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Problem Solver

Print Quality Problems

The background is dark or dirty
Black or white bands appear in the printout
White dots appear in the printout
Print quality is uneven on the page
Print quality is uneven (thick or coated paper)
Half-tone images print unevenly
Toner smudges
Areas are missing in the printed image
Completely blank pages are output
The printed image is light or faint
The non-printed side of the page is dirty

The background is dark or dirty

Cause	What to do
There may be a problem with the photoconductor unit.	Replace the photoconductor unit. See Photoconductor Unit.
You may not be using the correct type of paper for your printer.	If the surface of your paper is too rough, printed characters may appear distorted or broken. EPSON special paper, or smooth, high-quality copier paper is recommended for best results. See Available Paper for information on choosing paper.

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Black or white bands appear in the printout

Cause

What to do

There may be a problem with the photoconductor unit.

Replace the photoconductor unit. See Photoconductor Unit.

Check if the filter under the photoconductor unit is dirty. If it is dirty clean the filter. See Cleaning the print head filter

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White dots appear in the printout

Cause	What to do
Duplex printing on damp coated or thick paper may produce printouts with white dots where the toner density is high on the back of the paper.	Do not select Thick (Back) or Coated (Back) as the Paper Type setting in the printer driver. Choose Thick or Coated instead. Do not store coated paper in a humid or damp environment. Be sure to use paper that is newly unwrapped.

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Print quality is uneven on the page

Cause	What to do
Your paper may be moist or damp.	Do not store paper in a humid or damp environment.
There may be a problem with the photoconductor unit.	Replace the photoconductor unit. See Photoconductor Unit.

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Print quality is uneven (thick or coated paper)

Cause	What to do
Your paper may be too dry.	Select Thick (Back) or Coated (Back) as the Paper Type setting in the printer driver. Do not store paper in an excessively dry environment.

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Half-tone images print unevenly

Cause	What to do
Your paper may be moist or damp.	Do not store paper in a humid or damp environment. Be sure to use paper that is newly unwrapped.
There may be no toner left in the toner cartridge.	If the message on the LCD panel or in the EPSON Status Monitor 3 utility indicates that the amount of toner is low, see Developer Cartridge.
There may be a problem with the photoconductor unit.	Replace the photoconductor unit. See Photoconductor Unit.

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Toner smudges

Cause	What to do
Your paper may be moist or damp.	Do not store your paper in a humid or damp environment.
You may not be using the correct type of paper for your printer.	EPSON special paper or smooth, high-quality copier paper is recommended for best results. See Available Paper for information on choosing paper.
There may be a problem with the photoconductor unit.	Replace the photoconductor unit. See Photoconductor Unit.

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Areas are missing in the printed image

Cause	What to do
Your paper may be moist or damp.	This printer is sensitive to moisture absorbed by the paper. The higher the moisture content in the paper, the lighter the printout. Do not store paper in a humid or damp environment.
You may not be using the correct type of paper for your printer.	If the surface of your paper is too rough, printed characters may appear distorted or broken. EPSON special paper or smooth, high-quality copier paper is recommended for best results. See Available Paper for information on choosing paper.

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Completely blank pages are output

Cause	What to do
The printer may have loaded more than one sheet at a time.	Remove the paper stack and fan it. Tap it on a flat surface to even the edges. Then reload the paper.
There may be no toner left in the developer cartridge.	If the message on the LCD panel or in the EPSON Status Monitor 3 utility indicates that the amount of toner is low, see Developer Cartridge.
There may be a problem with the photoconductor unit.	Replace the photoconductor unit. See Photoconductor Unit.
The problem may be with your application or interface cable.	Print out a status sheet. See Printing a Status Sheet. If a blank page is ejected, the problem may be with the printer. Turn off the printer and contact your dealer.

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The printed image is light or faint

Cause	What to do
Your paper may be moist or damp.	Do not store your paper in a humid or damp environment.
The Toner Save mode may be on.	Turn off the Toner Save mode using the printer driver or the printer's control panel menus.
There may be a problem with the photoconductor unit.	Replace the photoconductor unit. See Photoconductor Unit.

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The non-printed side of the page is dirty

Cause	What to do
Toner may have spilled onto the paper feed path.	Clean internal printer components by printing three pages with only one character per page.

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