How to Fix Common Dell Inkjet Printer & Printer Cartridge Problems

When you have to print an important document for work or for school, the last thing you want to experience is a problem with your Dell inkjet printer. Unfortunately, that does happen even with the most reliable printers and cartridges. The good news is you don’t necessarily need to throw out the whole printer or spend hours with tech support on the phone to fix the problem. Instead, the fix might be easier than you think.

Paper Jams when No Jam is Apparent

One of the most frustrating problems you can encounter is the paper jam. In most cases, you only need to locate the offending piece of paper and remove it by pulling it out in the same direction the paper would normally move in the machine. However, sometimes you may not be able to find the paper jam. In that case, a problem may be present with the rollers in the printer. Sometimes the roller has just come loose and may be able to be fixed by tightening it up.

Failure to Print When Everything Else Works Fine

If you have one of those all-in-one inkjet printers from Dell, you may find that the other features may work fine even if you can’t get Dell printer to start printing. While you may be worried that your printer has stopped working, the most common cause of the problem is that the inkjet cartridge is too clogged up with dried ink to work. You can use a cotton swab moistened with rubbing alcohol to clean away the dried up ink so it can flow again.

Printing Won’t Work After Cartridges Refilled

When you’re using Dell ink cartridges and doing refilling, this is going to happen sometimes because the company has taken steps to make things more difficult on customers who choose this option. The best advice is to prevent the problem by doing the refill as soon as you are notified about the low ink status. Waiting until you are almost out will make this problem more likely.

Paper Feeding Problems

With some Dell printers, you may encounter a problem with the paper feed. While these problems can take a few forms, one example is that the printer will only take in paper from one side. While it pulls in the paper from one side, the other side remains still in the tray. As a result, a paper jam occurs. If you have this problem, you most likely have something blocking the paper path. You can fix it by turning off the printer, unplugging it, and gently shaking it so that whatever is in there will come out.