Confirm the displayed code
An alternating E and 3, with the Resume and Ink Alert lights blinking, indicates a stalled carriage on this model. The carriage is the assembly holding the ink cartridges. E4 is the separate paper-jam code. Use the actual code and symptoms rather than assuming every paper problem is E3.
Step 1:Try Cancel, then disconnect power
Press Cancel if an active job or error can be cancelled, and wait for movement to stop. If the obstruction remains, turn the printer off and disconnect power before opening the cartridge-access door or putting a hand into the mechanism.
Step 2:Inspect the carriage path
Open the cartridge-access door and look for paper or foreign objects with a flashlight. Remove accessible obstructions gently, taking care not to tear paper into small fragments. Do not pull on the clear strip, wiring or other internal parts.
If the carriage moves freely while power is disconnected, slide it carefully to inspect the rest of its path and then move it to the right as HP specifies. Never force it if locked or stuck. HP explicitly says not to use tools to remove jammed paper.
Step 3:Check accessible paper entrances if needed
Look for paper protruding from the input or output tray. Gently remove reachable jammed paper without yanking it and check for torn pieces. Leave the input-tray shield in place; it helps prevent debris entering the printer.
The recording’s vague underside reference does not establish an approved bottom-disassembly procedure, so none is included. If material is inaccessible, use HP support rather than opening unspecified panels.
Step 4:Close, reconnect and check the result
Close the cartridge-access door, reconnect power and turn on. If the obstruction has been cleared, press Resume when prompted and try a small job. Confirm that E3 clears and the carriage can operate normally.
If the error persists with no accessible obstruction, stop and use the model’s support guidance. The recording does not demonstrate an actual repaired fault, and this code alone does not prove that new ink or a new printer is required.
