Epson ET-2803 Error 000033: Fixing a Phantom Paper Jam and Carriage Movement Problem

Question:

I have an Epson ET-2803 that recently started showing what appears to be a phantom paper jam. I removed all of the paper and checked for an obvious jam, but the printer continues to display error code 000033. I saw your video about an Epson printhead moving to the left, stalling, and reporting a paper jam on the ET-2750/ST-2000. What should I check on the ET-2803 when there is no visible paper jam?

Answer:

What Epson Error Code 000033 Means

On Epson printers, 000033 is generally identified as a CR load position reverse error. "CR" refers to the carriage system-the assembly that carries the printhead back and forth across the printer. It means the printer commanded the carriage to move in one direction, but the control system detected movement or feedback that did not correspond to what it expected. Epson service documentation for related EcoTank models associates 000033 with carriage obstruction, carriage-lock or ink-system interference, timing-belt problems, encoder-system problems, carriage motor issues, and, in less common cases, the mainboard.

Therefore, even though the printer may appear to have a "paper jam," 000033 does not necessarily mean that a sheet of paper is stuck in the normal paper path. A tiny piece of paper or another foreign object can cause it, but the underlying problem is often that the printer cannot correctly control or determine the position of the printhead carriage.

This is why removing the visible paper may not clear the error.

1. Look Carefully for Small Pieces of Paper or Foreign Objects

Start with the printer turned off and unplugged.

Open the scanner section and inspect the entire path where the printhead carriage travels. Do not only look at the paper feed area. A tiny torn corner of paper, label, piece of debris, dried ink buildup, or foreign object can interfere with the carriage and generate 000033.

Pay particular attention to:

• The far left side of the carriage path.

• The far right side where the printhead normally parks.

• The area underneath and immediately around the printhead carriage.

• The paper path underneath the carriage.

• The capping/cleaning station on the right side.

• Any scraps of paper hidden underneath rollers or guides.

Epson's normal ET-2800/ET-2803 paper-jam procedure also recommends checking both the rear feeder and the area inside the printer rather than assuming that removing the visible sheet has removed the entire obstruction.

Do not pull aggressively on anything inside the printer. A very small object in the wrong location can stop the carriage while being difficult to see.

2. Check Whether the Printhead Carriage Is Mechanically Blocked

The carriage should be able to travel along its intended path when its locking mechanism has been properly released. However, do not force the carriage by hand, especially while the printer is powered on.

The carriage is normally locked at its parking position when the printer is off. If the locking mechanism or cleaning station fails to disengage correctly, the printer may try to move the carriage while it is still partially restrained. That sudden mechanical resistance can contribute to a 000033 carriage reverse error.

If the printhead starts moving during startup and then suddenly stops, reverses, makes a grinding or clicking sound, or repeatedly attempts the same movement, watch closely to determine where the resistance occurs.

The location where it stalls can be an important diagnostic clue.

3. Inspect the Capping Station and Printhead Parking Area

The right side of the printer contains the printhead's parking and cleaning mechanism. This area includes components that raise, lower, wipe, seal, and service the printhead.

If the capping station does not return to its proper position, the carriage may collide with it or remain partially locked.

Look for:

• Excessive dried ink buildup.

• A displaced wiper.

• A cap that appears unusually high.

• A mechanical part that is stuck.

• A foreign object around the parking station.

• A carriage lock that is not releasing properly.

Do not start dismantling the ink system unless you are comfortable working on printer mechanisms. There are several small springs, gears, and timing relationships in this area, and changing one position can create additional problems.

4. Inspect the Carriage Timing Belt

The carriage is moved by a toothed timing belt connected to the carriage motor.

Inspect the belt for obvious problems such as:

• Fraying.

• Missing or damaged teeth.

• Excessive looseness.

• A belt that has jumped out of its normal track.

• Ink or debris interfering with the belt.

A timing belt that slips can cause the physical position of the printhead to disagree with the position expected by the printer. That is particularly relevant to an error such as 000033, because the printer relies on accurate carriage-position feedback.

If the belt looks normal and has reasonable tension, do not attempt to adjust it unnecessarily.

5. Check the Clear Encoder Strip

One of the most important components to inspect is the CR encoder strip, sometimes called the carriage encoder scale.

This is the thin, transparent or semi-transparent strip that runs horizontally behind the printhead carriage. The carriage's encoder sensor reads extremely fine markings on this strip to determine where the printhead is located.

If the strip becomes contaminated with:

• Ink mist.

• Grease.

• Fingerprints.

• Paper dust.

• Cleaning solution.

• Other debris,

the printer can lose track of the carriage position.

A contaminated encoder strip is therefore capable of producing strange carriage behavior, including sudden stops, incorrect movement, and carriage-position errors such as 000033.

Inspect the strip carefully under good lighting. If cleaning is needed, be extremely gentle. The strip is delicate and can be pulled out of its mounting points or scratched. Avoid harsh solvents and avoid stretching or twisting it.

6. Check the Encoder Sensor and Its Ribbon Cable

The encoder sensor is mounted on the carriage and reads the encoder strip as the printhead moves.

If the strip itself looks clean but the printer still cannot correctly determine carriage direction or position, the problem can be farther downstream:

• The encoder strip may be damaged or improperly positioned.

• The strip may no longer be passing correctly through the encoder sensor.

• The encoder sensor may be dirty or defective.

• The encoder FFC/ribbon cable may be loose, damaged, folded incorrectly, or partially disconnected.

These problems require considerably more disassembly than simply checking for a paper jam.

This is also why repeatedly removing and reloading paper will not necessarily solve error 000033.

7. Listen to the Printer During Startup

The printer's startup behavior can help narrow down the problem.

For example:

If the carriage moves and physically hits something:
Concentrate on mechanical obstruction, the carriage lock, capping station, or foreign objects.

If the carriage suddenly accelerates, travels unusually far, or crashes into one side:
The encoder strip, encoder sensor, or encoder ribbon cable becomes more suspicious.

If the carriage barely moves before the printer immediately reports 000033:
Look closely for a locked carriage, excessive mechanical resistance, carriage motor problem, or an ink-system mechanism that has not disengaged.

If movement seems mechanically normal but the printer still produces 000033:
An encoder feedback problem, electrical connection problem, motor-control problem, or mainboard issue becomes more likely.

These are diagnostic clues rather than absolute tests, but observing exactly what happens before the error appears can save considerable time.

8. Do Not Concentrate Exclusively on the Paper Feed Rollers

Because the printer describes the condition in a way that resembles a paper jam, it is easy to spend all of your time inspecting the rollers.

With 000033, however, the carriage system deserves particular attention.

Paper-feed problems generally involve the paper-feed mechanism, while 000033 is associated with carriage-position control. A piece of paper can still be the cause if it physically blocks the carriage, but the important question is whether something prevents the carriage from moving as commanded or prevents the printer from accurately sensing that movement.

That distinction explains the "phantom paper jam" behavior you are seeing.

9. Power-Cycle the Printer After the Mechanical Inspection

After checking for and removing any obstruction:

1. Make sure there are no tools or loose objects inside the printer.

2. Close the printer properly.

3. Reconnect the power.

4. Turn it on and observe the startup sequence.

A restart can clear the error if the original cause was a temporary obstruction and the carriage can now complete its initialization.

If 000033 immediately returns, repeatedly cycling the power is unlikely to repair an underlying mechanical, encoder, motor, or electrical fault.

10. When the Problem May Be More Serious

If you have confirmed that:

• There is no paper or foreign object blocking the carriage.

• The carriage mechanism is not visibly jammed.

• The capping station is behaving normally.

• The timing belt is intact.

• The encoder strip is clean and correctly positioned.

then diagnosis becomes more technical.

Possible remaining causes include the CR encoder sensor, encoder FFC/ribbon cable, carriage motor, motor drive circuitry, or mainboard.

At that point, replacing parts randomly can become expensive. It is better to identify whether the failure is mechanical, positional-feedback related, or electrical before purchasing components.

A Practical Starting Point for Your ET-2803

Based on your description-paper has already been removed, but the ET-2803 continues displaying 000033-I would not assume that there is still a conventional paper jam.

I would concentrate first on the entire carriage travel path and the right-side parking/capping area, followed by the encoder strip and carriage timing belt.

If the carriage visibly starts moving and then stalls at approximately the same location every time, inspect that particular area closely for mechanical interference. If the carriage behaves unpredictably, travels in the wrong direction, or appears to lose its position, the encoder system deserves closer attention.

The ET-2750/ST-2000 video you referenced is useful because the general principle is similar: what appears to the user as a paper-jam condition may actually originate from the printhead/carriage mechanism rather than from a sheet of paper lodged between the feed rollers.

Printer repair can be complicated because many of these problems require direct, hands-on inspection. For that reason, we're unable to provide individual remote troubleshooting, repair guidance, or ongoing diagnostic support for specific printers. We do offer an in-person evaluation and repair service through our BCH Technologies printer diagnostic and repair facility [https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service]. Because demand is high, repairs are handled on a first-come, first-served basis, and there may be a wait of several weeks before a drop-off appointment becomes available. Our repair options cover either complete printers or certain individual components, with instructions provided for the appropriate process. We also recognize that professional repair is not always the most economical option, so we strongly encourage self-help and online research when practical. A good place to begin is YouTube and our BCH Technologies YouTube channel [https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies]. On our channel homepage, use the search icon beside the "About" section to search for a specific printer model, error code, or component. We receive dozens of questions every day asking whether we have a video on a particular subject. After producing repair videos for more than nine years, it is difficult for us to remember every video we've made, so using YouTube's search function is usually the fastest way to locate relevant material. YouTube may also recommend useful videos from other repair channels.

Thank you again for reaching out and for supporting BCH Technologies. We appreciate you taking the time to describe the symptoms and provide the 000033 error code, as that information makes it much easier to understand what the printer is actually reporting. We hope these diagnostic areas give you a useful direction for further research and help you determine whether the ET-2803 is dealing with a hidden obstruction, a carriage-position problem, or a deeper mechanical or electrical fault.