If the pattern has white lines or gaps (as shown below), click Clean to clean the print head again.

If you don’t see any improvement after cleaning the print head three or four times, check the solutions beginning on page 96. You can also turn the printer off and wait overnight—this allows any dried ink to soften—and then clean the print head again.

Replacing an Ink Cartridge

When the red H ink light flashes, an ink cartridge is low on ink.

When the red H ink light stays on, you need to replace a cartridge.

You can open the printer cover to check the ink light indicating a cartridge that is low on ink or needs to be replaced.

When a cartridge is more than six months old, you may need to replace it if printouts don’t look their best. If the quality doesn’t improve after cleaning and aligning the print head, you can replace the cartridge even if the red H ink light is off.

Caution: Don’t open Epson Status Monitor or respond to any ink messages when your printer is printing. This may cause your printer to pause and leave an uneven surface on your printout. If your ink is running low, wait until printing finishes before checking ink levels or attempting to replace a cartridge. If you must replace an ink cartridge in the middle of a print job, the quality of your printout may decline. For best results, check your ink levels and replace ink cartridges, if necessary, before printing.

80 Maintaining Your Printer