dell a940 printer error messagr 0502

roosevelt · 04-06-2006, 09:40 PM

I am receiving error message 0502 when print is attempted on my dell a940. What do I need to do?

**Terrister** · 04-08-2006, 11:58 AM

This error has been a real problem on the Lexmark printers. Lexmark makes Dell's printers.
1st check the metal bar the cartriges move back and forth on. If there is not enough lube the printheads will hang, causing this error. The other way you ge this error is if the plastic strip gets out of place. If this is it, post back and I'll get you instuctions on how to fix this.

dummyncc · 05-10-2006, 08:50 PM

Just had the same error code show up on my Dell desktop the other day just after replacing the black cartridge. After several conversations with Dell Tech Support in India, I think, It was ascertained that the problem was a stip in the back of the printer. Dell Tech Support forwarded me to a link how to adjust the strip. I followed the instructions and ended up with the strip in my hands. Call Support once again and was told the machine is not fixable. So I'll be out tomorrow for a Brother, Epsom, HP or somebody else's printer. Now I won't have to go to Dell for cartridges. The old printer, makes a great doorstop for my daughters room.

P.S. To top it all off, Dell had sent the wrong cartridges.

dummyncc · 05-10-2006, 08:55 PM

This is for Terrister.
How can I get the Dell A940 apart to get the strip back in? It is not broke. It just became disconnected to whatever it is supposed to be attached to. Thanks

klotom · 11-13-2007, 04:21 PM

I am having the same error code 0502. My error comes only when trying to print in color. Can the strip cause only one of the heads in the carriage to malfunction

techtwo · 12-11-2008, 12:42 PM

This is for Terrister.
I'm having the same error code "0502". The plastic strip is out of place and hanging out. Could you please provide instuctions on how to fix this, as stated above. I need all the help I can get. Please contact me via e-mail as I do not get to the forum regularly. Thank You & Happy Holidays

MistySkye · 01-16-2009, 11:45 AM

this is for techtwo if you get back here again...I read this earlier...it helped.

http://blog.forret.com/2006/02/lexmark-printers-with-hardware-error-0502/

I think they explain how to put things back together.....

As for everyone else, that lands on this post in the future......I had this error on my Dell A940 (all in one)
I cleaned the rail bar with a light furniture oil, (that is what I had) and restarted the printer, it seems to work fine. Maybe if yours is super dirty, you will have to clean again, after letting it slide over it a few times...and furniture oil probably isn't the best choice, but it did work for me.....i slid the thing back and forth to clean the whole bar with oil.
I also took the cartridges out and put them back in....just to be sure they were in properly.

Also, if you guys break that part it is probably fixable, so don't pitch it yet, or replace the cartridge unless your PC says that it is empty anyways....look at the link above, read the comments, its there somewhere.....it seemed to help for that part of the issue. I suppose if you have been getting the error for a while and have just been rebooting the printer, it may compound the problem, and cause the paper jams, that make the thing fall apart like that..that is what I was doing when it only printed one page (rebooting each page).....when it couldn't print at all, i googled it....but read a lot of unsolved posts, too.....the Dell AIO is kinda a POS,

but their tech page is worse!

This also applies to some lexmark printers with error code 0502

04-06-2006, 09:40 PM	#1 (permalink)
roosevelt Registered User Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 1 OS: windows xp	dell a940 printer error messagr 0502 I am receiving error message 0502 when print is attempted on my dell a940. What do I need to do?

04-08-2006, 11:58 AM	#2 (permalink)
Terrister Moderator Hardware Forum Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: West Georgia, USA Posts: 7,098 OS: Xp	This error has been a real problem on the Lexmark printers. Lexmark makes Dell's printers. 1st check the metal bar the cartriges move back and forth on. If there is not enough lube the printheads will hang, causing this error. The other way you ge this error is if the plastic strip gets out of place. If this is it, post back and I'll get you instuctions on how to fix this. __________________

05-10-2006, 08:50 PM	#3 (permalink)
dummyncc Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 2 OS: XP	Dell A940 printer error code 0502 Just had the same error code show up on my Dell desktop the other day just after replacing the black cartridge. After several conversations with Dell Tech Support in India, I think, It was ascertained that the problem was a stip in the back of the printer. Dell Tech Support forwarded me to a link how to adjust the strip. I followed the instructions and ended up with the strip in my hands. Call Support once again and was told the machine is not fixable. So I'll be out tomorrow for a Brother, Epsom, HP or somebody else's printer. Now I won't have to go to Dell for cartridges. The old printer, makes a great doorstop for my daughters room. P.S. To top it all off, Dell had sent the wrong cartridges.

05-10-2006, 08:55 PM	#4 (permalink)
dummyncc Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 2 OS: XP	A940 Printer error code 0502 This is for Terrister. How can I get the Dell A940 apart to get the strip back in? It is not broke. It just became disconnected to whatever it is supposed to be attached to. Thanks

11-13-2007, 04:21 PM	#5 (permalink)
klotom Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1 OS: XP	Re: dell a940 printer error messagr 0502 I am having the same error code 0502. My error comes only when trying to print in color. Can the strip cause only one of the heads in the carriage to malfunction

12-11-2008, 12:42 PM	#6 (permalink)
techtwo Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 1 OS: xp sp2	Re: dell a940 printer error messagr 0502 This is for Terrister. I'm having the same error code "0502". The plastic strip is out of place and hanging out. Could you please provide instuctions on how to fix this, as stated above. I need all the help I can get. Please contact me via e-mail as I do not get to the forum regularly. Thank You & Happy Holidays Last edited by techtwo; 12-11-2008 at 12:48 PM. Reason: Requesting contact method

01-16-2009, 11:45 AM	#7 (permalink)
MistySkye Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1 OS: Vista sp1/ XP sp3	Re: dell a940 printer error messagr 0502 this is for techtwo if you get back here again...I read this earlier...it helped. http://blog.forret.com/2006/02/lexmark-printers-with-hardware-error-0502/ I think they explain how to put things back together..... As for everyone else, that lands on this post in the future......I had this error on my Dell A940 (all in one) I cleaned the rail bar with a light furniture oil, (that is what I had) and restarted the printer, it seems to work fine. Maybe if yours is super dirty, you will have to clean again, after letting it slide over it a few times...and furniture oil probably isn't the best choice, but it did work for me.....i slid the thing back and forth to clean the whole bar with oil. I also took the cartridges out and put them back in....just to be sure they were in properly. Also, if you guys break that part it is probably fixable, so don't pitch it yet, or replace the cartridge unless your PC says that it is empty anyways....look at the link above, read the comments, its there somewhere.....it seemed to help for that part of the issue. I suppose if you have been getting the error for a while and have just been rebooting the printer, it may compound the problem, and cause the paper jams, that make the thing fall apart like that..that is what I was doing when it only printed one page (rebooting each page).....when it couldn't print at all, i googled it....but read a lot of unsolved posts, too.....the Dell AIO is kinda a POS, but their tech page is worse! This also applies to some lexmark printers with error code 0502 Last edited by MistySkye; 01-16-2009 at 12:09 PM.