Diagnosing the Problem

Troubleshooting printer problems is best handled in two steps: first diagnose the problem, then apply likely solutions until the problem is fixed.

The information that you need to diagnose and solve most common problems is provided by online problem solving, the control panel, the EPSON Status Monitor utility, or by running a printer operation check. Refer to the appropriate section below.

If you have a specific problem relating to print quality, a printout problem not related to print quality, or a paper feeding problem, or if the printer does not print at all, refer to the appropriate section.

To solve a problem, you may need to cancel printing.

See Canceling Printing

Error indicators

You can identify many common printer problems using the lights on your printer. If the printer stops working and the lights are on or flashing, use the following table to diagnose the problem, then follow the recommended corrective measures.

Lights	Problem and solution
	Paper out
	No paper is loaded.	Load paper into the sheet feeder, and then press the start button. The printer resumes printing and the light goes out.
	Multiple feed error
	During double-sided printing, the printer feeds more than one sheet of paper at a time.	Load paper in the sheet feeder and press the start button to resume printing.
	Paper jam
	Paper has jammed in the printer.	See The Paper Jams
	Ink low
	Ink is nearly expended.	You can continue printing until the maintenance light turns on.
	Service required
	Parts inside the printer are at the end of their service life or ink may be expended.	See When the maintenance light turns on
	Wrong memory card
	An unsupported memory card is inserted.	Remove the memory card. See Removing the memory card Make sure the memory card is compatible with the printer. See Memory card
	No data on memory card
	The memory card does not contain any valid images.	Press the stop button to cancel printing, and then remove the memory card. See Removing the memory card
	Paper thickness lever in wrong position
	When printing without using a computer, the paper thickness lever is in the position.	Set the paper thickness lever to the position, and then press the start button to resume printing.
All other lights	Maintenance required
	Parts inside the printer are at the end of their service life.	Contact the Epson Hotline to replace them. Information on the Epson Hotline is mentioned in the commercial warranty document supplied with the product. Before contacting, see the following instructions. See Before Contacting Epson
All lights	Unknown printer error
	An unknown printer error has occurred.	If the error does not clear, contact the Epson Hotline. Information on the Epson Hotline is mentioned in the commercial warranty document supplied with the product. Before contacting, see the following instructions. See Before Contacting Epson

= on,

= flashing

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EPSON Status Monitor (for Windows only)

If a problem occurs while printing, an error message will appear in the Status Monitor window.

Note:

When you use your printer as a shared printer on a network with the following combinations of computers, the client operating systems are not able to communicate with the printer, so that some functions are not available for that particular client.

Server	Client
Windows Vista/XP	Windows Me/98 SE/2000
Windows Me/98 SE/2000	Windows Vista/XP

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Running a printer operation check

If you are unable to determine the source of the problem, run a printer operation check to help you determine whether the problem comes from the printer or your computer.

To run a printer operation check, follow these steps.

Make sure both the printer and computer are turned off.

Disconnect the cable from the interface connector of the printer.

Make sure that A4 size paper is loaded in the sheet feeder.

Hold down the

maintenance button and press the

On button to turn on the printer. When the printer turns on, release both the buttons.

A test page prints showing a nozzle check pattern. If the pattern has gaps, you need to clean the print head.

See Cleaning the Print Head

If the test page prints, the problem probably lies in your software settings, the cable, or your computer. It is also possible that your software may not be installed correctly. Try uninstalling your software and reinstalling it.

See Uninstalling the Printer Software

If the test page does not print, you may have a problem with your printer. Try the suggestions in the following section.

See The Printer Does Not Print

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