How to Fix a Stuck Printhead on HP OfficeJet Pro 6958, 6968, 6978 Printers

Question:

I have the same issue, I just watched your video on fixing carriage jams for HP OfficeJet Pro 6958, 6968 & 6978 printers. When I attempt to rotate the gear though, it only rotates a couple of teeth, and then locks. I can rotate it back, however, it doesn’t rotate enough to move the carriage more than a half inch or so to the left. I also saw you rotating the rod to mesh the gears, but I was unsure precisely what you turned to ensure they meshed adequately. Do you have any tips on how to get the carriage to move freely to the left?

Answer:

Based on your problem description, the printhead carriage is not moving due to the mis-aligned PF (Paper Feed) rod and the capping station getting stuck. Here’s a breakdown, step by step, of how to solve this:

What is a PF Rod and Capping Station?

The PF rod also controls the movement of the capping station, which seals the printhead when the printer is idle to prevent it from drying. Rotating the PF rod lowers the capping platform, ensuring it does not get stuck and the printhead carriage can move freely. A non-engaging gear might not have a close connection between the two parts, or the other part could be missing or broken.

Checking for a Fallen Paper Feed Gear (PFG)

One frequent problem is that the Paper Feed Gear (PFG) is out of position. In this case, the capping station will not displace, meaning the printhead remains blocked in a position. To check for this:

Check the inside of the printer near the right-hand side where the printhead is stuck.

Get to check that the gears are adequately aligned and engaging with each other.

The PFG should be retightened or replaced if it is slack or missing.

Manually Adjusting the Capping Station

If the gears are instantiated but the carriage is still stuck, additionally you can manually move the capping station:

Disassemble the printer: Sadly, no magic prompt will get a printer with a failed pump back to work. The pump needs to be repaired, which usually requires disassembling the printer. You will also need to disassemble the scanner assembly to access the inside.

If you know how to rotate the gear when the printer is opened manually, find the capping station gear, turn it, and the platform will descend.

Use a screwdriver if you have to: If the counter-clockwise gear rotation is not working, insert a flathead screwdriver and carefully move the capping station back to its original position.

Verify Proper Engagement of Gears

After you have set the capping station, turn the PF rod again, and check that the gears mesh correctly. This lets the printhead move freely from side to side. If it still does not go, please check all gears, ensure everything is in proper order, and ensure there is no blockage or broken thing inside the printer.

Final Thoughts

Troubleshooting printer problems can be a nontrivial task that requires direct investigation of the physical device. However, we cannot assist you with troubleshooting or remote diagnostics. We offer more specialized printer repair through our local diagnostic center, BCH Technologies Printer Repair Service (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). Due to high demand, we are operating a few weeks behind, so if you require further help that our guide does not provide, expect to wait a few weeks for us to work on your printer.

In addition, we strongly advise self-researching online for further troubleshooting advice. Go to our YouTube channel homepage, BCH Technologies (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies), and use the search icon on the left side next to the “About” tab to find related topics. Since we’ve created videos in the past nine years, this is often the quickest way to find relevant solutions. YouTube’s algorithm may even recommend helpful videos from other channels that could benefit you, too.