Apple Color StyleWriter Pro Troubleshooting Guide

Color StyleWriter Pro (Apple Service Source drawing)

Fault-finding for the Apple Color StyleWriter Pro, from the LED tables and symptom charts in Apple's Color StyleWriter Pro Service Source and the user's guide. Apple lists the cures in order of likelihood; try them in turn and refit the original module before moving on if a swap did not help. Where a cure replaces the controller board, carriage board, power supply or ink absorber plates, the Color SW Pro Utility must then be run (see general maintenance).

The lights

The front of the printer has a power light and an error light.

Front lights (user's guide, p. 52)

Lights	Meaning
Both off	No power: check the cord and the outlet
Error light steady	Out of paper, or a misfeed
Error light blinking	The print head lid may be open: switch off, lift the cover and close the lid firmly so that both sides latch
Power light flashing on first switch-on	The printer is preparing the print head, which takes 5-7 minutes; leave it on

Under the cover, six LEDs on the controller board (error, power, and K, C, M and Y ink) give the technician more detail. In normal use an ink LED lights for an error elsewhere than the print head and blinks for a print head error. Apple's error table maps light patterns to these conditions: paper empty or jam, ink absorber plate error, ink cartridge empty (the empty colour blinks), carriage control error, recovery error, home position sensor error, linear encoder error, cleaner sensor error, paper feed motor error, cut sheet feeder sensor error, thermistor error, ROM error, RAM error, ink absorber full error, EEPROM error, gate array error and print head error. The individual light patterns are drawn in the table on PDF page 24 of the Service Source.

Error conditions

Error LED symptom chart (Service Source, pp. 29-34)

Error	Cures, in Apple's order
Paper jam or error	Pull the paper out in the direction of output. Use specified media only. Stack the paper against the left of the tray and set the guide. Check the rollers; clean or replace them. Look for foreign objects in the paper path. Replace the controller board
Ink cartridge empty	Replace the cartridge. Clean the print head. Purge the print head. Replace the purge unit. Replace the controller board
Carriage control error	Check the carriage path for obstructions. Replace the carriage motor, then the linear encoder, the home position sensor, the carriage ribbon cable and the controller board
Carriage home position sensor error	As for carriage control error
Linear encoder error	Check that the encoder is fitted the right way round. Replace the encoder. Replace the controller board
Cleaner sensor error	Replace the purge unit. Replace the carriage unit. Replace the controller board
Paper feed motor error	Replace the paper feed motor. Replace the controller board
Ink absorber plate error, or plate full	Replace the ink absorber plates and run the utility
Cut sheet feeder sensor error	Check the paper path. Check that the scale holder and shaft spring at both sides of the carriage hold it properly. Check the bushing on the left of the printer frame; without it the platen and roller do not seat. Replace the cut sheet feeder. Replace the controller board
Thermistor error	Replace the carriage ribbon cable. Replace the carriage board
ROM, RAM, EEPROM or gate array error	Replace the controller board
Print head error	Make sure the print head cover is fastened down. Clean the print head. Replace the print head. Replace the carriage ribbon cable. Replace the carriage board
Recovery error	Check that the paper feed clutch on the right of the platen is in the correct position

Power and operation

Operation symptom chart (Service Source, p. 25)

Symptom	Cures, in Apple's order
No power	Check the power cable connections. Replace the power cord. Replace the fuse. Replace the power supply
Does not print	Switch on and restart the computer. Check the interface cable. Replace the printer driver
Long wait at first start-up	Normal: the printer takes 5-7 minutes to prepare the print head the first time

Warning: the internal power supply carries mains voltage. It is removed after the covers and cut sheet feeder, by unplugging JPOW1 from the controller board, freeing the wires from their tabs and loosening two screws; the fuse sits under its own cover. Apple lists the fuse only by part number (922-0180, 125 V; 922-0181, 250 V), with no current rating, and gives no output voltages. A replacement supply needs the print head resistance check and the Color SW Pro Utility.

Paper

Paper symptom chart (Service Source, pp. 26-27)

Symptom	Cures, in Apple's order
Paper sticks together	Remove excess sheets. Use specified media. Check Page Setup. Fan the paper
Paper skews	Remove excess sheets. Use specified media. Stack the paper against the left side and set the guide. Check the rollers; clean or replace them
Jam while loading	Remove the paper carefully by hand
Jam inside or during output	Pull the paper out in the direction of output, not back towards you

Print quality

Print quality symptom chart (Service Source, p. 28)

Symptom	Cures, in Apple's order
Missing dots or white streaks	Run the nozzle check and print head cleaning. Make sure the cartridges are set firmly. Use specified media. Replace the print head unit. Replace the carriage board. Replace the controller board
Blurring or smudging	Move the print head position lever fully down. Use specified media. Check the print head position and align it if needed. Clean the print head

Apple's guide treats a missing or faded colour as the sign that a cartridge needs changing; the cartridges are translucent, so the level can also be checked by eye.

Related pages

• Apple Color StyleWriter Pro
• Apple Color StyleWriter Pro General Maintenance
• Color StyleWriter Pro Service Source