not balance, place the cartridges on a paper towel with print head down for a few minutes to allow balance.
Remanufactured Ink Cartridges Problem: Need more help with cleaning HP cartridges manually.
Suggested solution:

1. Click here to get detailed instructions on manually cleaning HP cartridges.
Remanufactured Ink Cartridges Problem: Print out white page; print quality is poor with gaps or faint areas in the printout.
Suggested solution:

1. Make sure the tape covering print head was removed!
2. Air bubbles might be blocking the nozzle – wrap the cartridge with paper towel and slightly shake & squeeze a bit. The air should be cleared out once the correct color ink flowing out.
3. Printer contact may be dirty – gently wipe printer contact with paper tower, avoiding touching it with fingers.
4. print head might be partially clogged. You may try priming the cartridge. If still clogged, then Placing the clogged cartridge in 1/3 inch of warm water for 5 minutes. When ink starts to slowly leak out, take the cartridge out of the water and dry it using a soft cloth; placing it into your printer and run the print head cleaning utility.
Tips…
1. If you forgot to remove the label, take out the ink cartridge; turn off the printer for a few minutes; then turn it on again to reinstall the ink cartridges with the label removed.

2. Please follow the instruction in your printer-manual to clean the print head. Note that running the print head cleaning utility consumes ink; please do NOT over use it. To ensure best printing quality, we recommend that you use the printer at least once a week. Leaving the printer unused for a long time may cause clogging of the print head.

3. For Compatible Epson cartridges with chip (the little green circuit on the side of the cartridge), NEVER touch the chip. If you did, try to clean the chip with dry tissue.

4. the cartridge may not be recognized if the spring touching needle in the print head (the cartridge holder) is out of usage or damaged, or the spring tablet in the printer is out of usage. You may need to have the print head repaired or replaced.

5. Priming the cartridge is a process that allows the print head to open up for the ink to come through. Get a damp paper towel, press and hold on the print head (copper strip facing down) for around 20-30 seconds. This will bring the ink to the surface of the print head, and the flow of the ink will start again.

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