Posted by Tracy_ME on 10/30/06 1:19pm
Msg #156201

Need Help with Brother Printer MFC-8460N

I keep getting message "toner life end". I have refilled the cartridge but the machine will not acknowledge that the toner is full. I have unpluged, rebooted, etc...

Before it "died", I was printing docs - first page printed fine - then went to gibberish. I printed about 100 pages of gibberish before I realized that there was a problem. Then machine went to "toner life end"

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

Reply by FAN_IL on 10/30/06 1:35pm
Msg #156202

I have a different Brother model so this may not be meaningful advice. You may want to clean the corona wire in the drum unit that holds the toner cartridge. On my unit, it's a blue tab that I slide back and forth a few times.

Barring that, call Brother tech support at 800-276-7746. They're pretty good, and they won't charge you for anything, although you may have to register your printer with them if you haven't already.

Reply by Tracy_ME on 10/30/06 1:47pm
Msg #156207

Thanks for the info.

I am registered but am afraid to call because I refilled the cartridge myself. I have done this before without a problem back in August. I was told that you can refill each cartridge twice. This is the second time I have filled it and I can't get around this error.

Reply by FAN_IL on 10/30/06 2:30pm
Msg #156228

I thought about that after I wrote, but I wouldn't worry about calling them. In my experience, they aren't like HP tech support. I'm pretty sure they'll help you, and I don't think it will affect your warranty if it's still in effect.

If you call, don't tell them you refilled the cartridge at first, if you think it will mitigate your warranty. I don't the refill is the problem. It's probably more that the printer isn't electronically registering a different level of toner in the cartridge.

They may have to help you reset all the settings on the printer, and if you do that, make sure you print out what the settings were before they reset. That way you can easily go back and enter what your original set up is.

For example, mine is set to print from the manual tray first, but the manual feed is off and the duplex setting is on. That's how I like it, but the factory settings are different.

So just make sure you can get it back to the way you have it if they set it back to the factory settings to get the toner to register.

Reply by christiSocal on 10/30/06 3:37pm
Msg #156248

I don't know if this will help, but you do have to dump out the old toner sometimes as well. Something about all the charge being gone out of it. (If I'm remembering the right word). I have refilled in the past and called brother too, without them saying anything about it.

Reply by Tracy_ME on 10/30/06 4:58pm
Msg #156266

Re: Thank You both

I will call them in the am. I ordered another cartridge from Staples tonight. (The nearest Staples/office max is 130 mile round trip.)

I have another laser printer but it is not a dual tray. Of course the dual tray died right as I began to print docs for a closing today. You can imagine my horror! I thought I was "all set" and was going to order another cartridge today anyway.

Thanks Again!

Reply by Tracy Wright Sandy River Tax Service on 10/30/06 6:35pm
Msg #156288

Re: I called Brother

They weren't able to help me. They want to send me a new printer. I have ordered a new toner cartridge tonight. I am going to try that first.

The customer service rep was great - tried a bunch of stuff. Still no go.

Thanks Again.

Reply by FAN_IL on 10/30/06 8:44pm
Msg #156316

Re: You probably don't need to buy a new printer

just because your current one can't read the level of toner. Is it printing okay?

You can use the page counter to basically gauge where you are in the use of the toner cartridge.

On the other hand, if it's under warranty and they want to send you a replacement printer that's new, lucky you!!! Take it!!

No harm, no foul.

Reply by Tracy_ME on 10/31/06 10:15am
Msg #156416

Re: You probably don't need to buy a new printer

Won't print, won't fax, ceased right up! Cannot get past "toner Life End" message. Have tried everything. Went through a bunch of stuff w/Brother CSR lsat night also. He recommended sending me another machine. The print quality was fine right up until it died!

I was hoping that it was just one of those "Monday" things. No such luck.