Experiencing problems getting the standard paper tray ('Tray 1') back into the printer

Issue description

You are experiencing one or more of the following issues:

• You have difficulty installing the standard paper tray ('Tray 1') back into the printer. The tray does not want to go in, and it seems as if it is getting caught on something.
• Whenever the 'Tray 1' paper tray runs empty, the printer stops printing and displays a Paper Jam message. NOTE: In most cases, the printer will display a 241.01 type Paper Jam message.
• You have found a broken piece of black plastic similar to the one in the picture below. In most cases, this broken piece of plastic will be found in or around the 'Tray 1' paper tray. Clickhere for an illustration.

This may be caused by a part of the feed mechanism inside the printer may be broken.

Solution

1. Power off the printer.



2. Remove the 'Tray 1' paper tray.



3. Look into the area of the printer where the tray was installed. Locate the paper pick mechanism.

   The pick mechanism is highlighted in the picture below. It should be located just above the area where the paper tray sits. Click here for an illustration.

   Warning—Potential Damage:  It may be necessary to tip up the front of the printer to get a good look at the paper pick mechanism. If this is necessary, remove any installed output options before moving the printer as they can fall off the top of the printer. Additionally, enlist the aid of another person to help prevent the printer from slipping or dropping and causing damage to the printer or injury to yourself.



4. See if a black, plastic lever has fallen into the path of the paper tray. This lever measures the level of paper in the tray. Click here for an illustration.

   If the lever has fallen down into the tray path, you can try to return the lever to its original position. See Step 6 below for pictures of how the lever should look when correctly installed. If that does not work, a service action will be required to correct the issue. Please contact Lexmark Technical Support for additional assistance. See 'Contacting Lexmark Technical Support' at the end of this article for contact information.



5. If the tray area appears free of obstructions, lower the front of the paper pick assembly by pulling down on the pick roller on the right-hand side as seen here.



6. Confirm that the 'paper level' lever is still installed. It should be located behind the left-hand pick roller when the paper pick assembly is down. The picture below shows what you should see if the lever is present and not broken.

   • For a larger front view of the lever, click here.
   • For a side view of the lever, click here.
   • If you confirm that the lever is present and not damaged, inspect the paper tray for any damage. In addition, make sure the paper guides in the tray are in the correct location and that you are not loading paper past the 'max fill' indicator.
   • If the lever is missing, the paper pick mechanism will need to be replaced and the printer will require service to correct the issue. To set up a service action, please contact Lexmark Technical Support or a local authorized service provider. See 'Contacting Lexmark Technical Support' at the end of this article for contact information.

Temporary work around for Paper Jam errors

If the issue you are experiencing is 241.01 type Paper Jam errors when the tray runs empty, you can load paper into the tray when the Paper Jam message appears and press the Check button or Continue to continue printing. The printer should print the job again and will continue to function as normal, so long as there is paper in the tray. If the issue continues to occur after loading paper in the tray, please contact Lexmark Technical Support for additional information.

In addition, this failure will affect the standard tray ('Tray 1') only. If any optional paper trays (such as Tray 2 and Tray 3) are installed, you can continue to use the option trays as normal, just as long as Tray 1 is installed into the printer.