If the printer is printing ok, then it is probably aligned ok no matter what the message says. It gives that message if the alignment page prints even slightly light.

Mine has had that message much of the time yet has printed over 25,000 perfect pages including 8x10 color photos.

You might try this to help.

When you don't use your ink carts for a while, when you get new ink carts that have been stored in warehouses for a number of months, or when you have refilled a slightly too dry ink cart, the print head nozzles on the bottom of the ink carts get clogged with dried ink. The printer head cleaner menu will NOT dissolve the dried ink. Water will. Try this. Soak the bottom of the clogged ink cart in 1/2 inch of hot water for 15-30 minutes. Blot dry with clean paper towel (you should see plenty of ink color on the towel). Retry.

The printer seemed fine for the first few months now this issue popped up.. It is printing but the colors are way off.  The black cartridge is fine it is mainly the blue colors..I tried to soak the cartridge in hot water but that did not work.  It is almost full of ink also.  When I run the alignment function it fails and tells me there is tape on the cartridge.  So any more input is appreciated.

I Have had my 962 for about 2 years & haven't had any alignment problems until now. I just replaced my black ink cartridge and now I am getting the alignment problem error message & when it prints the alignment page it prints the first 5 lines then nothing prints for about 2-3 seconds then it starts printing the remaining lines. I took out the cartridges & put them back in, also cleaned the heads on  both the color & the black. Still nothing. I called Dell we went through everything twice and still the same problem. The rep said the problem is with the black cartridge & they are sending a replacement black cartridge.