ENUS33648What you will see
The printed page will have excess toner in a form of random streaks, a vertical line from top to bottom of the page, or a gray shade. See the sample images below.
For users of T650, T652, & T654
NOTE: Should your printer model be a T656 or X65x, or if the suggestions presented in this section do not resolve your issue, please proceed with the subsequent section of this document.
If your printed pages often have excess toner in the form of streaks or toner dust, it is possible that the application you are using to print does not terminate the print job normally. In this case, the printer expects more data that never comes, thus causing the cartridge to cycle further and consequently to dump the unused toner inside the printer.
To address this behavior, you need to update the printer's engine code to E219a. This will drive the printer into a halt every after print job, preventing it to cycle further and thus avoid any unnecessary toner dumping. To get the code update, please contact Lexmark Technical Support. Our Technical Support Representatives will be glad to help should you require assistance with the update procedure.
Try another toner cartridge
The most common cause for this issue is a leaking or an otherwise malfunctioning toner cartridge. Make sure the installed toner cartridge is an original brand Lexmark cartridge. If the cartridge was manufactured, refilled, or refurbished by a third party, please replace it with an original Lexmark toner cartridge. If an original Lexmark brand toner cartridge is installed, replace the toner cartridge using one of the following methods:
- If you have a replacement toner cartridge in stock, replace the old cartridge with it. See whether this clears the issue.
- If another cartridge is not available but you have another working printer of the same model, exchange the toner cartridges between the two printers in order to see whether the issue follows the toner cartridge to the other printer. This test will indicate whether the toner cartridge or the printer is the cause of the issue.
If the cartridge is causing the issue and it is relatively new or unused, contact Lexmark Technical Support to seek warranty replacement. Otherwise, continue with the suggestions below.
IMPORTANT! Lexmark does not replace or provide warranty on toner cartridges manufactured by a third party, or on Lexmark cartridges that have been refilled or reworked by any company other than Lexmark.
When replacing the cartridge does not correct the issue check the following:
Measure the distance of the vertical line from the left edge of the paper
If the vertical line started in a faint gray and over time became darker, check whether its distance from the left edge of the paper is constant on every printed page. Measure the distance and verify that the vertical line is 72mm (2.8 inches) away from the left edge of the paper.
If the vertical line runs from top to bottom of the page and is 72mm (2.8 inches) away from the left edge of the paper, the fuser roller may have been damaged. Contact Lexmark Technical Support and seek service for the printer.
If the vertical line is on different parts of the printed page and appears in random, continue with the suggestions below.
Check the Charge Roller
Step | Action |
1 | Remove the toner cartridge and set it off to the side. |
2 | Look into the printer. Begin to lower the upper cover and you should notice a set of two, small, tan-colored rollers start to come down. This is the charge roller assembly. To view a picture of the charge roller assembly, click here. |
3 | Remove any paper or other debris you find stuck on these rollers. If the roller surface appears dirty, take a clean, dry cloth and remove any toner from the rollers' surface. Do your best to confirm that the entire surface of both rollers is clean. Caution! Try not to touch the charge rollers with your bare hands. Doing so could leave a mark on the rollers. Note: If any part of a charge roller is damaged, contact Lexmark Technical Support to set up service for the printer. |
Paper/print media
If you are printing on any media other than plain copy paper, load plain copy paper into the printer and try printing again. It is more difficult for toner to adhere to specialty media. Examples of such media include labels, light card stock, cotton paper, as well as other heavier weight or textured paper.
NOTE: If printing on plain paper corrects the issue, try opening a new package of the specialty media. If the issue continues to occur, but only with specialty media, then the specialty media may not be compatible with the printer. This is true even if this specialty media has worked with the printer in the past. Please refer to the printer's User Guide for a list of compatible and recommended media types.
Fuser assembly
If none of the above suggestions correct the issue, the fuser assembly may need to be replaced. This is the heater element inside the printer. For more information on how to order a fuser assembly or to determine if it can be replaced under warranty, please contact Lexmark Technical Support.
NOTE: If you are using a specialty toner cartridge that included a fuser wiper, confirm that the fuser wiper has been installed before replacing the fuser or arranging a service call on the printer.
Still need help?
Please contact Lexmark Technical Support if you need additional assistance.
NOTE: When calling for support, you will be asked for your machine/model type and serial number (SN). If you need help locating these, s.
Please call from near the printer in case the technician on the phone asks you to perform a task involving the printer.
LEGACY ID: SO4912
Notes: