Suggested Troubleshooting Procedures for Laser Printers
A.) If your paper won't feed correctly when you print, remove all the paper from the tray, gently fan the leading edges with your thumb, and try printing again.
B.) Is the paper properly inserted in the tray? When removing the jammed sheet of paper, pull gently to avoid tearing it, and try to pull in the normal direction of paper movement. Check the paper path for toner or dust buildup.
C.) Make sure you remove all bits of paper which might be lodged in the paper path, especially around the sensors. But be careful: There are high voltages in the corona wires and the fuser assembly can be very hot. Always turn the printer off and, if possible, wait 10 minutes for it to cool down. Be sure to check the extracted sheet for tears or missing corners.
D.) Check the spring mechanisms that position the paper, which sometimes may need to be tweaked or realigned.
E.) You may have a worn pickup roller. If the rollers are glazed or you see cracks, replace the roller or assembly. Sometimes you can clean these and get a few more miles out of them but when you start to get jams with a smudge on the top or middle of the page, it's time to replace the roller. Lexmark recommends changing the rollers every 100,000 to 200,000 pages.
F.) You could also have a defective or dirty exit sensor. Replace or clean as needed.
G.) Make sure the paper trays are installed correctly. A buildup of toner on the edges of the tray which slide into the printer can sometimes cause problems. Take a sharp tool, like a razor blade and scrape the buildup off these edges.
H.) Are the drivers bad? Listen to the motor operation to make sure it's operational. Eventually, your printer's gears and motors will wear out, and you'll be better off buying a new printer. Expect to get between 20,000 and 40,000 pages from a low-end personal laser printer and more than 100,000 pages from a higher-quality model. Most office lasers should provide at least 300,000 pages.
I.) Finally, read your printer's manual for tips on finding the jam.
