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HP PSC 1100-1500 Printers - Paper Jam, Feed Issues

This document is for HP PSC 1110, 1118, 1200, 1205, 1209, 1210, 1213, 1215, 1216, 1217, 1218, 1219, 1401, 1402, 1403, 1406, 1408, 1410, 1415, and 1417 All-in-One printers.
This document assists in correcting paper feed problems such as crooked printing, paper jams, and multiple pages feeding into the printer.

Clear a paper jam

Follow the steps below to clear a paper jam:

Video of clearing paper jams

The following video demonstrates the steps explained on this page. The outside of the printer might look different, but the steps are the same.
View this video on YouTube
  1. Turn off the printer, and then unplug the power cord.
  2. Open the rear access door of the printer by pressing in on the left side of the access door and then pulling it toward you.
    note:
    All paper jams must be removed by pulling the paper out the back of the printer using the rear access door. Pulling the paper out the front of the printer rotates the paper feed rollers in the wrong direction and can lead to additional problems.
    Inspect the pressure rollers on the rear access door and verify that they are clean and turn freely. Clean the rollers if needed with a soft towel lightly moistened with water. If the rollers do not turn freely, replace the rear access door.
  3. From the rear access door opening, gently pull the jammed paper free.
  4. Remove the remaining paper from the paper supply tray. Discard any paper that is damaged or crumpled and then re-stack and reload the paper into the paper supply tray.
    Do not continue to push the paper in after some resistance is felt. If the paper is pushed in too far, more than one page will feed into the printer at a time.
  5. Reattach the rear access door by inserting the two pins on the right of the door into the holes for them (as shown in Figure 3 below) and then pressing in gently but firmly on the left side.
  6. Reconnect the power cord to the unit and turn the unit on.

Causes of repeated paper jams

If paper jams occur repeatedly, one of the following may be causing them:
  • The paper is being pushed in too far. The paper should only be pushed in until the first resistance. Continuing to push the paper in will force the paper up into the paper rollers and will cause the printer to pull in multiple pages.
  • Obstructions in the paper path. Open the printer (front and back) and check for obstructions.
  • Unlocked rear access door. Follow the steps above to install the rear access door correctly (see Figure 3). If this condition is present, the paper will skew in the printer.
  • The paper guides are not positioned against the paper. Adjust the paper length and width guides so they fit snugly against the paper.
  • Incorrect paper. The paper should be flat and smooth with no folded, torn, or rough edges. Papers with a glossy finish and coated papers may not feed into the unit correctly. Paper that has already been printed on once can also cause problems.
  • Partially installed paper tray. The paper tray must be inserted all the way into the printer.
  • Dirty paper feed rollers. Over time paper fibers and dust will stick to the rollers and should be removed. Skip to the section in this document to clean dirty rollers. Also verify that the rollers on the rear access door are clean and turn freely. See the next section for instructions to clean the rear access door rollers.

Resolve paper feed issues

The most common reason for this problem is that the paper was pushed too far into the printer. The paper should only be pushed in until the first resistance. Continuing to push the paper in will force the paper up into the paper rollers and will cause the printer to pull in multiple pages.
If the paper is loaded correctly, the paper itself or dirty paper rollers could be causing the problem.

Paper problems

There are several paper related problems that can cause more than one page to be pulled into the printer. Check the list below:
  • Paper that has already been printed on.
  • Crumpled or folded paper.
  • Textured paper.
  • Specialty paper.
  • Envelopes may occasionally feed incorrectly because the envelope flap moves as the rollers grip it. Use envelopes with a rectangular flap and/or fold the flap inside the envelope when printing.
To determine if the paper is the cause, try using some clean and undamaged sheets of plain Inkjet rated 70 to 90 g/m2 (20 to 24 lb bond) paper such as HP Multipurpose or Bright White paper. If that paper feeds correctly, then they may be a problem with the other paper.

Dirty rollers

Over time, paper fibers and dust will stick to the rollers and should be removed. The location of these rollers is shown in Figure 3 above. Follow the steps below to clean the rollers:
  1. Turn off the printer.
  2. Unplug the power cord from the back.
  3. Remove the rear access door (see Figure 1 above).
  4. Clean the rollers one at a time using a clean cloth that is slightly dampened with water. Rotate the roller to clean the entire surface.
  5. Verify that the three paper feed rollers on the rear access door are clean and rotate freely. See Figure 4 above.
  6. Reinstall the rear access door and then plug the power cord back in.
  7. Turn on the printer.