There is a verticle black smudge line on the paper when printing. I changed toner cartridge but the smudge remains. What do I clean or replace to fix this?

Toner cartridge no longer any good. Needs to be replaced.

try to stop the sheet just before it enters the fuser and see if the marks are on the paper already. if not then it has to be the fuser if they are them you have another issue.

Hi Richard,
Dots, Lines and smudges on the printouts are usually due to deteriorating cartridges and cleaning the green drum of the cartridge may help temporarily. Take out the cartridge and inspect them. You may observe the lines on the green drum. Gently clean the roller/ green drum with a dry, soft, lint-free cloth wiping off the toner dots marks/ lines. (corresponding to the location where you are having a green line on the paper)
Also, make sure that the visible inside of the printer are clean and there is no spilled toner inside, which sometimes results in dots.
Moreover, streaks (thicker lines) and dots etc indicate faulty PCR Roller which is located behind the green drum inside the cartridge. Observing the PCR with the help of a sharp torch light would let you assess the condition of the PCRs at the corresponding location where lines are appearing. Replace the Cartridges one by one and inspect the prints for the changes. I think you would be able to identify the faulty cartridge/ rollers. Also, if the waste toner area is filled and/or the plastic wiper/ cleaning blade removes the leftover toner/ waste from the drum and holds the waste is worn out, it results in spilled toner usually at edges and at early stages lines only.
Moreover, the function of the fuser is to fuse the toner onto the paper and it is usually done at the end of the printing process just before the paper is ejected (and the image/ toner on the paper is just fused - not changed). The fault at the fuser area usually results in smudges, ghosted image or unbind toner (which easily gets erased when touched). The time during the printing cycle when the toner is spread on the paper, additional toner (resulting in lines) is shifted to the paper due to cartridge related issues, which results in lines. Note that after cleaning the rollers, the print quality improves and the lines disappear or lighten. Try and check if the above suggestions work.

Hope it helps! Good Luck! Thanks for using Fixya!
CreativeTECH

Problem is either the cartridge or the fuser.
Put paper in the manual feed tray(tray 1)
Print something. When the paper gets 1/2 way into the printer, open the
top cover. Pull out the toner, look down at the paper.
If it has the smudge replace the toner. If no smudge, replace the fuser.

If this just started after you replaced the toner cartridge, one would have to say that it is a bad toner cartridge.
Print something that smudges. Pull down the front cover and look at the cartridges. Pay attention to the top one(black).
Look at the drum on that cartridge. You should see the toner sitting there. Compare it to the other cartridges which should be clean.

How do I clean white or black spots on printed documents? Description: First make 10 to 15 copies of a blank, white sheet of paper.
If you still see the spots on printed documents after making multiple copies, clean the drum unit as follows:

1. Remove the drum unit and toner cartridge assembly, and then remove the toner cartridge from the drum unit.
   
2. Position the print sample in front of the drum unit so you will know the exact position on the drum that is causing the poor print.
   

3. Turn the black gear on the drum as you check the surface of the OPC drum.
   The OPC drum is photosensitive so do not touch it with your fingers.
   

4. When you find the substance on the drum surface that matches the print sample, gently dab the surface of the OPC drum with a cotton swab that is lightly dampened with isopropyl alcohol.
   
Note
• Do not use a scrubbing or wiping motion because this might damage the drum.
  
• Do not try to clean the surface of the OPC drum with a sharp object, such as a ball-point pen, because this might cause permanent damage to the drum unit.
5. If the print quality still has not improved you need to install a new drum.
   

Almost all print defects on any laser printer come from either the toner cartridge, or the area of the printer called the `fuser'. This is the area that heats and presses the toner into the paper, and is near the paper exit.
I would suspect the toner cartridge if it is a refill.
If you replace the toner and the problem remains, you will need to have the fuser replaced. This will cost more than a new printer.

This is the test to determine toner or fuser issue.
Print a test page
When you hear the paper feed into the machine open the top to stop the machine
Remove the toner cart.
You should be able to see the page with printing on it. (This is before the page hits the fuser)
If you can see the smudge or marks on the page the problem is most likely the cartridge but NOT the fuser.
If the page is clean the problem is most likely the fuser.
Hope this helps

Hmm... This sounds like it is a toner problem. If your roller is getting too much toner then it just globs it onto the paper even though the drum is not asking for it. Are you using a new toner cartridge or a re-filled one? Is it from Brother or a 3rd party? I suggest you remove the toner cartridge and check inside the printer. Clean any spilled toner. Check the toner cartridge for leaks .. give it a good shake and see if it is leaking. If you have another toner cartridge, you can replace it to test. You may need to pint a few pages to see a change. Another test could be to print a few (2-5) "BLANK" pages. The printer should not be depositing any toner. If no smudge or the smudge stays the same, then the toner cartridge is the likely problem. If the smudge is there, but gets smaller, then clean your printer.

Good luck!

That black dust that fell out is the toner. When you shake a toner cartridge that shouldn't happen. It looks like you have a faulty toner cartidge and that need to be replaced! Now to make your printer prints cleanly and clearly after you replace the cartridge, you'll need to get someone to service the printer(the faulty toner cartridge more than likely spilled toner on your internal printer parts, cause the smudges). Sevicing would mainly entail, taking down the printer and removing any spilt toner! If you feel you are up to this, be cautious, because toner can be hazardous to your health if you accidentally breathe it in! hope this was helpful! regards babb