Color Print Quality

Vertical streaks:
Check,which color/s streaks are appearing on print out,remove that cartridge/s check on drum surface for streaks.. if found replace that cartridge/s..check.
Horizontal streaks:
This problem appears when the cartridge/s image drum not rotating properly. Resit the cartridges properly, print 20nos of blank pages, then check.... replace the cartridge..

It might not be the rollers but the image drum. A bad image drum will sometimes cause streaks on print outs. If you look at the right side of the image drum you will probably see a streak that matches what is being left on your paper. Be careful not to touch the image drum as it will cause fingerprint on your printouts! Of course if the image drum is bad it will need replacing and fingerprints won't matter.

The instructions as copied from the Pixma 480 "onscreen manual." (Only the text -- not the images -- could be pasted into the solution. Hope you can follow the text.) Steve G.

Prepare 2 sheets of A4 or Letter-sized plain paper

1. Make sure that the power is turned on, and load 2 sheets of A4 or Letter-sized plain paper in the Rear Tray.

2. Open the Paper Output Tray gently, and open the Output Tray Extension.

3. Print the print head alignment pattern.
- Press the Menu button.
- Select Maintenance, and press the OK button.
- Select Print head alignment, and press the OK button.
Note: To print the current head position adjustment values, select Head alignment print in the Maintenance menu and press the OK button. See Selecting Menus on the Top Menu Screen.)
- Select Yes, and press the OK button to print alignment sheet.
- Check the pattern is printed correctly, select Yes and press OK button.
- Confirm the displayed message and press the OK button.

The Print head alignment screen appears.

4. Adjust the print head position.
- Check the printed patterns, and use the (Left) or (Right) button to select the number of the pattern that has the least noticeable streaks for column A.
Note: If it is difficult to select the best pattern, select the pattern that has the least noticeable white streaks.
(A) Less noticeable vertical white streaks
(B) Noticeable vertical white streaks
(C) Less noticeable horizontal white streaks
(D) Noticeable horizontal white streaks
- Repeat the same procedure to input the pattern number for each column from B to L, then press the OK button.
- Select Yes to continue printing, and press the OK button.
- The second page of print head alignment sheet will be printed.
- Confirm the message for print head alignment, and press the OK button.
- Check the printed patterns and use the (Left) or (Right) button to input the number of the pattern that has the least noticeable horizontal streaks for column M.
- Repeat the same procedure to input the pattern number for each column from N to R, and press the OK button.

The streaking could be anything internal to the printer, such as the transfer belt or a drum unit. As for the lack of color, that sounds like it is a setting in the print driver that got changed from printing in color to printing in monochrome or grayscale. Look through your print driver settings to see if you can locate this setting and change it back to color. Also, once you print in color again you may notice that the streaking is a specific color, which will help to troubleshoot that issue.

Open top cover and remove toner, shake toner cartridge and try a test print. IF image good then problem is low toner level in cartridge.

Issue: Banded or streaked prints
Solution: Change the Print Quality Settings (Windows)

Change the Print Quality Settings (Windows) The Quality setting controls how finely ink droplets are placed on the printed page. Depending on the type of paper being used a higher Print Quality setting does not always insure a better print. Print speed will decrease as the Print Quality setting is increased. Follow the instructions below to change the print quality settings in the Canon printer driver for the Windows operating system through a printing application.

1. Click 'Properties' in the Print dialog box.
   
   Note: Depending on the Application software, 'Properties' may be displayed as 'Preferences'.
   
   
2. Set the desired print quality in the 'Print Quality' section.
   
   
3. Select 'High', 'Standard', or 'Draft / Fast'.
   

To set more detailed print quality settings, follow this procedure:

1. Select 'Custom' and click 'Set'.
   
   
   
   
2. In the Set Print Quality dialog drag the slide bar from 'Fast' to 'Fine' to select the print quality.
   
   
   
   Note: There are five options in 'Quality'. However, selectable options are limited depending on the media type.
   
   
3. Select 'Auto', 'Dither', or 'Diffusion' from the 'Halftoning' section.

Here's the solution from Canon USA:

Issue: Banded or streaked prints
Solution: Print Head Alignment MP530

Perform Print Head Alignment Instructions to perform a Print Head Alignment directly from the machine. If diagrams or ruled lines are misaligned, print head alignment is required. The print head alignment can be performed automatically or manually. If the automatic print head alignment does not work, adjust the print head manually. Automatic Print Head Alignment

1. Press <ON/OFF> to turn on the machine.
   
   
2. Load a few sheets of letter-sized plain paper in the auto sheet feeder.
   
   
3. Press the Open button to open the Paper Output Tray. Then open up and set the extension by pressing down the hollow on the front side.
   
   
4. Execute automatic print head alignment.
   
5. 1. Press <COPY> button.
      
   2. Press <Menu> repeatedly to select [MAINTENACE].
      
   3. Press the left or right cursor to select [AUTO HEAD ALIGN], then press the <OK>. (A pattern is printed and the print head is automatically aligned. It takes about five minutes to finish printing the pattern.)
      
      
      
      

Manual print head alignment

1. Press <ON/OFF> to turn on the machine.
   
   
2. Load two sheets of Letter-sized plain paper in the auto sheet feeder or cassette.
   
   
3. Ensure that the proper paper source is selected.
   
   
4. Execute manual print head alignment.
   
5. 1. Press <Menu> repeatedly to select [MAINTENACE].
      
   2. Press the left or right cursor to select [ALIGN PRINT HEAD], then press the <OK>. (The nozzle check pattern is printed.)
      
      
6. Check the printed patterns and use the left or right arrow to input the number of the pattern in column A that has the least noticeable streaks.
   
   
   
   
7. Press <OK> to move the cursor to column B, and then use the left or right arrow to input the number of the pattern that has the least noticeable streaks.
   
   
8. Repeat the procedure until you finish inputting the pattern number for column P.
   
   
   
   
9. When you have finished inputting all pattern numbers, press <OK>.
   
   Note: For columns A through N select the patterns with the least visible vertical streaks. For columns O and P select the patterns with the fewest visible horizontal streaks.
   
   
   
   <1> Example of the pattern with the fewest visible vertical streak
   
   <2> Example of the pattern with the most visible vertical streak
   
   
   
   <1> Example of the pattern with the fewest visible horizontal streak
   
   <2> Example of the pattern with the most visible horizontal streak
   

Hope this helps - fotobean

Here's a solution from Canon USA:

Issue: Banded or streaked prints
Solution: Print Head Alignment MP530

Perform Print Head Alignment Instructions to perform a Print Head Alignment directly from the machine. If diagrams or ruled lines are misaligned, print head alignment is required. The print head alignment can be performed automatically or manually. If the automatic print head alignment does not work, adjust the print head manually. Automatic Print Head Alignment

1. Press <ON/OFF> to turn on the machine.
   
   
2. Load a few sheets of letter-sized plain paper in the auto sheet feeder.
   
   
3. Press the Open button to open the Paper Output Tray. Then open up and set the extension by pressing down the hollow on the front side.
   
   
4. Execute automatic print head alignment.
   
5. 1. Press <COPY> button.
      
   2. Press <Menu> repeatedly to select [MAINTENACE].
      
   3. Press the left or right cursor to select [AUTO HEAD ALIGN], then press the <OK>. (A pattern is printed and the print head is automatically aligned. It takes about five minutes to finish printing the pattern.)
      
      
      
      

Manual print head alignment

1. Press <ON/OFF> to turn on the machine.
   
   
2. Load two sheets of Letter-sized plain paper in the auto sheet feeder or cassette.
   
   
3. Ensure that the proper paper source is selected.
   
   
4. Execute manual print head alignment.
   
5. 1. Press <Menu> repeatedly to select [MAINTENACE].
      
   2. Press the left or right cursor to select [ALIGN PRINT HEAD], then press the <OK>. (The nozzle check pattern is printed.)
      
      
6. Check the printed patterns and use the left or right arrow to input the number of the pattern in column A that has the least noticeable streaks.
   
   
   
   
7. Press <OK> to move the cursor to column B, and then use the left or right arrow to input the number of the pattern that has the least noticeable streaks.
   
   
8. Repeat the procedure until you finish inputting the pattern number for column P.
   
   
   
   
9. When you have finished inputting all pattern numbers, press <OK>.
   
   Note: For columns A through N select the patterns with the least visible vertical streaks. For columns O and P select the patterns with the fewest visible horizontal streaks.
   
   
   
   <1> Example of the pattern with the fewest visible vertical streak
   
   <2> Example of the pattern with the most visible vertical streak
   
   
   
   <1> Example of the pattern with the fewest visible horizontal streak
   
   <2> Example of the pattern with the most visible horizontal streak
   

Hope this helps - fotobean.

Perform Print Head Alignment Instructions to perform a Print Head Alignment directly from the machine. If diagrams or ruled lines are misaligned, print head alignment is required. The print head alignment can be performed automatically or manually. If the automatic print head alignment does not work, adjust the print head manually. Automatic Print Head Alignment

1. Press <ON/OFF> to turn on the machine.
   
   
2. Load a few sheets of letter-sized plain paper in the auto sheet feeder.
   
   
3. Press the Open button to open the Paper Output Tray. Then open up and set the extension by pressing down the hollow on the front side.
   
   
4. Execute automatic print head alignment.
   
5. 1. Press <COPY> button.
      
   2. Press <Menu> repeatedly to select [MAINTENACE].
      
   3. Press the left or right cursor to select [AUTO HEAD ALIGN], then press the <OK>. (A pattern is printed and the print head is automatically aligned. It takes about five minutes to finish printing the pattern.)
      
      
      
      

Manual print head alignment

1. Press <ON/OFF> to turn on the machine.
   
   
2. Load two sheets of Letter-sized plain paper in the auto sheet feeder or cassette.
   
   
3. Ensure that the proper paper source is selected.
   
   
4. Execute manual print head alignment.
   
5. 1. Press <Menu> repeatedly to select [MAINTENACE].
      
   2. Press the left or right cursor to select [ALIGN PRINT HEAD], then press the <OK>. (The nozzle check pattern is printed.)
      
      
6. Check the printed patterns and use the left or right arrow to input the number of the pattern in column A that has the least noticeable streaks.
   
   
   
   
7. Press <OK> to move the cursor to column B, and then use the left or right arrow to input the number of the pattern that has the least noticeable streaks.
   
   
8. Repeat the procedure until you finish inputting the pattern number for column P.
   
   
   
   
9. When you have finished inputting all pattern numbers, press <OK>.
   
   Note: For columns A through N select the patterns with the least visible vertical streaks. For columns O and P select the patterns with the fewest visible horizontal streaks.
   
   
   
   <1> Example of the pattern with the fewest visible vertical streak
   
   <2> Example of the pattern with the most visible vertical streak
   
   
   
   <1> Example of the pattern with the fewest visible horizontal streak
   
   <2> Example of the pattern with the most visible horizontal streak
   

I hope it helps!!!

My rep advised that if this problem is occuring when using the feeder, the small glass strip to the left of the glass can have some sort of either high lighter or white out stuck to it. He suggests cleaning this with some alcohol.