How to Fix HP Missing or Failed Printhead Error on HP 8610 and 8620?

The HP missing or failed printhead is one of the most common errors that users face while operating their HP printers. It generally occurs when the printhead is not properly positioned. The printhead is an important component of a printer that sprays the ink onto the paper. So the printhead takes the instructions from the computer, as it evaluates the intensity, the location, the amount of ink needed to be dropped onto the paper and moves horizontally, point to point, to those locations to write or print the content. When the printhead fails or is identified as missing, your device may not be able to function like it always does. The problem is generally observed on HP Photosmart Plus, HP 8610, HP 8620, and HP 6700 Printers. Thankfully, there are simple fixes that can work around the problem. Some of these fixes are inclusive of resetting your HP printer, realigning its printhead, cleaning its ink cartridges, etc.

Moving forward, you can explore all the fixes that can be implemented for making your printer error-free. Also, for this HP printer problem, we will understand its causes to get hold of the issue.

Here, we have explained everything that we will be looking at in this post for dealing with the issue of the missing printhead in HP.

What is a Missing or Failed Printhead Problem in HP Printers?

The issue of a failed or missing printhead can occur on certain models of HP. A message accompanied by this error is seen on the Control Panel of the printer. The message can suggest that your printer’s printhead is either undetected, missing or improperly installed. The error may come in the way of printing operations.

Causes of HP Missing or Failed Printhead Error

Below, we have explained the causes of the error relating to missing or failed printhead in HP printers. When you try to identify the fixes for this problem, the knowledge of these causes will assist you in quickly finding them.

• Printer failure can generate such an error.
• Your HP printer’s cartridge may not be having a sufficient amount of ink.
• It may be possible that your printer’s firmware may have become outdated.
• The printhead of your HP printer may be missing from the cartridge or it may have received damages.

Ways to Fix HP Missing or Failed Printhead

HP missing or failed printhead error bars printing devices from functioning. Sometimes, resolving this error can demand you to implement fixes like resetting your device. At other times, you can opt for cleaning the ink cartridges of your HP printer or replacing the part with a new one in case doing so seems apt. To help you get rid of this problem, we have compiled the directions for these fixes below. 

Fix 1- Reset the Printing device

HP printhead missing issue generally occurs while replacing the old ink cartridge with a new one. As the printer gets old, an alignment problem can occur with the printhead component every time you change the ink cartridge. Moreover, your printer does not take any print command and displays an error – HP missing or failed printhead – on its control panel screen. Therefore, the purpose of rebooting an HP printer is to reconfigure the printhead back to its correct position. Here is how you can reboot your HP printer:

• Turn on your HP printer and wait for it to remain idle and silent.
• Disconnect the power cord from the printer as well as your wall outlet.

• Wait for at least 1-2 minutes before you resume the operation.
• Now, connect all the cables with your printer as well as from the power source.
• Check your control panel’s display to see if the ‘HP printhead missing’ error is popped up or not.

Fix 2 – Realign the Printhead

Realigning the printhead of your device is the next measure we will be suggesting. When your printer is on, you can lift up the lid, and locate the printhead, detach its power cord, and ensure that the carriage is not moving. This is followed by removing the part to align it again. 

To know the details of this procedure, you can read the 8 instructions given here. 

• Turn on your HP printer and access the exterior lid to open the cartridge door. You will notice that the printhead carriage will move to-and-fro in a horizontal position all the time.

• Unplug the power cord attached to the printing device. While unplugging, it will cease the movement of the printhead carriage. Also, unplug the power cord from the wall outlet.
• Lift the cartridge handle and hold the printhead side. Now pull the printhead without removing it from the carriage.

• Insert the printhead back to its carriage. Once you position the printhead, it will automatically snap into its place.
• Move the printhead left and right to see if the printhead is placed correctly into the cartridge.
• Lift the printhead’s latch down to make sure that it is properly closed and locked. Also, close the exterior lid to resume the printing task.
• Now plug the power cord to the printer as well as to the power source. Turn on the printer now and wait for it to remain idle and silent.
• If you continue to face the HP printer printhead missing error, proceed to the next solution.

Fix 3 – Replace with the New Printhead

If you have tried all the above-mentioned solutions and your printer still continues to face the HP missing or failed printhead error, then it is time to replace this part. Before you replace it, you should examine the printhead’s warranty. If you have a faulty cartridge or printhead, check if it is under any warranty. To validate your warranty, check for the instruction on the HP Printer’s user manual guide. You can also visit the HP support website and navigate under the section Printer and Page Yield Overview to validate the warranties for all the components and units.

After examining it, you can order a new printhead if necessary. If your faulty printhead is under the warranty, you would be entitled to get a new printhead assembly kit. HP support also provides door-to-door technical assistance to provide different services with respect to HP printers.

Fix 4: Clean Your HP Printer’s Ink Cartridge

As you receive the error message mentioning that the printhead is missing, failed or incompatible, try to ensure that your HP printer’s cartridge is clean. On inspecting the same, if the cartridge isn’t clean, you can remove it and wipe off the unwanted elements. You can use a cloth that is lint-free and make it damp using distilled water. With this cloth, cleaning the printhead will be easier. After cleaning this part, allow it to become completely dry. Then it can be inserted again into your HP printer.

Fix 5: Update Your HP Printer’s Firmware

For doing away with the problematic message “Printhead Missing Failed or Incompatible 0xc19a0003 Error”, you can check whether or not your printer’s firmware is updated. In case it is lacking the latest updates, you can visit the page of Software and Driver Downloads with respect to HP printers. Based on your device’s model number, you can download the latest updates available.

• Using your web browser, go to the page “Software and Driver Downloads” of HP printers.
• Select “Printers”.
• provide the “Model Number” of the device.
• Click on “Submit”.
• On the same page, look for the category of “Firmware” and expand it.
• For saving this firmware, select “Download”.
• Now, launch the folder in which the downloaded file for the firmware updates has been placed.
• Run the file of the firmware for installing it.

Fix 6: Replace Cartridges that are Non-HP

The users of HP printers can prefer replacing their existing cartridges in case they are not supported by the devices. So to say, if your printer comprises non-HP ink cartridges, getting them replaced with the original and genuine ones will be suggested. Doing so will take care of HP printhead errors too.

Fix 7: Get Your HP Printer Serviced

HP printer error message “Problem with the Printhead” can sometimes occur due to unidentified causes. So, when you are not able to identify the cause all by yourself, you may wish to opt for professional assistance. For this purpose, you can get your HP printer serviced. After the device has been serviced, you will be suggested to check the functioning of your printer. In case it is functioning absolutely fine and is no longer displaying the printhead missing or failed issue, you will not have to execute any other measure for the same. 

Fix for Missing or Failed Printhead on HP 8610 Printer

The problem of the printhead missing or being incompatible is usually seen on HP 8610 Printer. For skipping the HP Officejet Pro 8610 missing or failed printhead error, you can reseat the printhead as the best measure. For resetting this part, a particular set of directions will be needed. This printer part being vulnerable to damages, performing these directions in the correct manner will be suggested.

Fix 1: Reseat Your HP Officejet Pro 8610 Printer

The users of HP Officejet Pro 8610 Printer can get bothered by the issue of a missing or failed printhead when the seating of this part has not been correctly done. Therefore, you can unseat it at first. After that, you can opt for reseating it. To share an overview of this measure with you, begin with draining the power charge from the device. Grasping the printhead, you can move it upwards and begin the procedure. At the end of the procedure, the HP 8610 printhead error will have been eliminated.

The remaining steps of this procedure can be found as follows:

• Placing your fingers inside the printer’s door, gently push the carriage towards the left for opening it.

Important: While executing the step mentioned above, ensure that the printer’s carriage is not producing any sound. Also, check that it is idle.

• Pull the power cord for removing it.
• Also, power off your device to stop the carriage from making movements.
• The carriage’s latch has to be lifted upwards.
• Clutching the printhead from its sides, try lifting this part. However, see to it that it is not separated from the carriage.
• Keep the printhead within the device’s carriage. A clicking sound should be heard when it has been correctly placed.
• Now, the printhead has to be shifted towards the left as well as right.

Important: The seventh step will help in checking that the printhead has correctly fitted into its place.

• Pull down the latch and place the cartridge’s access door.
• Reconnect the power cord and tap on “Power” in case it doesn’t automatically turn on.
• In case your device is idle or not making any sound, then you can wait for some time.
• Now, check for the HP Officejet Pro 8610 missing or failed printhead error. If the error isn’t seen, then you can resume your printing work. However, if the error is present even now, then you can move to the next step.
• Using the steps mentioned above, you have to reseat your device at least thrice.

After reseating the printhead three times, you can be sure that this part has been seated in the correct way. The error should stop making its presence on your HP printer’s display.

HP Printer Models Prone to HP Printhead Missing Error

As we already discussed above that the missing or failed printhead problem arises in HP Inkjet, HP Officejet, and dot matrix models only, we have enlisted some HP printer models prone to this HP printhead missing error.

In case the printhead is missing or appears to be failed on the following models of HP OfficeJet Pro Printers, you can resolve the problem using our fixes:

HP OfficeJet Pro 6830 Printer	HP OfficeJet Pro 6835 Printer	HP OfficeJet Pro 8100 Printer	HP OfficeJet Pro 8600 Printer
HP OfficeJet Pro 8615 Printer	HP OfficeJet Pro 8620 Printer	HP OfficeJet Pro 8625 Printer	HP OfficeJet Pro 8630 Printer
HP OfficeJet Pro 8710 Printer	HP OfficeJet Pro L7500 Printer	HP OfficeJet Pro 7740 Printer	HP OfficeJet 6100 Printer
HP OfficeJet 6230 Printer	HP OfficeJet 6500 Printer	HP OfficeJet 6600 Printer	HP OfficeJet 6700 Premium Printer
HP OfficeJet 7110 Printer	HP OfficeJet 7610 Printer	HP OfficeJet 7612 Printer

In case you want to use the fixes provided here for fixing the issue on HP PhotoSmart Printers, the following models will be compatible for the same:

HP PhotoSmart 7510 Printer

HP PhotoSmart 7520 Printer

HP PhotoSmart 7525 Printer

HP PhotoSmart B210 Printer

The models of HP DesignJet and HP DeskJet Printers given here are compatible with our fixes:

HP DesignJet 500 Printer

HP DesignJet 5500 Printer

HP DesignJet T520 Printer

HP DesignJet T790 Printer

HP DeskJet GT 5820 Printer

Frequently Asked Questions

In case you have any additional queries, the frequently asked questions given in this section may be worth reading to find answers to them.

Other HP Printer Models Printhead Issues Covered By us.

Fix HP Officejet Pro 6830 Printhead Problem, Replacement, Clean Printhead