Diagnosing the Problem

Troubleshooting printer problems is best handled in two steps: first diagnose the problem, then apply likely solutions until the problem is fixed.

The information that you need to diagnose and solve most common problems is provided by online problem solving, the control panel, the EPSON Status Monitor utility, or by running a printer operation check. Refer to the appropriate section below.

If you have a specific problem relating to print quality, a printout problem not related to print quality, or a paper feeding problem, or if the printer does not print at all, refer to the appropriate section.

To solve a problem, you may need to cancel printing.

See Canceling Printing

Error indicators

You can identify many common printer problems using the lights on your printer. If the printer stops working and the lights are on or flashing, use the following table to diagnose the problem, then follow the recommended corrective measures.

Lights	Problem and solution
	Paper out
	No paper is loaded.	Load paper into the sheet feeder, and then press the paper button. The printer resumes printing and the light goes out.
	Double-paper feed
	Two sheets of paper are fed at the same time.	Press the button to feed and eject the paper. If the paper remains in the printer, see The paper jams.
	Paper jam
	Paper has jammed in the printer.	See The paper jams
	Ink expended
	An ink cartridge is expended or not installed.	Replace the ink cartridge with a new one. If the light is still on after you have replaced the cartridge, it may not be installed correctly. Reinstall the ink cartridge so that it clicks into place. See Replacing an Expended Ink Cartridge
	Wrong cartridge
	The currently installed ink cartridge cannot be used with the printer.	Replace the incompatible cartridge with an appropriate ink cartridge. See Replacing an Ink Cartridge Before It Is Expended
	Incorrectly installed ink cartridge
	An ink cartridge is not installed correctly.	Reinsert the ink cartridge. See The ink light is flashing or is on after you replace the cartridge
	Ink low
	An ink cartridge is nearly expended.	Obtain a replacement ink cartridge. To determine which cartridge is nearly expended, check the ink cartridge status. See Checking the Ink Cartridge Status
	Cover open
	The printer cover is open.	Close the printer cover.
Flashing alternately	Maintenance
	The waste ink pad in the printer is saturated.	Contact your dealer to replace it.
	Unknown printer error
	An unknown printer error has occurred.	Turn off the printer and contact your dealer.

= on,

= off,

= flashing slowly,

flashing fast

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EPSON Status Monitor (for Windows only)

If a problem occurs while printing, an error message will appear in the Status Monitor window.

When you need to replace an ink cartridge, click the How To button on the window, and EPSON Status Monitor will lead you step-by-step through the cartridge replacement procedure.

If an error message appears indicating the parts inside the printer are near the end of their service life, the waste ink pad in the printer is saturated. Contact your dealer to replace it.

Note:

When you use your printer as a shared printer on a network with the following combinations of computers, the client operating systems are not able to communicate with the printer, so that some functions are not available for that particular client.

Server	Client
Windows Vista/XP	Windows Me/98 SE/2000
Windows Me/98 SE/2000	Windows Vista/XP

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Running a printer operation check

If you are unable to determine the source of the problem, run a printer operation check to help you determine whether the problem comes from the printer or your computer.

To run a printer operation check, follow these steps.

Make sure both the printer and computer are turned off.

Disconnect the cable from the interface connector of the printer.

Make sure that A4 size paper is loaded in the sheet feeder.

Hold down the

paper button and press the

power button to turn on the printer. When the printer turns on, release both the buttons. The printer prints the nozzle check pattern.

A test page prints showing a nozzle check pattern. If the pattern has gaps, you need to clean the print head.

See Cleaning the Print Head

If the test page prints, the problem probably lies in your software settings, the cable, or your computer. It is also possible that your software may not be installed correctly. Try uninstalling your software and reinstalling it.

See Uninstalling the Printer Software

If the test page does not print, you may have a problem with your printer. Try the suggestions in the following section.

See The Printer Does Not Print

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