Error printer does its self test and both the power light and the paper out lights flashs [email protected]

i know you stated you put the paper in correctlyin the printer but if the thermal reactive side of the paper is not facing the print head the thermal paper won't print on the wrong side of the paper. it will load into the printer and seem ok but the heat on the wrong side of the paper will not react and show any writing. Can you try turning the paper over in the printer feed holder so the other side of the paper faces the print head and give it another test .

How to use the solutions in this document To resolve the issue, try each solution in this document, and then use the steps in this section to print a self-test report. This step determines if the product hardware functions correctly. When you have resolved the issue, and the product successfully prints a self-test report, there is no need to continue troubleshooting. Print a self-test page Follow these steps to print a self-test report.

1. Load plain paper in the paper tray.
2. Press the Power button ( ) to turn on the product.
3. Press and hold the Power button ( ).
4. Press the Resume button ( ) four times. The self-test page prints.

IMPORTANT : Try to print a self-test report after every solution even if the solution resolves the issue.

Hi Ron, I dont think you have a printer problem, i think you have a print driver/computer problem.

To find out unplug it (the usb) from you computer, turn it off so no data remains from previous print commands sent from your pc and run a self test by holding your green go button when you turn it on, keep it held untill toner, drum and paper lights light up, then let it go, then press the go button and the printer will print a self test....

If this works ok then we know your printer is ok. and your issue is as i suspect it is, with your print driver, paper size or tray select settings in Driver or in Word or in Excel or your document.

You can isolate if document problem by doing self test in print driver in control panel..

If self test on printer unpluged works and we have no error lights and are seeing the test ok and no flashing lights then you may want to ensure driver is good by completly unistaling the driver on your pc, do this by unistalling all brother stuff from control panel/programs and features (depends on operation system you are using).

Then with it still not connected, go to brothers web and download the full software and drivers package to suit your operating system, run it and only plug in the usb when instructed.

Let me know if your printer shows an error when not connected or if self test fails and Ill go down that road with you... if paper light on it when not connected, it tells us we have a jam, make sure you check back door and under toner drum and paper is sitting neat in tray

But when you tell me excel works and word doesnt, i dont think printer, it is software.Check your page size settings in word and excel and of your documents as the flashing paper light may be the printer trying to tell you the data sent to it from word is a paper size mis match to what the printer has in its tray and it wants you to feed the correct size paper in the manual feed/bypass slot. You should also check paper size and tray selection in your print driver in printers and faxs under control panel is the same as your document. Here is your manual

and here is where you can download your print driver (unistall old software and unpug usb first)

The more i ponder this, it is page size settings in document/excell/word and printer is asking you to feed paper in manual pass slot (above tray)

CHEERS RON
STEVE ;)








hi

Welcome to FixYa!

Usually print head/carriage jam is caused by paper jams or previously cleared out paper jams that left a small torn paper inside the printer.

Turn off the printer by pressing and releasing the power button.
After the printer turns off, press the power button to turn the printer on again.
The printer might go through a warm-up period of up to 2 minutes. Lights might flash and the print carriage might move. Wait until this warm-up period is complete. Then try to print a self-test page. If it is able to print, the issue is resolved. (See instructions at the end of this article on how to print a self-test page.)

If the printer does not turn off, clear any paper jam. Press the resume button on the printer front panel. If the paper jam does not clear, continue with this procedure.

Leave the printer turned on, disconnect the power cable from the printer, and then disconnect the USB cable from the back of the printer.

Push the two latch handles on the rear access door of the printer toward each other, and then remove the door. Please refer to the image below.


Remove any paper that is inside the printer by pulling the paper out from the back of the printer.
If the paper jam cannot be removed from the back of the printer, raise the printer cover, remove the paper jam from the front of the printer, and then lower the cover.
Remove the paper carefully. It is possible to damage the printer when removing paper from the front of the printer.

Reconnect only the power cable. If the printer does not automatically turn on, turn it on by pressing the power button.

Again, the printer might go through a warm-up period of up to 2 minutes. Lights might flash and the print carriage might move. Wait until this warm-up period is complete. Then try to print a self-test page. If it is able to print, the issue is resolve. (See instructions at the end of this article on how to print a self-test page.)

If the Power light is blinking and the print carriage is still in a stalled position, continue with this procedure.

With the printer turned on, open the printer cover. The print carriage might move into the access area automatically. Allow it to move to that position.
If the print carriage does not move automatically into the access area, turn off the printer by pressing the power button.

Disconnect the power cord from the back of the printer.

Looking in through either the ink cartridge access door or the output paper tray, make sure that no obstructions under or around the print carriage are blocking it from moving.

Make sure that the print carriage can move freely across the width of the printer by gently pushing the print carriage to the left and then to the right. Clear any obstructions.

Remove and reinstall the print cartridges. Make sure that it is properly installed back.
Close the printer cover and connect back the power cord.
Print a self-test page. If it is able to print, the issue is resolve. (See instructions at the end of this article on how to print a self-test page.)

To print a self-test page, make sure the printer is turned on. The USB cable of the printer to the computer must be disconnected to make sure that we are isolating the printer problem.

Press and hold the Print and Cancel button at the same time. Make sure that the printer is loaded with paper. The self-test page will like the image below.


Keep me posted of your developments.
Thank you for using FixYa.
Jas247

If all the LED's are flashing and continue to flash for more than 10 minutes with the unit powered up, it needs to be serviced or replaced. (That is toner, drum, paper and the Ready light all blinking -> critical error found in self-test.) If the Ready light is off and the rest of the lights are steady, the toner is out, the corona wire needs cleaning and the paper tray either is empty or not picking up the paper.

See http://welcome.solutions.brother.com/BSC/public/us/us/en/faq/faq/000000/000100/000070/faq000170_005.html?reg=us&c=us&lang=en&prod=hl2040_all&Cat=11 for details on the errors and solutions.

I hope this helps.

Cindy Wells

One test you can run is the self print test. Discount the printer from your computer. Load a single sheet of paper and the CMYK cartridges. Turn on the printer. Press and hold the "reset" button until the lights begin to flash. Release the "reset" button and the printer should do a self print test.

Found this on the Web, hope it helps you.
If you find this helpful, pls rate me.

Turn your printer off for about 10 seconds, remove the printer cable and then turn the printer back-on. Does only the Green Power Light come on solid [not blinking], as would be normal, or does the Red Error Light also come on? If only the green power light comes on, then try running your printers self-test page, directly from the printer. On most epson printers you can usually run an self-test page to determine whether a problem comes from the printer itself, or possibly from your computer system. Of course if there are actually any red error lights/leds, already showing on your printer, that would indicate that there is already a problem in your printer. Not all epson printers are always the same, but the following information applies to most models. If this self-test does not actually work on your particular printer, then you should refer to your "User's Manual/Owners Manual" for the correct procedure on how to run your printers self-test page. First unhook/unplug the printer cable from the back or side of the printer. Leave the power cord still plugged in to the wall and leave the paper loaded, as normal. Turn the printer off for 10 seconds or so, to clear out any remaining DATA or information that may still have been in the printers system, from when the computer was previously connected. Normally [on most models], you turn the printer off and then you simply reach over and hold-in on the paper button, while you reach over and turn the power button back on, as normal. Continue to hold in on the paper button for about 3 to 5 seconds, but release the power button after turning your printer on. Release the paper button once you can hear and see the printer starting to initialize and start to pull-in a piece of paper. The printer will normally print out the self-test copy, which will also have a nozzle test on it. If that test fails, or cannot actually be ran because the "Red Error Lights" come on, then you know that there is an actual problem in the printer. Depending on the combination of which lights are on SOLID, or FLASHING or OFF, will actually indicate the possible service error condition. Be sure and let us know if you recently had to remove any bad paper jams, by yanking out the paper with force, especially towards the rear of the printer, in the backwards direction. There is a common problem when you get a constant jam condition, or paper won't feed in correctly after a bad jam was removed, or even when the printer or your computer thinks that the paper has not been correctly loaded. If that is the case, then its possible that a part was unhooked/unseated or even damaged, causing a possible constant paper jam condition. If you did have a bad jam, prior to the paper feeding problem, then let us know and we can try to help you further...ON THE OTHER HAND: If everything is working correctly in the printers Paper Feed Assembly, Carriage Assembly/Cartridge Assembly and the Printhead Assembly, then the self-test copy should be printed out and correctly fed thru the printer. If the self-test page prints out correctly and the nozzle test looks ok, then that indicates that your printer thinks it is working normally [as far as the self-test goes].

Thanks and Good Luck.

Resolving a blinking light When an error occurs, the power light will blink continuously and an error message will appear on the computer screen. Read the onscreen error message explaining the problem and follow its solution. If no error message appears, go to the Maintenance section in the Printer Assistant and click any of the four main buttons. This will prompt the software to check the status of the printer and the error message should then appear. The following table lists possible causes and what to do to correct the problem. Symptom Possible cause What to do to correct the problem Power light is blinking Printer cover is open Close the cover. Printer is out of paper Insert appropriate media in the In tray. Printer has difficulty picking up label media

• Change the printers print mode setting.
• Change the printer's paper type selection.
• Use a different brand of label media.

There is a paper jam Follow each of these steps until the problem is resolved:

1. Remove the paper from both paper trays.
2. Press the Power button once. Wait a moment for the paper jam to clear.
3. If printing labels, verify that a label did not become detached while passing through the printer. If the paper jam was not resolved, continue on to the next steps.
4. Remove the rear access door.
5. Remove the paper jam through the opening at the back of the printer.
6. Replace the rear access door.
7. Reload the paper into the paper In tray.
8. Print the document.

There is a problem with a print cartridge Follow each of these steps until the problem is resolved:

1. Remove and then reinsert the print cartridge(s) into the printer.
2. Clean the print cartridges automatically using the Clean Cartridges option in the Printer Assistant.
3. Manually clean the print cartridges and print cartridge cradles:
   • Open the printer cover and wait until the carriage moves to the center.
   • Press the Power button to turn off the printer.
   • Disconnect power cord from the back of the printer.
   • Remove the print cartridges and place them on a piece of paper with the nozzle plate facing up.
   • Lightly moisten a cotton swab with distilled water.
   • Clean the face and edges of the print cartridges with the swab. Do not touch the print cartridge ink nozzles or copper contacts.
   • Wipe the underside of the print cartridge cradle walls using a clean, moistened swab.
   • Reinsert the print cartridges.
   • Close the printer cover.
   • Connect the power cord to the back of the printer.
   • Press the Power button to turn on the printer.
4. Calibrate the print cartridges.
5. If the light is still flashing, replace the print cartridges.

Power light is blinking and/or there are missing lines or banding issues on the printout The print cartridge has partial loss of electrical interface with the carriage connections

1. Print a printer self-test by holding the power button down with a pencil and opening and closing the top cover four times.
2. Check the nozzle self-test pattern in the self-test print out. If one or more of the solid rectangular areas are missing, an electrical contact problem may be present.
3. Remove and then reinsert the print cartridge(s) into the printer.
4. Print the document.
5. If the problem persists, follow the steps listed above for cleaning the print cartridges and print cartridge cradle.
6. Try printing again. If the problem continues, replace the print cartridges.

Introduction The printer lights indicate the printer status. These lights can be on, off, or blinking (flashing), depending on the status of the printer. The sections below describe the most common combinations of blinking lights, how to fix the issue, and how the issue is caused. NOTE: The light patterns included in this document are described as blinking or flashing lights. For the purpose of this document, "flashing" means the same as "blinking." Blinking lights Printer lights can can blink for more than one reason, so the solution can vary. These solutions need not be performed in a specific order, but solutions for the most common issues are presented first. Blinking lights are often accompanied by an error message on the computer screen, which might help determine the solution. Issue: Power light is blinking

Solution

Close the cover.

Cause

Printer cover is open. Solution

Insert appropriate media in the In tray.

Cause

The printer is out of paper. Solution

• Change the printer's print mode setting.
• Change the printer's paper type selection.
• Use a different brand of label media.

Cause

The printer has difficulty picking up label media. Solution

Follow each of these steps until the problem is resolved:

1. Remove the paper from both paper trays.
2. Press the power button once. Wait a moment for the paper jam to clear.
3. If printing labels, verify that a label did not become detached while passing through the printer. If the paper jam was not resolved, continue on to the next steps.
4. Remove the rear access door.
5. Remove the paper jam through the opening at the back of the printer.
6. Replace the rear access door.
7. Reload the paper into the paper In tray.
8. Print the document.

Cause

There is a paper jam. Solution

Follow each of these steps until the problem is resolved:

1. Remove and then reinsert the print cartridge(s) into the printer.
2. Clean the print cartridges automatically using the Clean Cartridges option in the Printer Assistant.
3. Manually clean the print cartridges and print cartridge cradles:
   • Open the printer cover and wait until the carriage moves to the center.
   • Press the Power button to turn off the printer.
   • Disconnect power cord from the back of the printer.
   • Remove the print cartridges and place them on a piece of paper with the nozzle plate facing up.
   • Lightly moisten a cotton swab with distilled water.
   • Clean the face and edges of the print cartridges with the swab. Do not touch the print cartridge ink nozzles or copper contacts.
   • Wipe the underside of the print cartridge cradle walls using a clean, moistened swab.
   • Reinsert the print cartridges.
   • Close the printer cover.
   • Connect the power cord to the back of the printer.
   • Press the Power button to turn on the printer.
4. Calibrate the print cartridges.
5. If the light is still flashing, replace the print cartridges.

Cause

There is a problem with a print cartridge. Solution

1. Print a printer self-test by holding the power button down with a pencil and opening and closing the top cover four times.
2. Check the nozzle self-test pattern in the self-test print out. If one or more of the solid rectangular areas are missing, an electrical contact problem may be present.
3. Remove and then reinsert the print cartridge(s) into the printer.
4. Print the document.
5. If the problem persists, follow the steps listed above for cleaning the print cartridges and print cartridge cradle.
6. Try printing again. If the problem continues, replace the print cartridges.

Cause

The print cartridge has partial loss of electrical interface with the carriage connections.

From the manual its probably one of this item.
-printer temp is too high

-cover is not properly closed
-print head is not in the correct position
-paper cutter is not in the correct position
-paper jam


Try turning off the printer, remove the power cable, turn it on again for 5 seconds to reset it. Connect back power cable, press the feed button and turn it back on. The printer should do a self test, turn it off and on again after the self test. It should make the red light go away.