Businesses and organizations of all sizes need printers, but that also means they need printer repair. Whether it is a multifunction printer in a large office or a smaller desktop printer, printer service must be considered as part of the price of running a printer. Printers that are used heavily will often need repairs. Many of the most common printer problems are best solved by having a solid repair technician on your side.
8 Common and Frustrating Printer Problems
Printers, especially complicated all-in-one printers like multifunction printers (MFPs), can unfortunately wear out and break down. There can also be a problem with the printer driver on your computer or an issue with the ink. Sometimes, a printer or MFP just has an isolated hardware issue requiring printer service. Whether your printer needs repairs or not depends not just on the problem but the cause. Here are some common printer problems, some of which may require printer repair by a qualified technician.
1. The Printer Won’t Print Anything
There are two main reasons a printer won’t print anything. The first reason is that the software connecting to the printer isn’t working properly. This is a much better scenario than option two, which is when the printer hardware is broken, which may require printer repair. You might check the software and printer driver first before calling a technician about printer service. Is the printer making funny noises? This is a clue the cause is mechanical.
2. The Printer Is Too Slow
Printers that print too slow may need repairs or they may need to be upgraded. The problem may be that too many jobs are being pushed into the printer memory and the machine is just getting too old to handle it. There may be other software issues going on as well. It might be worthwhile to have a technician check it out if the slow printing appears to be mechanical in nature. (For example, are you hearing any odd sounds from the machine as it prints?)
3. The Print Quality Is Poor
Poor print quality may be a sign that printer service is needed. With ink jets, ink heads can get clogged and jammed. With laser jets, poor print quality could be something more benign like low toner or something mechanical could be going on. If the printing is smeared or skewed, or the printer ink is pooling, you may need printer service from a certified technician.
4. The Printer Keeps Jamming
Printer jams are not as common as they used to be as printer technology has improved, but they still happen quite a lot. Printer jams can happen for a variety of reasons, from loading paper the wrong way to putting in poor quality paper. But you’ll need printer service or repairs if the paper rollers have become damaged in some way.
5. A Laser Printer Is Showing a 50.4 Error
If you have a laser printer such as an HP and it is throwing a 50.4 error message, this means that fuser needs to be replaced. The fuser is the mechanical part that fuses the toner to the paper. Obviously, this is very important! You will need printer service from a qualified technician.
6. Duplex Printing No Longer Works
Duplex printing (or double-sided printing) can be a godsend, but if it suddenly stops working, it can be really frustrating. If something mechanical is causing the issue, you will need printer service.
7. Only Half or Part of the Page or Image Prints
If your printer is only printing a portion of the page, and this is happening consistently, try shutting off the printer and deleting your print queue. If you are still having problems, there may be an issue with the toner or drum unit. Contact a technician for repairs.
8. The Printer is Just Dead
If the printer won’t turn on at all, and you’ve tried plugging it into a different outlet, the printer may have totally died. Whether it can be brought back to life or not depends on many things, but if it’s an expensive MFP, it might be worthwhile having a technician look at it first before organizing its funeral.
Need Printer Repair or Printer Service?
ASE Direct has experience managing and repairing printers, in fact, more than twenty years of experience. We can fix laser printers, copiers, and multifunction printers from leading manufacturers such as HP, Compaq, Lexmark, Canon, Xerox, Samsung, and Panasonic. We have a call center and help desk available, along with a full-service managed print services solution. You can request a quote for service and we will contact you with an assessment and quote.
ASE Direct is a leading provider of commercial imaging solutions and technologies for Fortune 1,000 enterprises, government, education, and healthcare organizations across the United States and internationally. Need printer repairs? Contact us today!
Leave Comment