How to Fix an Epson Phantom Paper Jam and White Ink Empty Error on a Brand-New Printer

Question:
My Epson printer is acting like it has a paper jam even though there is no jam. The paper light comes on, and the printer will not print unless I turn it off and back on. Sometimes after restarting, it may print, but then I get a white ink empty warning and it stops again. The printer is brand new and was purchased in May. What could be causing this, and how can I fix it?

Answer:

Since your printer is brand new and you are seeing both a paper light / phantom paper jam symptom and a white ink empty warning, this usually points to one of three areas:

1. A paper feed or paper-detection sensor issue

2. A setup or shipping-material issue

3. A white ink system detection, charging, or circulation problem

A so-called phantom paper jam happens when the printer thinks paper is stuck or misfed even when the paper path looks clear. On Epson machines, this can happen if the printer detects abnormal movement in the paper path, or if one of the sensors is blocked, dirty, misaligned, or not reading correctly. In many cases, the issue is not the paper itself but the sensor logic behind it.

Here are the first things to check:

• Make sure all packing materials, protective tapes, and shipping inserts have been fully removed. On a new printer, even one overlooked piece can interfere with normal sensor operation.

• Check that the paper is loaded straight, is not curled, and matches the paper settings in the printer.

• Look carefully through the paper path for even a small scrap of paper, label backing, or foreign object.

• Inspect the rear path and feed rollers for anything that could cause paper to stop halfway.

• If the machine feeds paper partway and then stops, the printer may be flagging a false jam because it is not getting the expected signal from the paper feed sensor or APG-related sensor system.

You mentioned that after restarting, the printer may then report white ink empty. That second problem is likely separate, although sometimes both issues appear together if the machine has an initialization or detection problem. With white ink systems, especially on modified or specialty printers such as DTF configurations, the printer may show an empty warning if:

• the white ink cartridge or tank is not recognized properly,

• the ink line was not fully charged,

• air is trapped in the white ink path,

• the chip or ink monitoring system is not reading correctly,

• or the white ink circulation/setup is incomplete.

Because the unit is new, I would first verify that the white ink supply is installed correctly and fully recognized, and that any required initial ink charging or priming process was completed exactly as instructed by the seller or manufacturer. White ink is heavier than standard CMYK ink, so if the system is not prepared properly, it can trigger warnings sooner than expected.

To get more precise information, the best next step is to check the printer's internal error history using Epson's Adjustment Program. This tool can show the actual stored fault code rather than just the front-panel symptom.

Here is how to do that:

1. Open the Adjustment Program.

2. Select the USB port that matches your printer.

3. Click Particular Adjustment Mode.

4. Scroll to Printer Information Check.

5. Click Check.

6. The newest recorded fault will usually appear at the top as Error Number 1.

This is important because the printer's panel light may only say "paper error" or "ink empty," but the internal log may show a more specific cause. For example, one possible logged fault could be related to the APG sensor, which can be associated with paper gap detection or media path monitoring depending on the model and setup. If the stored code points to an APG sensor error, paper feed sensor error, or another feed-path detection issue, that would strongly support the phantom paper jam diagnosis.

For interpreting those codes, search "BCH Epson Error" online to find our page on Epson's hidden or "triple secret" error information. If you do not have the Adjustment Program, you may need to ask your printer seller for it, since it is typically used by Epson technicians and is sometimes provided by DTF printer vendors.

For a quick walkthrough on retrieving the error information, you can also watch our short video here: YouTube Shorts walkthrough (https://youtube.com/shorts/FPZzpyYuZLE).

Since the printer is brand new, I also want to emphasize this: if the problem continues after confirming paper loading, clearing the path, checking the white ink setup, and reading the stored error code, you should seriously consider contacting the seller or manufacturer while the machine is still under warranty. A new printer should not normally require repeated power cycling just to print, and recurring paper-light or white-ink warnings on a recently purchased machine may indicate a defective sensor, faulty ink detection component, or incomplete factory/vendor setup.

Printer problems like this are often very hands-on and difficult to diagnose remotely. Because of that, we are not able to provide remote repair troubleshooting or live repair support. We do offer an in-person inspection and repair option through our local diagnostic facility: printer repair service (https://bchtechnologies.com/printer-repair-service). Due to demand, repairs are handled on a first-come, first-served basis, and it may take some time before we are able to accept a drop-off. We can work on either an entire printer or specific components, with instructions provided for each option. That said, we understand that our service may not be the lowest-cost route, so self-help research is often the fastest place to start. We recommend browsing YouTube and especially visiting our BCH Technologies YouTube homepage (https://youtube.com/@bchtechnologies). You can use the search icon next to About on the right side of the channel menu to look for videos on your exact issue. We receive many questions every day, and after years of publishing videos, that search feature is often the quickest way to find the most relevant repair content, including videos from other creators that may also help.

Thank you again for your support and for reaching out to us. We truly appreciate your trust in BCH Technologies, and we hope this gives you a clearer path to identifying whether the issue is related to the paper sensor system, the white ink setup, or a warranty-level defect on the new printer.