Printed pages are coming out light or faded

What you will see

The print or text on the page is extremely light or faded.

Recommended actions

Step	Action
1	In most cases, light print and similar print quality issues are caused by a print cartridge running low on toner. This is especially true if the printer is also reporting a Toner Low message. If you have an extra print cartridge in stock, try replacing the existing print cartridge with a new one. If an extra print cartridge is not available, try one of the following: Remove the print cartridge. Lightly shake the cartridge in all directions in order to redistribute any toner remaining. Hold the cartridge over a sheet of paper or a trash can to catch any loose toner dust. Then reinstall the cartridge and try printing again. If this improves the print quality, the print cartridge is probably low on toner and should be replaced. If you have access to another printer of the same model, try exchanging print cartridges between the two printers. See if the issue follows the cartridge to the other printer. If the second printer is affected in the same way as the first, this will confirm the print cartridge as the cause of the issue.
2	If replacing the print cartridge does not correct the issue, check the printer's Toner Darkness setting. This setting lightens or darkens the print. IMPORTANT! The directions below for navigating the menus apply to X644 and X646 printers only. If you have an X642 model printer, please see the User Guide for directions on how to navigate the menus and change the Toner Darkness setting. Press the Menus button located in the lower right corner of the screen and enter the printer menu. Press the button next to Settings . A new list of menu choices should appear. Press the button next to Print Settings . A new list of menu choices should appear. NOTE: If Print Settings is not listed on the first screen of choices, press to see more menu choices. Press the button next to Quality Menu . If Quality Menu is not listed on the first screen of choices, press to see more menu choices. A list of settings and their current values should appear. Look for Toner Darkness . A number will be displayed, indicating the the current setting. The setting can be anywhere from 1 to 10 , with 8 as the default. If this number is below 10 , increase this number to 8 or to 10 by pressing . Once you have the desired setting, press the Submit button located in the lower left corner of the screen to save the new value. Press to return the printer to the normal Ready screen and try printing again.
3	If the light print issue continues and you are using the scanner unit to print copies, determine if the scanner unit is the cause. Do this by printing jobs from the computer or network or by using the menus on the printer's operator panel to print the internal settings pages. NOTE: To print the settings pages, press the Menus button to enter the menus. Select Reports then select Menu Settings Page . The printer will display the message Printing Menu Settings Page and the printer will print out the pages. If the print on these pages appears fine and only scanned images are light, check the imaging settings on the scanner unit. If you are not using the scanner unit, or if the print on pages that do not use the scanner also appears light, continue with the steps below.
4	Check the type of media you are printing on. If you are printing on anything other than plain copy paper, please test the printer by printing on plain copy paper before arranging service on the printer. This will eliminate the print media from being a possible cause of the issue. Heavier media (such as labels and light card stock) and textured media (such as letterhead or cotton paper) ar e more difficult for toner to adhere to. NOTE: If you are printing on plain copy paper, make sure that the Paper Type setting for that tray is Plain Paper .
5	There is a small cable inside the printer that, when loose, can cause all print to come out extremely light. You can access the system board and check this cable to make sure it is correctly plugged in before arranging a service call to the printer. for detailed directions on how to do this and what to look for. IMPORTANT! Although accessing the system board is something a customer can do, be aware that it does require use of a screwdriver and the removal of an inn er metal cover. If you feel uncomfortable performing this operation yourself or if you would like to try it but would like assistance on how to access the system board, please contact Lexmark Technical Support.
6	If the issue continues after you have performed all the steps above, a service action may be required to correct the issue. For assistance in setting up service, please contact Lexmark Technical Support or a local authorized service provider.

Contacting Lexmark

For assistance in setting up warranty service, or if you have questions about any of the steps above, please contact Lexmark Technical Support. For contact information, click here. When cont acting Lexmark, be prepared to describe the problem that you are experiencing as well as any troubleshooting steps that you have already taken to find a solution.
NOTE:
When calling for support, you will asked for the model type
and serial number
(SN) of the printer. This information can be found on a label located under the upper front cover. Please call from near the printer in case the technician on the phone asks you to perform a troubleshooting task on the printer.

LEGACY ID: SO4655

Step	Action
1	Make sure the toner cartridge has been exchanged and that the Toner Darkness setting is at 8 or higher.
2	Power off the printer and unplug it. Check the the condition of the printhead laser cable. If the cable is loose or if one of the wires on it is cut, light print can occur. Confirm the cable is fully connected to the system board. The plug is labeled VIDEO or J2 on the system board. Click here for a detailed image. If the cable is fully connected to the system board, confirm that none of the wires on the cable are cut. Pay close attention to the white wire. xref_TE38_xref for more information and an example. Replace the cable if it is damaged. NOTE: A way to diagnose this issue, without looking at the cable, is to change the Print Resolution setting to 1200 dpi . If the print becomes darker at 1200 dpi, you will want to investigate the white wire on the laser cable. Finally, confirm the cable is also fully connected at the printhead end. Click here for an image showing a loose video cable connection at the printhead.
3	If the toner cartridge, the toner darkness setting, and the printhead laser cable appear fine, perform a developed image test. This test involves powering off the printer while it is printing, thus stopping a page half way through the fuser unit. The results of this test will give you a better idea of what parts to replace first. NOTE: The part recommendations below are listed in order from the most likely to the least likely cause of the issue. You can choose to replace these parts one at a time, or all at once. If the print does not appear light until after the page has passed through the fuser unit, try replacing the fuser unit . If replacing the fuser unit does not correct the issue, replace the transfer roll assembly and the system board next. If the print on the page appears light before the page has reached the fuser unit, try replacing the transfer roll assembly , the charge roller assembly , and the high voltage power supply (HVPS). If these parts do not correct the issue, replace the printhead assembly and the system board next.
4	If replacing the parts suggested above does not correct the issue, please contact Lexmark Technical Support or your next level of support before arranging additional service.