General print quality issues

General print quality issues

The following examples depict letter-size paper that has passed through the printer short edge first. These examples illustrate problems that would affect all of the pages that you print, whether you print in color or in black only. The topics that follow list the typical cause and solution for each of these examples.


Problem Cause Solution
Print is light or faded.
HP Color Laserjet 2605 4 vfade General print quality issues 		The media might not meet HP specifications. Use media that meets HP specifications.
One or more print cartridges might be low. If you are using non-HP print cartridges, no messages appear on the printer control panel or in the HP ToolboxFX. Replace any low print cartridges. See Changing print cartridges.
If none of the print cartridges is low or empty, remove the print cartridges one at a time and inspect the toner roller in each to see if the roller is damaged. If so, replace the print cartridge.
  Print the Supplies Status page to check the remaining life. See Supplies Status page.
Toner specks appear.
HP Color Laserjet 2605 4 specs General print quality issues 		The media might not meet HP specifications. Use media that meets HP specifications.
The paper path might need cleaning. Clean the paper path. See the HP ToolboxFX online Help.
Dropouts appear.
HP Color Laserjet 2605 4 drpout General print quality issues 		A single sheet of print media might be defective. Try reprinting the job.
The moisture content of the paper is uneven or the paper has moist spots on its surface. Try different paper, such as high-quality paper that is intended for color laser printers.
The paper lot is flawed. The manufacturing processes can cause some areas to reject toner. Try different paper, such as high-quality paper that is intended for color laser printers.
Vertical streaks or bands appear on the page.
HP Color Laserjet 2605 4 vlines General print quality issues 		One or more print cartridges might be low or defective. If you are using non-HP print cartridges, no messages appear on the printer control panel or in the HP ToolboxFX. Replace any low print cartridges.
The amount of background toner shading becomes unacceptable.
HP Color Laserjet 2605 4 gray General print quality issues 		The media might not meet HP specifications. Use a different paper with a lighter basis weight.
Very dry (low humidity) conditions can increase the amount of background shading. Check the printer environment.
One or more print cartridges might be low. If you are using non-HP print cartridges, no messages appear on the printer control panel or in the HP ToolboxFX. Replace any low print cartridges.
Toner smears appear on the media.
HP Color Laserjet 2605 4 smear General print quality issues 		The media might not meet HP specifications. Use media that meets HP specifications.
If toner smears appear on the leading edge of the paper, the media guides are dirty, or debris has accumulated in the print path. Clean the media guides and the paper path.
The toner smears easily when touched.
HP Color Laserjet 2605 4 loose General print quality issues 		The printer is not set to print on the type of media on which you want to print. In the printer driver, select the Paper tab and set Type is to match the type of media on which you are printing. Print speed might be slower if you are using heavy paper.
The media might not meet HP specifications. Use media that meets HP specifications.
The paper path might need cleaning. Clean the printer.
Marks repeatedly appear at even intervals on the printed side of the page.
HP Color Laserjet 2605 4 reps General print quality issues 		The printer is not set to print on the type of media on which you want to print. In the printer driver, select the Paper tab and set Type is to match the type of paper on which you are printing. Print speed might be slower if you are using heavy paper.
Internal parts might have toner on them. The problem typically corrects itself after a few more pages.
The paper path might need cleaning. Clean the printer.
The fuser might be damaged or dirty. Clean using instructions in HP ToolboxFX.
Contact HP Customer Care. See HP Customer Care or the support flyer that came in the printer box.
A print cartridge may have a problem. To determine which cartridge has a problem, print the PQ diagnostics page from HP ToolboxFX.
Marks repeatedly appear at even intervals on the unprinted side of the page.
HP Color Laserjet 2605 4 rdef bkpg General print quality issues 		Internal parts might have toner on them. The problem typically corrects itself after a few more pages.
The paper path might need cleaning. Clean the printer.
The fuser might be damaged or dirty. Clean using instructions in HP ToolboxFX.
Contact HP Customer Care. See HP Customer Care or the support flyer that came in the printer box.
The printed page contains misformed characters.
HP Color Laserjet 2605 4 wavy General print quality issues 		The media might not meet HP specifications. Use a different paper, such as high-quality paper that is intended for color laser printers.
If characters are incorrectly formed so that they produce a wavy effect, the laser scanner might need service. Verify that the problem also occurs on the Configuration page. If so, contact HP Customer Care. See HP Customer Care or the support flyer that came in the printer box.
The printed page is curled or wavy.
HP Color Laserjet 2605 4 curl General print quality issues 		The printer is not set to print on the type of media on which you want to print. In the printer driver, select the Paper tab and set Type is to match the type of paper on which you are printing. Print speed might be slower if you are using heavy paper.
The media might not meet HP specifications. Use a different paper, such as high-quality paper that is intended for color laser printers.
Both high temperature and humidity can cause paper curl. Check the printer environment.
Text or graphics are skewed on the printed page.
HP Color Laserjet 2605 4 skew General print quality issues 		The media might be loaded incorrectly. Make sure that the paper or other print media is loaded correctly and that the media guides are not too tight or too loose against the stack. See Loading trays.
The media might not meet HP specifications. Use a different paper, such as high-quality paper that is intended for color laser printers.
The printed page contains wrinkles or creases.
HP Color Laserjet 2605 4 crease General print quality issues 		The media might be loaded incorrectly. Verify that the media is loaded correctly and that the media guides are not too tight or too loose against the stack. See Loading trays.
Turn over the stack of paper in the input tray, or try rotating the paper 180° in the input tray.
The media might not meet HP specifications. Use a different paper, such as high-quality paper that is intended for color laser printers.
Toner appears around the printed characters.
HP Color Laserjet 2605 4 scattr General print quality issues 		The media might be loaded incorrectly. Turn over the stack of paper in the tray.
If large amounts of toner have scattered around the characters, the paper might have high resistivity. Use a different paper, such as high-quality paper that is intended for color laser printers.
An image that appears at the top of the page (in solid black) repeats farther down the page (in a gray field).
HP Color Laserjet 2605 4 ghost2 General print quality issues 		Software settings might affect image printing. In your software program, change the tone (darkness) of the field in which the repeated image appears.
In your software program, rotate the whole page 180° to print the lighter image first.
The order of images printed might affect printing. Change the order in which the images are printed. For example, have the lighter image at the top of the page, and the darker image farther down the page.
A power surge might have affected the printer. If the defect occurs later in a print job, turn the printer off for 10 minutes, and then turn on the printer to restart the print job.
HP Color Laserjet 2605 General print quality issues