How to Remove Repetitive Image Defects from an HP Toner Cartridge

Often when removing the toner cartridge for a paper jam,  shaking it to get a few more prints or removing it while performing printer maintenance the toner stirs up and a small bit of toner or even a speck of unknown material will adhere to the charge roller inside the cartridge.  This causes a small dot to appear on all of your prints.  These dots are all “in-line” and have identical spacing.  HP calls this a repetitive image defect.

All HP all-in-one laser printer toner cartridges are affected and this problem can arise.  Once this happens you really have nothing to lose but to try this fix.  It is definitely worth a try as you would have to replace the  cartridge if you didn’t want a dot on all of your documents.   The cost for these cartridges are quite expensive.    If you just purchased the cartridge you can try to have it replaced under warranty.  NOTE:  When removing the toner cartridge for whatever reason, never set the cartridge upside down.  Place it right side up.  Always set it down gently.

How to tell if it is the Charge Roller Causing the Issue
You will know it is caused by the Charge Roller by understanding the image defect ruler.  The spacing on most laser printers will be 37.7mm or 1.5 inches between each dot.

Primary Charging Roller Repetitive Defects

Primary Charging Roller

How to Fix It

What you will need
You will need a Q-Tip,  writing pen and a flashlight.
Also you will need a sample of the print job with the image defect.
        

Line up the defect page, centering it with the charge roller on the toner cartridge. The Charging Roller is visible through the shutter slit. This is where the laser unit directs the beam to create the Image.

Mark the toner cartridge following the image defect or “DOT” so you will know where to clean the charge roller.

Mark the location of the defect with a pen.

 

Shine a flash light into the shutter and locate the dot on the charge roller and clean it with the Q-Tip.  WARNING:  Do not use any type of chemical , water or solvent as this will destroy the charge roller.

Next re-install the toner cartridge and print a configuration page.  If the dot is still there, redo the previous steps until the dot is gone.  Have patience.  It sometimes takes several tries to get rid of the dot.  I have had a 100% success rate, so don’t give up.  Following is a list of directions to print a configuration.  You can google the directions if you do not have a service manual for your particular machine.

Printing the Configuration, Short List

Print the Configuration page LaserJet 4100
Press Menu until INFORMATION MENU appears.
Press Item until PRINT CONFIGURATION appears.
Press Select to print the page. Note the number of pages since last maintenance.

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Print the Configuration page  P3005
1. Press Menu.
2. Press to highlight INFORMATION, and then press .
3. Press to highlight PRINT CONFIGURATION, and then press .

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Print the configuration page P3015
1. Press the Menu button .
2. Press the down arrow button or the up arrow button to navigate to the INFORMATION menu, and then press the OK button.
3. Press the down arrow button or the up arrow button to highlight the PRINT CONFIGURATION option, and then press the OK button to print the page.

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Print the Configuration page Laser Jet M601,602 and 603
1. Press the Home button.
2. Open the following menus:
● Administration
● Reports
● Configuration/Status Pages
3. Scroll to the Configuration Page item, and then press the OK button.

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