Fix Fast Red Light Flashand Bad Load Position on Prestige A3 Plus R Printers

Question: 
My Prestige A3 Plus R printer flashes red lights quickly, but it's not due to the waste of ink. The area I am talking about, where the red lights are, is circled in yellow in the attached photo. This machine powers up at the rear but does not work any further when all three cables from the printhead are attached to the motherboard. The front drive will not engage. Eliminating several factors, I discovered that it tried to dock the carriage while connecting the CN10 cable on the motherboard, but then red lights started blinking.
 
I have replaced the ribbon cables, but with all the connections in place, the printer doesn't die. I googled the error code, and it is 2H: CR load position fatal error. I even replaced the motherboard, but the carriage would rage from side to side with the new board before the red lights began to flash, and the capping station did not work correctly. Is this due to a lousy printhead or a faulty motherboard? Is it common for the ribbon plugs attached to the motherboard to fail? I don't know where to begin.
 
Answer:
Thank you for contacting BCH Technologies! We apologize for the delay in resolving your problem. We know how vital printer problems like this one can be, and we would like to give you some concrete, considered advice for fixing the issue. We are glad to have you with us on the journey of knowledge transfer. Thank you for supporting our YouTube channel. We want to improve our expertise and offering.
 
The 2H: CR Load Position Fatal Error Explained
Error Code 2H. A fatal error in the CR load position usually concerns the carriage return (CR) system. That may happen because of:
 
Obstruction of Carriage Movement:

• Physical Blockages: The carriage may not be running correctly because of debris in the way or misaligned components.
• Solution: Check the carriage's path to ensure that nothing is visibly blocking it or that nothing is broken and getting in its way. Please ensure the rails are clean and the carriage moves quickly and without binding.

Carriage Return Motor Failure:

• The motor that drives the carriage might have developed problems.
• Solution: Disconnect the motor and use a multimeter to switch it. If it fails the test, it will need to be replaced.

Faulty Printhead:

• Motherboards may receive incorrect signals due to electrical feedback problems caused by a faulty printhead. After your troubleshooting, when the CN10 connection turned the red lights on, it pointed directly toward the printhead as the cause of the issue.
• Solution: To fix the issue, try replacing the printhead. Could you test the printhead with the old and new ones to see if they fit?

Motherboard Issues:

• More rarely, damaged ribbon cable connectors or a motherboard fault will cause this error.
• Solution: Damaged or defective ribbon cable. Solution: Check the ribbon cable connectors for visible damage or loose ends. You've already exchanged the motherboard, which made it less likely that the original board is at fault, but make sure the replacement board is working fully.

Recommended Diagnostic Steps
Check the Error Code: If the error continues, the error code count should increase with every power cycling of the printer. Could you power the printer on and verify the error history (check which is the most recent) to ensure the 2H error is the last? This way, you will be troubleshooting the current issue.
Test Ribbon Cables: If you replaced ribbon cables, check that they're properly seated and not damaged. Even new wires can be defective or not correctly connected.
Check the Capping station: If the capping station is not functioning correctly once, the printhead most likely indicates that the issue is related to the printhead or the printhead with the motherboard interaction. Disconnect the printhead, clean the capping station, and test the printer to narrow down the cause.
Test Printhead: Unplug the current printhead and power up the printer only with the motherboard and other components connected. If the printer turns on without showing any errors, the problem is most likely with the printhead, and you should replace it.
Motherboard Ribbon Connectors: It's rare, but not impossible, for ribbon connectors on the motherboard to go bad. Look for bent pins, residue, or wear, which could prevent proper contact with the ribbon cables. If necessary, clean the connectors gently with isopropyl alcohol.
Check Power Supply Functionality: The click from the power supply indicates it is working, but check its behavior during boot-up to ensure it isn't causing a problem.
 
Summary of Likely Causes

• Printhead: Your zap test indicates a bad printhead as the main culprit.
• Carriage Motor: The printhead replacement may not fix it; turn to the carriage motor for failing
• Motherboard: As a last resort, the motherboard's ribbon connectors or other components may need to be repaired or replaced.

Final Notes
Printer issues can be tricky to deal with because the nature of the problem is practical. We cannot do remote troubleshooting, make recommendations, or provide repair support for printers. However, a local diagnostic facility (BCH Technologies Printer Repair Service) offers on-site evaluation and repair. Due to the high volumes, we service on a first-come, first-served basis, so it may be some weeks before we can get your printer serviced. We can repair entire printers or just a specific part of them and provide detailed information on how to get started. Although we do not always have the most affordable rates, we first recommend trying to help yourself through online resources. The best way to get started is to search our YouTube channel for videos using the search icon. YouTube may also recommend helpful videos from other channels specific to your model.
Again, thank you for contacting us. We hope this thorough guide leads you to where you can successfully troubleshoot your Prestige A3 Plus R printer. We're happy to assist with any additional questions!