Troubleshooting a Faint Line Issue on Pixma TS5151 Color Prints

If you're experiencing a faint line on top of your color prints with the Pixma TS5151, you're not alone. This issue, where the line spans the entire width from left to right and occurs at the same height on all prints, can be frustrating. In this tech overview, we'll delve into some tested solutions and potential actions to resolve this problem.

1. Refill Cartridges and Nozzle Check

Start by ensuring your cartridges are adequately filled and printing a clean nozzle-check. If the issue persists, move on to the next steps.

2. Check Printheads, Level Printer, and Back Feed Tray

Inspect the printheads for dirt or excess ink. Confirm that your printer sits level and that the back feed tray can fully extend without warping the paper.

3. Flip and Reprint

Experiment by printing half an A4, flipping it 180 degrees, and refeeding it. This helps rule out specific paper-related issues.

4. New Sheets and Auto Head Alignment

Try using a new sheet from a fresh pack and perform an auto head alignment. Sometimes, slight misalignments can cause print irregularities.

5. Adjust Color Settings

Switching from relative colometric to perceptual may affect the print output. Experiment with different color settings to see if the issue persists.

6. Unexplored Solutions

While you've tested several options, there are still a few steps you haven't taken:

• Clean the Back Feed Roller: Even though the rollers are narrow, they can accumulate debris. Cleaning them might resolve any issues related to paper feeding.
• Try New Cartridges: If the issue persists, attempting with a new set of cartridges could rule out problems with the existing ones.
• Standard Quality Setting: Experiment with the standard quality setting instead of high. This might impact the print in a way that resolves the issue.

Analyzing the Provided Image

The attached image showcases the topside of an A4 glossy print. The identified line, marked by a white arrow, consistently spans the entire width of the paper at the same height. The color of the line varies with each picture, presenting as a slightly darker tone to the color of the image.

Potential Causes and Next Steps

The uniformity of the line across different prints suggests a systematic issue rather than a random anomaly. While it could be related to dirty components causing a momentary clamp on the paper, further diagnostics are required.

Recommendations for Further Action

1. Clean the Back Feed Roller: Address the narrow rollers, as accumulated debris may be affecting paper feed.
2. Try New Cartridges: Switching to new cartridges eliminates the possibility of cartridge-related problems.
3. Adjust Quality Settings: Experiment with the standard quality setting to assess its impact on the print output.

Community Engagement

If you've encountered similar issues or have additional insights, share them in our community forum. We encourage you to subscribe to our YouTube channel BCH Technologies for more troubleshooting guides and follow our tech blog. Local support is available in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Resolve your Pixma TS5151 color print issues with a systematic approach and community collaboration. Happy Printing!