MF731cdw - Error “Could not perform correction” and “Could not perform cleaning”

[imagirlgeek]

Printer:  MF731cdw

OS: Windows 10 (because the print quality from my Mac is horrible and I gave up trying to fix it)

Drivers: Latest drivers from Canon website

Firmware: Latest from Canon website, dated 3-7-19

Initial Problem:

My prints started coming out faded down the entire left side of the sheet.  So I decided to start with running some of the maintenance options.

- Auto Adjust Gradation, both Full and Quick, sound like they are running but a few seconds later I get the error “Could not perform correction”.  Adjust Copy Image displays the error immediately.

- Correct Print Color Mismatch - Works.

- Clean Fixing Assembly (Rdc Back Side Staining) - Error “Could not perform cleaning” immediately displayed.

- Clean Fixing Assembly - Error “Could not perform cleaning” immediately displayed.

- Clean the ITB - Works

- Clean the Feeder - Works

 The black toner is almost brand new, but the color toners were all at the ‘Prepare new toner’ stage, so I replaced all the color toner with genuine Canon toner.  Now it’s worse and I still can’t run any of the maintenance and cleaning jobs listed above.  I know it’s recognizing the new toner because they are showing up correctly (mostly) in the portal.  The blue and pink are at 100%, but yellow is at 90%.  No idea how I could have used 10% of the yellow toner since I put it in. 

I just don’t know what to do at this point.  Now the print quality is not usable and I can’t run many of the jobs that I assume would correct the problems?  I’ve had this printer for about a year and a half and am sure I have spent more time trying to fix this printer than I have actually getting good quality prints. I’ve been in the tech industry for over 20 years and have never seen a printer that was so hard to work with.

[imagirlgeek]

After spending way too much time trying to fix this on my own, I finally called the tech support line yesterday.  The support person was really nice, so this is not at all a reflection on him.  However, after I explained the problem, and what I had been trying to do to fix it, he walked me through the exact things I had already tried (by following the troubleshooting steps in the manual).  One new thing he had me do was remove all the toner cartridges and then load them in one at a time, checking the Consumables information each time before adding the next toner cartridge.  This confirmed that the printer was recognizing the toner cartridges correctly.  Then we went through the Auto Adjust Gradation job.  It failed.  Since the blue toner was the one not showing up on test prints, he had me pull that cartridge out and put the old one back in.  This time the Auto Gradation job ran, but the print put thick blue bars through every part of the printout that had color.  

Conclusion:

Apparently I have a bad toner cartridge, OR it is now too old to use.  I bought it in July of this year, so about 6 weeks ago.  I purchased new toner when the printer gave me the message "Prepare new toner".  What I didn't know is that if I didn't use these new toner cartridges within a 30 day window, and any of them are bad, I'm just stuck with the faulty $100 toner cartridge, and now have to buy another one.  Lesson learned.  At this point, I'm reluctant to put anymore time or money into this printer.  Maybe it's the printer, or maybe it's just me, but in the 18 months I've had this printer, it's been a problem to work with.  I don't think I'll be buying another Canon product for a while, if ever.  If the quality of the printouts was good, and the issues were few, it would be different. But this printer has been subpar all around and required far more time trying to get it to work, than it actually just working.

For the record, the initial problem I was having...the printouts being faded all the way down one side of the sheet hasn't been addressed.  So, I have that problem PLUS the problem with the faulty cartridge.  So if I buy another blue cartridge, I'm still going to have the faded printout problem.  I know it's not the blue cartridge causing that because the fade is still there despite which cartridges I have loaded...old or new. 

[verena]

I could have written this post. This printer is without a doubt the worst laserjet I have ever owned. It ghosts and smudges constantly. I am having the same problem with it saying "cannot perform cleaning." I've owned Okidata and HP laser printers previously, and have never had the tone in the cartridges go bad. I didn't even know that was a thing. I've had this thing less than a year, and it's useless.

[Brad2468]

Similar problems as above except my toners are 40,50.50 and 50%.    1st Canon lazer color I ever owned.  The print quality was very nice when I bought it just over 3 or so years ago.  I expected more, maybe I'm wrong?  I've spent $693 to print 2473 single page jobs, or $0.281 per page!  More much more IF you consider the amount of time I've spent trying unsuccessfully to improve print quality.

  This machine is printing so light and streaky it is hard to read a spreadsheet.  Best Buy needs to stop selling Canon to the public.

I'm going back to disposable $100 inkjets

[CJAM]

I've had the same experience on ImageClass MF642Cdw so it seems that entire class of printers is faulty. As for calling technical support, I live in Canada so good luck with that!

[CJAM]

Al of these negative comments by all respondents on this query are reflective of my own sad experiences with this Class of Classless printers. Caveat Emptor? Rather I would say, Once Bitten...

[ksawatzk]

My previous Brother color laser was a workhorse with no problems for over 10 years.  I regret dumping it for my current Canon MF743, it's been difficult since I got it set up.  Yes, I have cheaper cartridges.  If I'd have bought genuine I could (would/should) have bought a new Brother color laser.  :o(