Last Updated on May 14, 2022 by Carlo Dach
An improperly installed toner cartridge in a laser printer may cause its cover to stay slightly open and that may hinder the proper functioning of the device. Several factors may cause the laser printers’ cover to remain ajar, including the installation of an incompatible cartridge. However, you would have to take out the toner cartridge and replace it with the right one regardless of what caused the printing problem. An error message may show up on the display of the printer or the PC indicating stuck cartridge or a similar message.
Turn off the laser print prior to changing the cartridge. Let the device cool down for a while after that, and feel the temperature on the cover of the laser printer prior to taking out the toner cartridge. If you do not feel the heat on its cover, you can safely open its cover, be it a front-facing or a rear cover as per the design of the laser printer, and get a hold of its drum unit’s handle to pull out the cartridge gently.
You can release the cartridge from the laser printer’s drum unit using a lever, a switch, or a button for that, as per the model of the printer. Do not force out the toner cartridge. If it will not release easily, use a lock and unlock mechanism equipped in the printer for safe removal of the cartridge. If it is still stuck, it is best to call a printer service professional to remove the toner cartridge without having to damage the drum unit.
While it is out of the laser printer, slide a tab along its rear to and fro in order to clean the corona wire inside the printer. Note that not all drum units have the corona wires running through it, but if your printer has that, it is worth maintaining that in order to avoid any print quality issues in the future. After the cleaning, slide both the toner cartridge and the drum unit into the laser printer. If your printer has a toner/drum combination, line it up properly and make sure to slide it in so that you can close the panel of the device.
Turn on the printer after closing its door or panel and resume printing only after ensuring that the device’s control panel shows a green light or displays a ‘ready’ mode. Ensure to use the toner cartridge model as per the model of the printer. If you are unsure, check the printer manufacturer’s website.
