Print quality
Streaks or lines down the page
Cause depends on streak orientation and spacing — genuinely hard to answer generically. Excellent page.
Likely causes and fixes
1. A dust-coated primary corona wire inside the drum unit fails to charge the drum evenly, producing a continuous vertical white or light stripe.
Caution: Avoid getting toner on skin or clothing.
Power off the printer, open the front cover, and remove the drum/toner assembly.
Source: White vertical lines or streaks on printed pagesCaution: This step can be done wrong in a way that is costly or hard to undo, including voiding your warranty. Check your model's manual before proceeding.
Separate the toner cartridge from the drum unit using the blue lock lever.
Source: White vertical lines or streaks on printed pagesSlide the corona wire's blue tab fully from one end to the other a few times, then return it exactly to the home position marked on the unit.
Source: White vertical lines or streaks on printed pagesReassemble and print a few test pages to confirm the stripe is gone.
Source: White vertical lines or streaks on printed pages
2. The imaging drum surface is contaminated with dust or glue residue, or has a physical scratch, leaving a mark that streaks as the drum rotates.
Caution: Do not expose the drum to direct light for extended periods or touch its surface.
Inspect the drum surface against the print sample without touching it directly — the surface is photosensitive and light-sensitive.
Source: White vertical lines or streaks on printed pagesCaution: This step can be done wrong in a way that is costly or hard to undo, including voiding your warranty. Check your model's manual before proceeding.
Lightly wipe the identified spot with an isopropyl-alcohol swab, wiping rather than scrubbing.
Source: White vertical lines or streaks on printed pagesReinstall and reprint. If the streak persists, the drum unit needs replacement.
Source: White vertical lines or streaks on printed pages
3. Debris on the laser or LED printhead lens for one color prevents that drum from being exposed correctly, producing a single continuous line fixed to one position.
Confirm genuine toner cartridges are installed.
Source: Vertical Black or Colored Lines or StreaksCaution: Use only the cleaning tool or lint-free method specified for the model — do not use solvents on the lens.
Clean the LED printhead lenses following the device's documented cleaning procedure.
Source: Vertical Black or Colored Lines or StreaksCaution: This step can be done wrong in a way that is costly or hard to undo, including voiding your warranty. Check your model's manual before proceeding.
Swap the drum cartridges between color positions to isolate whether the defect follows the drum or stays fixed to the machine; replace the drum if the defect follows it.
Source: Vertical Black or Colored Lines or Streaks
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