# Color cartridge on my Lexmark Z515 printer won't print
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/color-cartridge-on-my-lexmark-z515-printer-wont-print/290803
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [February 18, 2005, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/color-cartridge-on-my-lexmark-z515-printer-wont-print/290803 "2005-02-18T22:15:01Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)
#### Post date: [February 18, 2005, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/color-cartridge-on-my-lexmark-z515-printer-wont-print/290803/1 "2005-02-18T22:15:01Z")
I’ve got a Lexmark Z515 hooked up to my computer which I use to do the occasional iron-on transfer when I print. I have refilled the cartridges two or three times. On the most recent refill, the black cartridge worked fine, but the color cartridge wouldn’t print. I figured the nozzles were clogged, so I gave them a good soaking in a nozzle-declogging solution and the ink seemed to flow out readily onto a paper towel, but they still wouldn’t print.
So I cleaned the surfaces on the printer that make contact with the print catridges when it prints. Still no color printing. So I got curious and switched the color cartridge with the black cartridge, and I got nice three-color output where the black type was supposed to be, and nothing where the color was supposed to be.
So I’m figuring it’s either a software problem or some simple mechanical switcheroo. Push comes to shove, I can always buy a new printer, but money is tight and I’d rather fix it if I can. Anybody come across a proble like this in the past?
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### Author:  [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2005, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/color-cartridge-on-my-lexmark-z515-printer-wont-print/290803/2 "2005-02-23T15:05:09Z")
bump.
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### Author:  [@Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazon_Floozy_Goddess)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2005, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/color-cartridge-on-my-lexmark-z515-printer-wont-print/290803/3 "2005-02-23T17:13:58Z")
I’d say to spring for a new colour cartridge and try that first. I know Lexmark cartridges aren’t cheap, but they are a lot cheaper than a new printer. Since you’ve refilled your current one several times, there is a chance that something may be wrong with it - even with refilling, cartridges still have a pretty limited life.
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### Author:  [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2005, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/color-cartridge-on-my-lexmark-z515-printer-wont-print/290803/4 "2005-02-23T20:06:20Z")
> [@Amazon Floozy Goddess](#):
>
> I’d say to spring for a new colour cartridge and try that first. I know Lexmark cartridges aren’t cheap, but they are a lot cheaper than a new printer. Since you’ve refilled your current one several times, there is a chance that something may be wrong with it - even with refilling, cartridges still have a pretty limited life.
I think I’ll spring for a new printer. If the cartridge was the problem, why did it print just fine when it was placed in the container for the black ink cartridge? My fear is that if I spring for just the cartridge, I’ll wind up having to buy the printer, too.
It’s not as if I haven’t gotten my money’s worth out of the current printer, I’m just greedy.
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### Author:  [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)
#### Post date: [February 23, 2005, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/color-cartridge-on-my-lexmark-z515-printer-wont-print/290803/5 "2005-02-23T21:00:46Z")
Sorry I have nothing really constructive to add, just wanna point out that I have had nothing but problems with **my** Lexmark color cartridges, to the point where we finally bought a HP printer for our color printing, and I just use the Lexmark black cartridge for various non-important projects (lists of Sunday School memory verses, etc.) And when the Lexmark goes flooey, we will not buy another one.
Same thing as you describe–color cartridge failure for no particular reason. I **did** discover, along the way, that if you bought it at Staples, and you kept the receipt, that when it failed at only 1/3 or even 1/2 of the way used-up, Staples would simply replace it for you, no charge.
At least, that was a couple years ago, they may have changed in since then, it’s been that long since I used a color cartridge in the Lexmark.
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### Author:  [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2005, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/color-cartridge-on-my-lexmark-z515-printer-wont-print/290803/6 "2005-02-24T15:44:56Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#):
>
> I’ve got a Lexmark Z515 hooked up to my computer which I use to do the occasional iron-on transfer when I print. I have refilled the cartridges two or three times. On the most recent refill, the black cartridge worked fine, but the color cartridge wouldn’t print. I figured the nozzles were clogged, so I gave them a good soaking in a nozzle-declogging solution and the ink seemed to flow out readily onto a paper towel, but they still wouldn’t print.
>
> So I cleaned the surfaces on the printer that make contact with the print catridges when it prints. Still no color printing. So I got curious and switched the color cartridge with the black cartridge, and I got nice three-color output where the black type was supposed to be, and nothing where the color was supposed to be.
>
> So I’m figuring it’s either a software problem or some simple mechanical switcheroo. Push comes to shove, I can always buy a new printer, but money is tight and I’d rather fix it if I can. Anybody come across a proble like this in the past?
It’s been a few years since I did tech support on these printers (not this model though, it’s a newer one), but I’ll see if I can help.
First of all, I’m surprised that you were able to sucessfully refill a cartridge, especially a color cartridge. But since the color cartridge works in the black slot, the problem seems to be with the printer. If the printer’s out of warranty, check the ribbon cable that connects the printers motherboard to the carrier. It seems that the color part of the carrier isn’t getting any signals.
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### Author:  [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2005, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/color-cartridge-on-my-lexmark-z515-printer-wont-print/290803/7 "2005-02-24T18:45:51Z")
> [@Duck Duck Goose](#):
>
> Sorry I have nothing really constructive to add, just wanna point out that I have had nothing but problems with **my** Lexmark color cartridges, to the point where we finally bought a HP printer for our color printing, and I just use the Lexmark black cartridge for various non-important projects (lists of Sunday School memory verses, etc.) And when the Lexmark goes flooey, we will not buy another one.
>
> Same thing as you describe–color cartridge failure for no particular reason. I **did** discover, along the way, that if you bought it at Staples, and you kept the receipt, that when it failed at only 1/3 or even 1/2 of the way used-up, Staples would simply replace it for you, no charge.
>
> At least, that was a couple years ago, they may have changed in since then, it’s been that long since I used a color cartridge in the Lexmark.
I really have no complaints about Lexmark printers. I’ve been using them for years, and I always get several refills out of each cartridge. Normally four to six. This one failed at the third refill, so you can see why I’m miffed. 😉
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### Author:  [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2005, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/color-cartridge-on-my-lexmark-z515-printer-wont-print/290803/8 "2005-02-24T18:47:00Z")
> [@Rucksinator](#):
>
> It’s been a few years since I did tech support on these printers (not this model though, it’s a newer one), but I’ll see if I can help.
>
> First of all, I’m surprised that you were able to sucessfully refill a cartridge, especially a color cartridge. But since the color cartridge works in the black slot, the problem seems to be with the printer. If the printer’s out of warranty, check the ribbon cable that connects the printers motherboard to the carrier. It seems that the color part of the carrier isn’t getting any signals.
I’ll check that cable. As I said earlier, I’ve had absolutely no difficulty refilling Lexmark cartridges. It takes about an hour and it can get messy but it’s not at all difficult if you follow instructions.