HP OfficeJet 200 Mobile Printers - Color or Black Ink Not Printing

This document is for the HP OfficeJet 200, 200c, 202, 202c Mobile Printers.

The printer is working, but the printed output is missing black or color ink, or the printed page is blank or has very little ink.

HP recommends that you use genuine HP ink or toner supplies. HP cannot guarantee the quality or reliability of non-HP or refilled cartridges. If you do not use genuine HP cartridges, the steps in this document might not resolve the issue. To check the authenticity of your cartridges, go to the HP anti-counterfeit webpage (in English).

Purchase replacement cartridges and other supplies from the HP Store or local retailers.

note:

Rough handling at the store or during installation can cause print quality problems with newly installed ink cartridges. If you see print problems with newly installed ink cartridges, wait for a few hours for the automatic servicing routine to complete, and then try to print again.

If genuine HP ink cartridges are installed in the printer and the print quality is unacceptable, continue to the next step.

Low ink levels can impact print quality. Replace any ink cartridges that are low or empty.

note:

Ink level warnings and indicators provide estimates for planning purposes only. When an indicator shows low ink levels, consider having a replacement ink cartridge available to avoid possible printing delays. You do not need to replace ink cartridges until print quality becomes unacceptable.

1. From the home screen on the printer control panel, use the arrow buttons to select Cartridge Information, and then press OK.
2. With Estimated Cartridge Levels selected, press OK.
   Estimated ink levels display.
   Figure : Estimated ink levels
   
   1. Estimated ink levels for tri-color ink cartridge
   2. Estimated ink levels for black ink cartridge

Replace any critically low or empty ink cartridges, and then try to print again. Skip this step if all ink cartridges showed healthy ink levels in the previous step.

1. Turn on the printer.
2. Make sure plain white paper is loaded in the input tray.
3. Open the ink cartridge access door.
   Figure : Opening the ink cartridge access door

   
4. Wait until the carriage is idle and silent before you continue.
5. To release the ink cartridge, lift the ink cartridge latch.
   Figure : Opening the ink cartridge latch

   
6. Remove the ink cartridge from its slot.
7. Remove the replacement ink cartridge from its package. Be careful to only touch the black plastic on the ink cartridge.
   Figure : Removing the ink cartridge from its package

   
8. Remove the plastic tape from the ink cartridge.

     caution:

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

   Figure : Removing the plastic tape

   
9. Insert the new ink cartridge into its slot, and then press the ink cartridge forward until it latches into place.

   note:

   Install the color ink cartridge on the left and the black ink cartridge on the right.

   Figure : Closing the ink cartridge latch

   
10. Repeat these steps for the other ink cartridge, if necessary
11. Close the ink cartridge access door.
    Figure : Closing the ink cartridge access door

    
12. The printer automatically aligns any newly installed ink cartridge.
    If the printer did not automatically align the ink cartridges, align the ink cartridges through the printer control panel:
    1. From the home screen on the printer control panel, use the arrow buttons to select Setup, and then press OK.
    2. Press the down arrow to select Tools, and then press OK.
    3. Press the down arrow to select Align Printer, and then press OK.
       Aligning... displays on the control panel. The printer might beep or make mechanical noises, and then the printer prints an alignment page.

Try to print. If the print quality is unacceptable, continue to the next step.

Clean the printhead using an automated tool, and then evaluate the results.

note:

To avoid issues that require cleaning, always turn the printer off with the Power button.

1. From the home screen on the printer control panel, use the arrow buttons to select Setup, and then press OK.
2. Press the down arrow to select Tools, and then press OK.
3. Press the down arrow to select Clean Printhead, and then press OK.
   Cleaning... displays on the control panel. The printer might beep or make mechanical noises, and then the printer prints a Print Quality Diagnostic report.
4. Examine the Print Quality Diagnostic report.
   • If the print quality is acceptable, press the button next to Done. You can stop troubleshooting.
   • If the print quality is unacceptable, press OK to perform the next level of cleaning. If the print quality is unacceptable after the second cleaning, press OK to start the third level of cleaning.

     note:

     If the printhead is badly clogged, it might require another cleaning cycle. If so, wait 30 minutes before you perform all three levels of cleaning again.

If the print quality is unacceptable, continue to the next step.

If the preceding steps did not resolve the issue, replace the problem ink cartridge, even if the ink cartridge is not low on ink. The problem ink cartridge is the one that printed the defects on the Print Quality Diagnostic report. To replace the problem ink cartridge, follow the ink cartridge replacement steps provided earlier in this document.

If you have a defective cartridge or printhead, it might be under warranty. To check the warranty on your ink or toner supplies, go to Printer and Page Yield Overview, and then review the limited warranty information for your supplies.

Try to print again. If the print quality is unacceptable, continue to the next step.

Service or replace your HP product if the issue persists after completing all the preceding steps.

Go to Contact HP Customer Support to schedule a product repair or replacement. If you are in Asia Pacific, you will be directed to a local service center in your area.

To confirm your warranty status, go to HP Product Warranty Check. Repair fees might apply for out-of-warranty products.

note:

Keep a print sample that shows the problem. If the ink cartridges, printhead, or printer is replaced under warranty, the support agent will request the print sample. If the printer is returned to HP, the print sample must be returned with the printer. Place the sample in the output tray when you package your printer for shipping.