Lexmark E240n User Manual

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Print quality problems
Print quality problems
You can solve many print quality problems by replacing a supply or maintenance item that has reached the end of its 
intended life. Use the following table to find solutions to print quality problems.Dust is gathering on the 
paper tray when it is 
extended.Attach the dust cover to the back of the printer. This protects the paper tray from the 
environment as well as keeping the tray from being knocked out of position while it is 
extended.
See Attaching the dust cover for information about attaching the dust cover.
The paper tray is getting 
bumped and pushed out 
the front of the printer when 
it is extended.
SymptomCauseSolution
White lines The printhead lens is dirty.
 Either the toner cartridge or the 
fuser is defective.Try the following in this order:
1Clean the printhead lens.
(See How to clean the printhead 
lens on page 105.)
2Replace the toner cartridge.
3Replace the fuser
*.
Streaked horizontal linesThe toner cartridge or fuser may be 
defective, empty, or worn.Replace the toner cartridge or fuser
* 
as needed.
Streaked vertical lines Toner is smeared before fusing to 
the paper.
 The toner cartridge is defective. If paper is stiff, try feeding from 
another tray or the manual feeder.
 Replace the toner cartridge.
*To replace the fuser, call a service technician. †This setting can be changed using the Local Printer Setup Utility. See Using the Local Printer Setup Utility on 
page 87 for more information.
Problem / QuestionSolution / Answer
ABCDE
ABCDE
ABCDE
ABCDE
ABCDE
ABCDE
ABCDE
ABCDE
ABCDE
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Print quality problems
Print irregularities Paper has absorbed moisture due 
to high humidity.
 You are using paper that does not 
meet the printer specifications.
 The fuser is worn or defective. Load paper from a fresh package in 
the paper tray.
 Avoid textured paper with rough 
finishes.
 Make sure the printer driver paper 
type setting matches the type of 
paper you are using.
 Replace the fuser
*.
Print too light The Toner Darkness setting is too 
light.
 You are using paper that does not 
meet the printer specifications.
 The toner cartridge is low on toner.
 The toner cartridge is defective. Select a different Toner Darkness
† 
setting from the printer driver before 
sending the job to print.
 Load paper from a new package.
 Avoid textured paper with rough 
finishes.
 Make sure the paper you load in the 
trays is not damp.
 Replace the toner cartridge.
Print too dark The Toner Darkness setting is too 
dark.
 The toner cartridge is defective. Select a different Toner Darkness
† 
setting from the printer driver before 
sending the job to print.
 Replace the toner cartridge.
Transparency print quality is poor
(Print has inappropriate light or dark 
spots, toner is smeared, or horizontal 
or vertical light bands appear.) You are using transparencies that 
do not meet the printer 
specifications.
 The Form Type setting in the printer 
driver is set to something other than 
transparency. Use only transparencies 
recommended by the printer’s 
manufacturer.
 Make sure the Form Type setting is 
set to transparency.
Toner specks The toner cartridge is defective.
 The fuser is worn or defective.
 Toner is in the paper path. Replace the toner cartridge.
 Replace the fuser
*.
 Call for service.
Toner rubs off the paper easily 
when you handle the sheets The Paper Texture setting is wrong 
for the type of paper or specialty 
media you are using.
 The Paper Weight setting is wrong 
for the type of paper or specialty 
media you are using.
 The fuser is worn or defective. Change Paper Texture
† from 
Normal to Smooth or Rough.
 Change Paper Weight
† from Plain 
to CardStock (or other appropriate 
weight).
 Replace the fuser
*.
Gray background The Toner Darkness setting is too 
dark.
 The toner cartridge is defective. Select a different Toner Darkness
† 
setting from the printer driver before 
sending the job to print.
 Replace the toner cartridge.
SymptomCauseSolution
*To replace the fuser, call a service technician. †This setting can be changed using the Local Printer Setup Utility. See Using the Local Printer Setup Utility on 
page 87 for more information.
ABCDE
ABCDE
ABCDE
ABCDE
ABCDE
ABCDE
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Print quality problems
Uneven print densityThe toner cartridge is defective. Replace the toner cartridge.
Ghost Images The Form Type setting in the printer 
driver is set incorrectly.
 Toner level is low in the toner 
cartridge. Make sure the Form Type setting is 
correct for the paper or specialty 
media you are using.
 Replace the toner cartridge.
Uneven printing
(Print only appears on one side of the 
page.)The toner cartridge is not properly 
installed.Remove and then reinsert the toner 
cartridge.
Incorrect marginsThe Form Size setting in the printer 
driver is different than the size paper 
that is loaded in the tray. For example, 
you inserted A4 size paper into the 
selected tray but did not set the Form 
Size to A4.Set the Form Size to A4.
Skewed print
(Print is inappropriately slanted.) The guides in the selected tray are 
not in the correct position for the 
paper size loaded in the tray.
 The manual feeders guides are not 
in the correct position for the paper 
size loaded in the feeder. Move the guides in the tray so that 
they are snug against the sides of 
the paper.
 Move the manual feeders guides so 
that they are snug against the sides 
of the paper.
Blank pagesThe toner cartridge is defective or 
empty.Replace the toner cartridge.
SymptomCauseSolution
*To replace the fuser, call a service technician. †This setting can be changed using the Local Printer Setup Utility. See Using the Local Printer Setup Utility on 
page 87 for more information.
ABCDE
ABCDE
ABCDE
DE
DE
DE
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Print quality problems
Solid black pages The toner cartridge is defective.
 Your printer requires servicing. Replace the toner cartridge.
 Call for service.
Paper curls badly once it prints and 
exits to the binThe Paper Weight setting is wrong for 
the type of paper or specialty media 
you are using.Change Paper Weight
† to Smooth.
SymptomCauseSolution
*To replace the fuser, call a service technician. †This setting can be changed using the Local Printer Setup Utility. See Using the Local Printer Setup Utility on 
page 87 for more information.
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Print quality problems
How to clean the printhead lens
You can solve some print quality problems by cleaning the printhead lens.
1Turn the printer off.
2Open the front cover by pressing the button on the left side of the printer and lowering the cover.
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Print quality problems
3Remove the print cartridge assembly out of the printer by pulling on the toner cartridge handle.
Note:Do not press the button on the print cartridge assembly.
Place the print cartridge assembly on a flat, clean surface.
Warning:Do not leave the print cartridge assembly exposed to direct light for an extended period of time. 
Extended light exposure can cause print quality problems.
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Print quality problems
4Locate the glass printhead lens, which is located within the recessed area in the top of the printer.
5Gently wipe the printhead lens with a clean, dry, lint-free cloth.
Warning:Not using a clean, dry, lint-free cloth may result in damage to the printhead lens.
6Install the print cartridge assembly into the printer by aligning the arrows on the guides of the print cartridge 
assembly with the arrows on the tracks in the printer and pushing the print cartridge assembly in as far as it will go.
7Close the front cover.
8Turn the printer on.
Printhead lens
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Index
Numerics
550-sheet drawer 50
A
Auto CR after LF (Setup menu) 83
Auto LF after CR (Setup menu) 83
B
booklets 42
Busy light 59
buttons 52
C
canceling a print job 46
card stock 26
cleaning the printhead lens 105
clearing paper jams 34
configuration menus
Network
MAC Binary PS 82
NPA Mode 82
Set Card Speed 82
Parallel
MAC Binary PS 83
Mode 2 83
NPA Mode 82
Protocol 82
printing the Printer Settings Configuration 
sheet 80
Setup
Auto CR after LF 83
Auto LF after CR 83
USB
MAC Binary PS 83
NPA Mode 83
Utilities
Hex Trace 84
Print Quality Test Pages 84
Reset Factory Defaults 84
Reset Photoconductor Counter 84
D
duplex 39, 63
dust cover 31
E
electronic emission statement 3
emission statement 3
envelopes 24
Error light 60, 61, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 71, 72, 73, 
79
secondary error codes 70
See also operator panel, secondary error 
codes
extending trays 30
F
FCC statement 3
folio 30
H
Hex Trace (Utilities menu) 84
I
interfaces
network 82
parallel 82
USB 83
IP address
setting 18, 86
verifying 19, 86
J
jams 34
L
labels 25
legal 30
letterhead 24, 44
lights 52, 53
Linux 15, 20
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Index
Load Paper light
manual feeder 62
Tray 1 or 550-sheet tray 62
loading
250-sheet tray (Tray 1) 28
550-sheet tray 28
letterhead 44
manual feeder 32
Local Printer Setup Utility 87
M
MAC Binary PS
Network menu 82
Parallel menu 83
USB menu 83
Macintosh 14
to print to a network 
printer 19
USB printing 14
maintaining the printer
cleaning the printhead 
lens 105
manual duplex
light sequence 63
printing 39
manual feeder 32, 62
memory card 49
menu settings page 85
menus
navigating
advancing in 81
entering 80
exiting 81
returning to Home 
menu 81
scrolling through 81
Network 82
Parallel 82
saving settings 81
Setup 83
USB 83
Utilities 84
messages
See operator panel light 
sequences
Mode 2 (Parallel menu) 83
multiple page printing 41
N
NetWare 21
Network menu 82
network setup page 19, 85
NPA Mode
Network menu 82
Parallel menu 82
USB menu 83
N-up printing 41
O
operator panel
buttons 52
light sequences
Busy 59
Canceling job 67
Change invalid toner 
cartridge 66
Close door 61
Defragment flash 59
Error 61, 65, 67, 68, 69, 
70, 71, 72, 73, 79
Flushing data 60
Formatting flash 59
Hex Trace Ready 59
Load manual feeder 62
Load media 62
Manual duplex 63
Not ready 61
Offline 61
Photoconductor kit near 
full 64
Print side two 63
Printer error 68
Programming engine 
code 67
Programming system 
code 67
Ready/Power Saver 58
Replace photoconductor 
kit 64, 65
Resetting printer 67
Restoring factory 
defaults 67
secondary error codes 70
Service error 68
Toner low 63
Unsupported toner cartridge 65
Waiting 60
lights 52, 53
options
550-sheet drawer 50
memory card 49
overlays 44
P
paper 24
choosing 24
jams 34
loading 28, 32
storing 26
Parallel menu 82
photoconductor kit
changing 96
level 90
light sequences 91
ordering 88
recycling 95
Photoconductor kit near full 
light 64
ports
parallel 82
USB 83
posters 43
print cartridge
See toner cartridge
print quality problems 101
Print Quality Test Pages 
(Utilities menu) 84
Printer Settings Configuration 
sheet
printing 80
printhead lens, cleaning 105
printing
booklets 42
duplex 39
letterhead 44
multi-page (N-up) 41
overlays 44
posters 43
watermarks 44
problems
print quality 101
Protocol (Parallel menu) 82
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Index
R
rear exit 32
recycling supplies 95
Replace photoconductor kit 
light 64, 65
Reset Factory Defaults 
(Utilities menu) 84
Reset Photoconductor Counter 
(Utilities menu) 84
S
safety information 3
secondary error codes 70
Complex page 74
Error communicating with 
the host computer 77
Font error 76
Host interface disabled 77
Insufficient collation area 75
Insufficient printer 
memory 74
Invalid engine code 79
Invalid network code 79
Memory full 78
Network interface errors 76
Paper jam at the input 
sensor 71
Paper jam in the manual 
feeder 71
Paper jam in Tray 1 73
Paper jam in Tray 2 73
Paper jams as a printed job 
exits the tray 72
Paper jams as it exits the 
tray into the printer 72
PPDS font error 76
Short paper 78
service error lights 68
Set Card Speed (Network 
menu) 82
Setup menu 83
storing
paper 26
supplies 26, 89
supplies
conserving 89
ordering 88
recycling 95storing 26, 89
system board
accessing 47
T
TCP/IP 86
test page 85
toner cartridge
changing 92
error 65
light sequences 91
ordering 88
recycling 95
toner level 90
Toner Low light 63
transparencies 24
tray extending 30
troubleshooting 99
print quality 101
U
UNIX 15, 20
USB menu 83
Utilities menu 84
W
Waiting light 60
watermarks 44
Windows 13, 16
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