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An HP carriage jam means the part that carries the ink cartridges or printheads has stopped moving in the middle of a job. The printer shows “Carriage Jam” on its display, or E3 on models with a small code display. In most cases something is in the carriage’s path, often a scrap of paper or a label that came loose. HP’s guide for the error has three steps: look for the obstruction safely, reset the printer, and only then send it for service. Two cautions in it matter more than the steps themselves, and this page explains both.

Step 1: Clear the HP carriage jam

1. If the Cancel button is lit, press it and wait until the printer is quiet.
2. Turn the printer off and disconnect the power cord.
3. Open the cartridge access door to reach the carriage.
4. Gently slide the carriage left and right to see whether it moves freely.
5. Look along the whole path for anything in the way, such as crumpled paper or a label that came off, and remove it. A flashlight helps.
6. If the carriage has a latch, press it down gently so it is locked. On an ink tank printer, HP says not to press a latch that is already secured.
7. If the carriage is not locked in place, move it to each side and clear anything you find. If it will not move, stop: do not force it.
8. Close the door, reconnect the power cord and turn the printer on.

Small torn pieces are the usual culprit after a paper jam. If the printer also reports a jam with no paper visible, see HP paper jam with no paper.

Step 2: Reset the printer

• Remove the battery if the printer has a rechargeable one.
• Turn the printer off, or unplug the cord from the printer if it will not turn off.
• Unplug the cord from the power source and wait 60 seconds.
• Plug it straight into a wall outlet and into the printer, then turn it on.

The other reset types are in how to reset an HP printer.

Step 3: Service

If the carriage still stalls with a clear path, HP’s next step is repair or replacement through HP Customer Support. Check the warranty status first; fees can apply after it ends.

E3 on specific models

Several HP printer families show the carriage jam as code E3, with the same fix: open the doors, clear the carriage path, then press Resume. Our guides to HP DeskJet error codes (2800, 4200, 4900) and HP Smart Tank error codes list the other codes those printers use. On Smart Tank models HP adds that the printhead cover must stay closed.

Sources

• HP Support: HP Printers – Carriage jam or E3 error

hpdrivers.net is independent and not affiliated with HP Inc. Steps and cautions follow HP’s guide; the wording is ours.

HP Smart Tank error codes show up as an E followed by a single digit, together with the Attention light and blinking icons. On the Smart Tank 210, 520, 580, 590, 5000 and 5100 series, HP documents nine codes, from a paper size mismatch (E1) to a failed firmware update (E9), plus light patterns for the printheads, the ink tanks and Wi-Fi. Because these printers use refillable tanks and separate printheads, several codes mean something different from the cartridge printers. This page explains each one in HP’s terms and says what to do.

E1 and E2: paper does not match the job

While printing, the printer measured the sheet and found it narrower or wider (E1) or shorter or longer (E2) than the page size in the job. Press Cancel, then either load the paper size you are printing on or change the size in your program to the paper in the tray, and send the job again.

E3: the carriage is jammed or stalled

Open the front door. Check that the printhead cover is fully closed and that nothing stands in the carriage’s way, and take out any paper or object. HP warns not to open the printhead cover for this. Close the door and press Resume, or Cancel. If E3 returns, switch the printer off and on, then contact HP.

E4 and E5: paper jam and scanner

For E4, find the jammed sheet, pull it out carefully and restart the printer. If a jam is reported with no paper inside, read HP paper jam with no paper. For E5 the scanner has failed: press Cancel and scan again, and power cycle if it still fails. Printing keeps working while the scanner is out.

E6, E8 and E9: errors you clear with power

• E6: turn the printer off, unplug the cord, wait a minute, plug it back in and turn it on.
• E8: a fatal error. Turn the printer off and on; if it comes back, contact HP.
• E9: an update went wrong. Restart, then download and install the latest firmware from HP’s site. HP notes you may need a USB cable to connect the printer to the computer for this.

E7: an ink tank is empty

Open the front door and the cap of the empty tank. Open the matching ink bottle, turn it upside down onto the tank so it clicks into place and let the tank fill. Then close the bottle, the tank cap and the door. Check the bottle numbers in our Smart Tank ink compatibility table before you buy.

Printhead, ink and paper icons

• Printhead icon blinking (left is color, right is black): a printhead is missing, wrongly installed, still has its orange plug or tape, or is damaged or incompatible. Reinstall it, remove any plug or tape, and check it is the right printhead. Do not open the printhead cover unless HP’s steps tell you to.
• Ink icon blinking, Resume and Cancel lights on: one or more tanks are low. Refill the tank shown.
• Document icon blinking, Resume and Cancel lights on: a job arrived with no paper. Load paper and press Resume.
• Letter A: printhead alignment is running. After the page prints and the Open Lid light blinks, place it face down on the glass and press the blinking Copy button. A blinking A with blinking Attention and Resume lights means the alignment failed: press a Copy button to rescan or Resume to print the page again.

Power and Wi-Fi lights

• Power light dim: sleep mode, by default after about five minutes. HP adds that the printer turns itself off after two hours of no use when Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct and Bluetooth are off and no USB cable is connected; see why an HP printer turns off by itself.
• Power light blinking quickly: the access door is open or the printer is in an error state. Close the door or follow the message in the HP app.
• Racecourse animation for 10 minutes or more with the Power light blinking: a firmware update may be running. Do not switch the printer off.
• Wi-Fi light blinking blue, signal bars cycling: Wi-Fi setup mode or trying to connect. A blinking Wi-Fi alert means a Wi-Fi error; fast blinking alert and bars mean a WPS error. For connection help see HP printer won’t connect to Wi-Fi.

All lights blinking

When every light on the panel blinks, HP’s first step is a full reset: power off, unplug for 60 seconds, plug straight into a wall outlet and turn on. Our HP printer reset guide also lists the Smart Tank factory reset buttons if you need to go further.

Sources

• HP Support: HP Smart Tank Printers – Blinking lights and error codes

hpdrivers.net is independent and not affiliated with HP Inc. Codes are from HP’s guide for the Smart Tank 210, 520, 580, 590, 5000 and 5100 series; other Smart Tank families can differ.

If your HP printer turns off by itself, it is not always faulty. HP designs most of its printers to power off when they are not in use, so a printer that “dies” after a quiet hour may simply be following its energy setting. HP’s guide for printers that turn off unexpectedly or repeatedly starts with that setting, then moves to a reset, a firmware update, the devices plugged into the printer and finally the power supply. This page follows the same order and helps you tell a setting from a real power fault.

Step 1: Check the energy saving setting

HP says its printers reduce power use by switching off when they are idle; you press the power button to turn them back on. To see or change the setting:

• Printers with a display: look in the Setup menu for Schedule On and Off or Auto Power Off.
• In the HP app: select the printer, open Printer Settings, then Advanced settings, the Settings tab and Power Management. Enter the printer PIN if asked.

HP notes that on some printers the auto-off time is preset and cannot be changed. If your printer is one of them, turning off after inactivity is normal behavior and not a fault. The HP app guide explains where the app keeps its settings now that it has replaced HP Smart.

Step 2: Reset the printer

1. Turn the printer off, or unplug the cord from the printer if it will not turn off.
2. Unplug the cord from the power source and wait 60 seconds.
3. Plug it directly into a wall outlet and into the printer. HP’s steps use a wall outlet rather than a power strip.
4. Turn the printer on.

Other reset types are described in how to reset an HP printer.

Step 3: Update the printer firmware

HP regularly releases firmware with fixes. On many network printers with a menu you can update from the control panel, for example Setup, Printer Maintenance, Update Printer, Check Now. You can also use the HP app, or download the firmware from your model’s page on HP’s software and driver site and run the HP Printer Update tool. HP warns never to turn the printer off during a firmware update, because that can damage it permanently.

Step 4: Remove other devices

HP says too many connected devices or a USB hub can affect the power the printer needs:

• If the printer is connected through a USB hub, remove the hub and connect the USB cable straight from the computer to the printer.
• Take out any memory card or USB drive in the printer.
• Turn the printer off and on again.

Step 5: Check the power module or battery

Step 6: Service if the HP printer turns off by itself again

If the printer still switches off, HP’s last step is repair or replacement through HP Customer Support. Check the warranty first, since fees can apply outside warranty.

Related problems

• The printer stays on but shows offline: HP printer offline but connected to Wi-Fi.
• It is on but nothing prints: HP printer won’t print checklist.

Sources

• HP Support: HP printer turns off unexpectedly or repeatedly

hpdrivers.net is independent and not affiliated with HP Inc. Steps follow HP’s guide; the wording is ours.