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This video explains how to fix your printer when you see a carriage jam error message
on your computer or on the printer’s control panel.
Turn the printer off and then on again. This will sometimes fix the issue.
Press the Power button to turn the printer off. If it does not turn off, you might have
a paper jam. We will address paper jams in this video in a few minutes.
Once the printer is off, wait 60 seconds. It is important to wait the full 60 seconds
to allow the print mechanism to reset. Then, press the Power button to turn the printer
back on.
Wait for the printer to turn on and stop making noise.
Load paper into the input tray until it stops. Slide the paper width guide inward until it
stops at the edge of the paper. Do not push the guide in so tightly that it starts to
bend the paper.
Try printing a self-test page to see if the issue is resolved.
On the control panel, press and hold the OK button and then press the Help button.
Release both buttons at the same time.
The self-test page prints.
If the self-test page prints successfully, the issue is resolved. If the self-test page
does not print, go on to the next step. A paper jam might cause your carriage jam.
Do not remove jammed paper at this time, but begin by removing any loose paper from the
input or output tray.
Press the Power button to turn off the printer. In some cases it may not turn off.
Whether or not the printer turns off, in the next step we need to unplug the printer.
Turn to the back of the printer.
Unplug the power cord.
Remove the USB cable from the printer.
Remove the rear access door. To do this, we first need to locate the tab to unlock the
rear access door. Squeeze the tab inward and pull out on the rear access door.
Check the rear area for jammed paper. If you see any paper, remove it by pulling evenly
with both hands to avoid tearing.
Check the rollers and wheels for torn pieces of paper that might remain inside the printer.
Use a flashlight to thoroughly search the rear of the printer to find all small scraps
of paper. If any torn pieces of paper remain inside, more paper jams are likely to occur.
Reattach the rear access door. While squeezing the release latch in the middle of the door,
gently push the door into the rear access area until it snaps into place.
If you cannot remove the paper jam from the back, we will attempt to remove it from the
front. Turn to the front again.
Open the cartridge access door.
Carefully remove any paper you see. Make sure you get all the small pieces that might tear
off. Check the rollers and wheels for any remaining pieces of paper. You must remove
all scraps of paper to prevent future paper jams.
Small pieces of paper can easily stick in places that are difficult to see. Use a flashlight
to thoroughly search left and right inside the printer. Searching the carriage path with
a flashlight is an important step in preventing future jams.
When you’ve removed the paper, close the cartridge access door.
Turn to the back again.
Plug the power cord back in.
Turn to the front.
Press the Power button to turn the printer back on.
Next, load paper into the input tray until it stops. Slide the paper width guide inward
until it stops at the edge of the paper. Do not push the guide in so tightly that it starts
to bend the paper.
Try printing a self test page again to see if the issue is resolved.
On the control panel, press and hold the OK button and then press the Help button.
Release both buttons at the same time.
If the self-test page prints successfully, the issue is resolved. You can reconnect the
USB cable and resume printing as normal. If the self-test page does not print, go on to
the next step.
Use the following steps to make sure the carriage can move freely.
The printer must still be on for these steps to work.
Open the cartridge access door so that you can view the carriage.
Turn to the back.
While the printer is still on, disconnect the power cord from the printer.
Then, disconnect the other end of the power cord from its power source.
Turn to the front.
Look inside the printer and check for obstructions around the carriage that could prevent it
from moving. You might need a flashlight to illuminate areas for proper viewing.
Remove any obstructions that are found.
Reach inside the printer through the cartridge access door, and then manually move the carriage.
Do not force the carriage to move if it is in the docking station on the right side of
the unit and you do not find any obstructions that restrict its movement. This might damage
the printer. Remove any obstructions that are found while
moving the carriage.
Ensure the carriage moves freely from all the way to the left to all the way to the
right.
Once all obstructions are removed and the carriage can move the full width of the carriage
path, close the cartridge access door. Turn to the back of the printer.
Reconnect the power cord into its power source.
Then, reconnect the other end of the power cord into the printer.
Turn to the front of the printer.
If the printer does not automatically turn on, press the Power button on the control
panel to turn on the printer.
Try printing a self-test page again to see if the issue is resolved.
On the control panel, press and hold the OK button and then press the Help button.
Release both buttons at the same time.
If the self-test page prints successfully, the issue is resolved. You can reconnect the
USB cable and resume printing as normal. If the self-test page does not print, go on to
the next step.
If the error message still displays, it might not be the printer. The power supply might
be the issue.
Press the Power button to turn off the printer.
Go to the back of the printer.
Disconnect the power cord.
Then, disconnect the other end of the power cord from its power source.
Plug the power cord directly into a wall outlet.
And then plug it back into the printer.
Move back to the front.
Press the Power button to turn the printer back on.
Try printing a self-test page again to see if the issue is resolved.
On the control panel, press and hold the OK button and then press the Help button.
Release both buttons at the same time.
If the self-test page prints successfully, the issue is resolved. You can reconnect the
USB cable and resume printing as normal. If the self-test page does not print, go on to
the next step.
Sometimes the issue can be resolved by resetting the printer.
The printer must still be on for these steps to work.
Perform a power reset by first removing all the paper in the input tray.
Turn to the back of the printer.
While the printer is still on, disconnect the power cord from the printer.
Then, disconnect the other end of the power cord from its power source.
Wait 15 seconds. It is important to wait the full 15 seconds to allow the print mechanism
to reset.
Reconnect the power cord into its power source.
Then, reconnect the other end of the power cord into the printer.
Move back to the front.
If the printer does not turn on by itself, press the Power button to turn it on.
Try printing a self-test page again to see if the issue is resolved.
On the control panel, press and hold the OK button and then press the Help button.
Release both buttons at the same time.
If the self-test page prints successfully, the issue is resolved. You can reconnect the
USB cable and resume printing as normal. If the self-test page does not print, go on to
the next step.
If you’ve tried everything described in this video and you still have a problem, your
printer likely needs some type of service. Contact HP to find out what the support options
are for your printer. Your options for service may vary depending on how long you’ve owned
it and what country you live in.