What you will see
There are blank spots on the page where print should be. Typically, the missing spots (or print voids) align in a vertical column. See an example of this below.
Eliminate the scanner unit as a possible cause(X65x models only)
If your printer is an X65x model (i.e., X652, X654, etc.) and you are using the scanner unit to scan or make copies, try printing something from the computer to see whether prints that do not use the scanner are also missing spots of print.
If the issue occurs only when using the scanner, try cleaning the glass for both the flatbed and automatic feed (ADF) units. Please refer to the printer's Users Guide for directions on how to do this. If cleaning the glass does not correct the issue, please contact Lexmark Technical Support for additional assistance.
If the problem shows on prints that do not use the scanner, however, continue with the suggestions below.
Print the Quality Pages
The next step is to determine whether the spots repeat at specific intervals. The best way to do this is to print out the quality pages. To locate and print the quality pages, you will need to enter the printer's Configuration menu.
| Step | Action |
| 1 | Power off the printer. |
| 2 | On T65x models, press and hold both the and buttons. On X65x models, press and hold both the 2 and 6 buttons on the numeric key pad. |
| 3 | Keep both buttons held down and power on the printer. Release the buttons after ten seconds or when you see CONFIG MENU displayed on the screen. |
| 4 | Look through the menu for Print Quality Pages or Prt Quality Pgs. Select this menu item. The printer will display the message Printing Quality Test Pages and print four pages. Page one contains a mixture of graphics and text. Page two is gray with two black squares. Page three is solid black and page four is blank (white). |
| 5 | After the print quality pages have been produced successfully, power off the printer again. Wait ten seconds, then power the printer back on, but this time do not hold any buttons down. This will return the printer to its normal printing mode. |
Once you have the quality pages, check the black and gray pages. See if there are spots of missing print on either of them. Follow the appropriate recommendations listed in the table below.
| If . . . | Then . . . |
If both the gray and black pages appear fine | Try printing a few more different print jobs from a different program. If the issue occurs only when printing from one particular program or one specific job, there may be an issue with that particular item. Contact Lexmark Technical Support to see if this may be software issue. If the problem continues when printing different print jobs, try printing the quality pages again. If all the quality pages continue to appear fine, contact Lexmark Technical Support for more information. |
If a column of print is missing OR If there are random spots of print missing on the page | If it appears that an entire column of print is missing, or if the missing areas appear randomly on the page, then the toner cartridge is likely the cause of the problem. If you have a spare toner cartridge in stock, install it into the printer and try printing again. If this corrects the issue, then the original toner cartridge was likely the cause of the issue. If you do not have a spare cartridge on hand, yet you have access to a working printer of the same model, you can install the toner cartridge from the working printer into this printer as a test.
NOTE: If you narrow the cause of the issue to the toner cartridge, and that toner cartridge is relatively new or unused, it may be eligible for a replacement. See the Cartridge Replacement section at the end of this article for more information.
If replacing the toner cartridge has no effect on the problem, there may be an issue with the fuser assembly or with the transfer roller. Both of these parts are supply items that a customer can replace. For more information on how to order and replace these items, please refer to the printer's Users Guide or contact Lexmark Technical Support. |
If there are spots of print missing, AND they repeat in a specific pattern or at a specific interval | If the missing spots appear to repeat at specific intervals down the page (see an example in the image to the left), then a roller has developed a defective spot. To determine which roller it is, print out the Print Defects page. This page lists various distances and the rollers to which those distances correspond. To print this page:  Use the operator panel on the printer to enter the menus. Look for the Help menu and select that. A new list of menu selections should display. Look through this menu for Print Defects. Select this choice and the printer should print out one page that will show vertical lines of different lengths. Determine if one of the lines on this sheet matches the distance from the top of one missing spot to the top of the next spot. If so, that distance will indicate which part is at fault.
All of the parts listed on the page are supply parts that a customer can replace. However, if you have difficulty identifying, ordering, or replacing any of these parts, please contact Lexmark Technical Support for more information.
NOTE: If the spots do not repeat at any specific interval, but still seem to be aligned in a vertical column, try replacing the toner cartridge first and see if that corrects the issue. |
Cartridge Replacement
If you have a defective toner cartridge, and it is an original Lexmark toner cartridge that is relatively new or unused, then it may be eligible for warranty replacement. First, contact the point of purchase because they may have a replacement policy. If the cartridge was purchased directly from Lexmark, contact Lexmark using the phone number or address with which you used to order the cartridge. Should the point of purchase not assist you or should you be unable to locate the order information you used to contact Lexmark with, then contact Lexmark Technical Support. A representative there may be able to provide more assistance.
IMPORTANT! Lexmark does not replace or provide warranty on toner cartridges manufactured by a third party, nor Lexmark cartridges that have been refilled or reworked by any company other than Lexmark. If the cartridge is a Lexmark cartridge that has been refilled or refurbished by a company other than Lexmark, contact the place where the cartridge was refilled to have it replaced.
Contacting Lexmark Technical Support
If you have questions about any of the steps above or if the issue continues after attempting these procedures, please contact Lexmark Technical Support.
When contacting Lexmark for assistance with your printer, please be prepared to describe the problem you are experiencing and any troubleshooting steps already taken. NOTE: You will also need the printer's model/machine type and serial number (SN). This information can be found on labels located under the upper front cover and on the back of the machine. for further details.
NOTE: When calling Lexmark Technical Support, please call from near the printer in case the technician on the phone asks you to perform a troubleshooting task on the printer.
LEGACY ID: SO5066