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Printhead errors on HP Smart Tank 210, 520, 540, 580, 590, or 5100 printers

After you install the printheads in your HP Smart Tank printer, the printer does not prime and a Printheads missing error message displays on the printer software or HP Smart app. The following error condition might also display.

  • Attention light is on, one or more Printhead icons blink, one or more Ink icons and Resume light are on.

Determine which printhead caused the error

Look at the control panel display to determine which printhead caused the error.

  • If the Tri-color printhead icon is blinking, the Tri-color printhead has caused the error.

    Tri-color printhead is blinking

  • If the Black printhead icon is blinking, the Black printhead has caused the error.

    Black printhead is blinking

  • If both the Tri-color and Black printhead icons are blinking, both the printheads have caused the error.

    Both the Tri-color and Black printheads are blinking

Check the printheads

The printer might display an error if the printheads are not correctly installed.

Make sure the ink tanks are at least half full and paper is loaded in the input tray.

  1. Turn on the printer.

  2. Close the output tray extender if it is open.

    Closing the output tray extender

  3. Open the front door.

    Opening the front door

  4. Wait until the carriage moves to the center and stops.

    Waiting until the carriage moves to the center and stops

  5. Make sure the printhead carriage latch is closed.

    • If the printhead latch is closed, continue with these steps.

    • If the printhead latch is open, push down on the latch to close it, close the front door, and then try to print. If the error persists, continue with these steps.

  6. Press and release the blue latch to open the printhead cover.

    Pressing and releasing the blue latch

  7. Remove the printhead, that caused the error, and then set it aside on a protected surface.

    CAUTION:

    To prevent ink from leaking, hold the printhead by the sides and keep the printhead upright at all times.

    Removing the printhead from the carriage

  8. Make sure the plug on top of the printhead has been removed.

    Making sure the plug has been removed

  9. Make sure the tape from the printhead contacts has been removed.

    CAUTION:

    Do not touch the copper-colored contacts or the ink nozzle. Do not replace the protective tape on the contact. Handling these parts can result in clogs, ink failure, and bad electrical connections.

    Making sure the tape has been removed

  10. Slide the printhead into its slot, and then gently push at a slight upward angle until it snaps into place.

    Inserting the printhead

  11. Repeat these steps for the other printhead, only if indicated by the Printhead icon.

  12. Close the printhead cover.

    Closing the printhead cover

  13. Close the front door.

    Closing the front door

  14. If your printer has a scanner, align the printheads.

    An A blinks on the control panel and an Alignment page prints automatically. Follow the instructions on the page to scan it and align the printheads.

Reset the printer

Reset the printer to recover from printer errors or failures.

  1. Press the power button to turn off the printer. If the printer does not turn off, disconnect the power cord from the printer.

  2. Unplug the power cord from the power source.

  3. Wait 60 seconds.

  4. Connect the power cord directly to a wall outlet and to the printer.

  5. Turn on the printer to complete the reset.

Contact HP Customer Support

If the previous steps did not resolve your issue, contact HP Customer Support for further assistance.

  1. Go to HP Customer Support - Contact.

  2. Enter your product serial number to view warranty status and to change your location, if necessary.

  3. Select a support option. If you are in Asia Pacific, you will be directed to a local service center in your area.

Additional support options

Try one of our automated tools or diagnostics
Ask a question on our HP Support Community page
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