Unwelcome/unexpected yellow horizontal lines

Question

I have a Dell AIO 926 printer, purchased new with my Dell Vostro 1400 laptop in May, 2008.  Both have worked flawlessly.  Laptop is hardwired by printer cable to the printer.  Windows XP Pro SP3 is my OS.  Although my laptop travels with me, the printer is stationary and has resided in the same spot since installation.  Only Dell inks have ever been used in the printer.  Three days ago I began to have yellow lines printed, seemingly randomly, across my printed pages.  This is always in the 8 1/2 in axis no matter whether I'm printing in portrait or landscape.  I've realigned the print heads, cleaned them, removed the ink cartridges and reinstalled them, reset the factory defaults, unplugged the unit, shut it down and restarted it - but nothing I do will make the yellow lines go away!  This printer has never failed to produce for me since the day it was installed.  I checked for a new driver but there is none since 2007 and I installed it long ago.  What possibly could be going wrong with my printer and what do I need to do to get it working again properly?  Thanks for your help, forum participants!

MrBobboh · Answer

Rick,

Thanks for asking this. I had not copied anything; I was only discussing my printing dilemma. So I just made a copy of a b&w page from the glass and the WHOLE PAGE has yellow horizontal lines across the 8-1/2" axis, spaced 1/8" between them (that's 82 yellow lines if I counted correctly!). Then tried a color page from the glass with the very same results. Then I tried to copy a color page using the A-I-O Center application and clicked on the b&w output setting. This time I got yellow lines but of variable lengths and a few of the 82 "possible" lines were "blank" (as they should be!).

Bob

PudgyOne · Answer

MrBobboh,   Do these lines appear when you copy a document under the glass? B&W and color?     Rick

RockSt☆r-Rick · Answer

Bob,

Since the results are still there when copying, it narrowed it down to either the Dell Series Ink cartridge or the printer. If my memory serves me correctly, the Dell Series Ink cartridge has the printhead attached, so replacing the color one may be the answer. The cartridges are expensive, so you may want to think this one over, unless you have another cartridge around the house to try. Printers are selling for a small price, they usually get you with the ink.

Rick

MrBobboh · Answer

Rick,

EXCELLENT call, my friend. I had two color cartridges in my little inventory so I replaced the color cartridge and voila, no more color lines! Thanks so much for your diagnostic help!!! Do you know how I might communicate with Dell and get them to give me a replacement for this defective cartridge? I'll be happy to ship the defective one back to them (at their expense, of course).

Thanks, again, so much.

Bob

PudgyOne · Answer

Bob,

If you contact Dell, and tell them you have a faulty Dell Series cartridge, they will replace it for you. Number should be on the invoice with the cartridges.

Try 1-800-289-3355, that was on the shipping label I had for my Dell ink cartridges.

Rick

MrBobboh · Answer

Rick, All exchanged (at Staples, where I originally bought the defective cartridge).  Everything is working fine.  Thanks, again, for all your help! Bob

PudgyOne · Answer

Bob,

Glad you got it working! :emotion-21: Thanks for posting back. When you said about contacting Dell, I never thought about you purchasing them from Staples. Staples does return the defective Dell Series ink cartridges.

Take care,

Rick

truelytwo · Answer

I replaced my colored cartridges - one at a time, printed, and still have yellow stripes.   2155 Printer.

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Unwelcome/unexpected yellow horizontal lines

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