Maintaining the toner cartridge
Toner cartridge storage
To get the most from the toner cartridge, keep the following guidelines in mind:
•Do not remove the toner cartridge from its package until ready for use.
•Do not refill the toner cartridge. The printer warranty does not cover damage caused by using a refilled cartridge.
•Store toner cartridge in the same environment as the printer.
•To prevent damage to the toner cartridge, do not expose it to light for more than a few minutes.
Expected cartridge life
The life of the toner cartridge depends on the amount of toner that print jobs require. When printing text at ISO 19752 5% coverage, a new toner cartridge lasts an average of 3,000 pages. (The original toner cartridge supplied with the printer lasts an average of 1,000 pages.) The actual number may also be different depending on the print density of the pages you print on, and the number of pages may be affected by operating environment, printing interval, print media type, and print media size. If you print a lot of graphics, you may need to change the cartridge more often.
Redistributing toner cartridge
When the toner cartridge is near the end of its life span:
•White streaks and light printing occur.
•The Smart Panel program window appears on the computer.
•The Error LED blinks red.
If this happens, you can temporarily reestablish print quality by redistributing the remaining toner in the cartridge. In some cases, white streaks or light printing will still occur even after you have redistributed the toner.
1Open the front cover.
2 Pull the toner cartridge out.
Caution
• Avoid reaching too far into the printer. The fuser area may be hot.
•To prevent damage to the toner cartridge, do not expose it to light for more than a few minutes. Cover it with a piece of paper, if necessary.
•Do not touch the green surface underside of the toner cartridge. Use the handle on the cartridge to avoid touching this area.
3Thoroughly shake the cartridge 5 or 6 times to distribute the toner evenly inside the cartridge.
Caution
• If toner gets on your clothing, wipe it off with a dry cloth and wash clothing in cold water. Hot water sets toner into fabric.
4Hold the toner cartridge by the handle and slowly insert the cartridge into the opening in the printer.
Tabs on the sides of the cartridge and corresponding grooves within the printer will guide the cartridge into the correct position until it locks into place completely.
5Close the front cover. Make sure that the cover is securely closed.
Note
• At this stage, if you need to replace the toner cartridge, see page 8.4.