HP Photosmart 7350 prints one blurred column

[lloydfp]

My Photosmart printer has started printing one smeared column near, but not on, the left edge of each page. In other words, if a printed line consists of "123456789" with a 1" left margin, the "2" is blurred horizontally, and the "1" and all other numbers are OK. If I move the left margin -.2", then the "3" is blurred.

I have tried every "HP...toolbox" utility (calibrate, clean heads). I have brushed out all dust. I have wiped print cartridge slide bar and there don't seem to be anything to cause this. I have gone to the HP website and searched for this problem with no luck.

I have worked with PCs for a long time, and this is pretty bizarre.

Anyone have an idea about what could cause this?

 

[Simon R.]

May be one of the printer rollers is dirty (has ink on it) and that's why it leaves the mark.

 

[lloydfp]

Hi Simon,

Thanks for the help.

Your suggestion caused me to wonder what a print roller is, so I took a flashlight and started looking. I found a small dot of something on a thin plastic film ribbon that runs horizontally and touches the print head (guides it?). Anyway, I removed it and all is well!

BTW - so what is a print roller on an ink jet printer?

 

[Simon R.]

They may not be called rollers, but what I meant are those rubber wheels which move the paper through the printer