Question 1

why is my brother printer printing everything with a weird green or purple tint all of a sudden?

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS This is a color calibration issue. The printer's understanding of color balance has drifted, often after a cartridge change, head cleaning, or just over time. It's not a clog, it's a software/alignment problem. FIX You need to run the automatic color calibration. On the printer's control panel, press the 'Settings' button. Navigate to Maintenance > Adjustment > Color Calibration. The printer will print a test page, scan it, and adjust itself. Make sure you use plain white paper and place the printed page face-down on the scanner glass exactly as instructed on the screen. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK If the colors are still wildly off, perform a 'Print Head Alignment' from the same Maintenance menu. This aligns the physical positions of the color dots. Run both the automatic and, if prompted, alignment for the best results. HEADS UP For the calibration to work, the scanner glass must be spotlessly clean. Any smudge or dust on the glass where it scans the calibration page will be interpreted as part of the print, leading to incorrect adjustments.

Question 2

i replaced the ink tanks but my brother printer still says 'ink empty' and won't print

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS The printer hasn't recognized that new, full tanks are installed. This is usually because the little chip on the tank isn't making contact, or the printer's internal ink level counter wasn't reset. FIX First, power the printer on. Open the ink cover and press down firmly on each INKvestment tank until you hear a definite 'click'. Close the cover. The printer should start a churning noise as it initializes the ink system. Wait for it to finish. If the message persists, go to the LCD menu: Settings > General Settings > Ink > Reset Ink Levels. Follow the prompts. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK You might have a defective tank or a dirty chip. Take the tank out and look at the copper-colored contacts on the front. Wipe them gently with a dry, lint-free cloth. Also check the corresponding contacts inside the printer for any ink splatter or debris and clean them carefully with a dry cotton swab. HEADS UP Only use genuine Brother INKvestment tanks (model LC5139XX for the J4335DW). Third-party or refilled tanks often have incompatible or faulty chips that the printer will reject, leaving you stuck.

Question 3

the scanner on my brother mfc j4335dw is making a loud grinding noise and won't scan

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS That's the sound of the scanner carriage struggling to move. Something is physically obstructing it, usually a bit of paper, a stuck original, or the carriage has come off its track. FIX Turn off and unplug the printer. Open the scanner lid and the document feeder (if you have one). Look along the glass and the white bar that runs underneath the lid—that's the scanner carriage path. Remove any paper, paper clips, or debris. Manually try to slide the scanner carriage (it's under the glass, you'll see it as a black strip with a lens) from side to side very gently. It should move smoothly. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK If the carriage is completely seized, there might be a broken belt or a motor issue. This isn't a user-serviceable part. The next step is contacting Brother support, as the scanner unit is a single assembly. HEADS UP Never force the scanner carriage. If it's hitting a hard stop, you're likely to strip the plastic gears or break the belt. If manual movement feels gritty or catches, it's a hardware failure.

Question 4

j4335dw won't connect to wifi anymore after a router change, can't even find it in the wireless setup

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS The printer's wireless module is probably still trying to connect to your old network's SSID (name). It won't broadcast itself for setup until it's explicitly told to look for a new network or reset. FIX The easiest way is to connect it temporarily via USB to a computer. Use the Brother software (like ControlCenter) to access the settings and run the wireless setup wizard from there. If you don't have the software, you can do it from the panel. Press the 'Wi-Fi' button on the front. Use the arrow keys to navigate to 'Network' > 'WLAN' > 'Setup Wizard'. Let it search for your new network and enter the password. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK You may need to reset the network settings. On the panel, go to Network > Network Reset. Confirm. This will wipe all network info. Then immediately run the Wireless Setup Wizard again as if it were brand new. HEADS UP If your new router is broadcasting on Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) only or using WPA3-only security, this older printer might not be compatible. You may need to enable a legacy mode (like 802.11n/g) or WPA2 on your router's settings for it to connect.

Question 5

my brother inkvestment printer is printing really blurry or streaky, even after running the head cleaning

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS The built-in print head cleaning cycle often isn't aggressive enough if the nozzles have been clogged for a bit. The ink in the INKvestment tanks can sometimes get a little thick if not used regularly. FIX Don't just run the cleaning utility over and over—it wastes ink. Go into your printer's settings menu on the LCD screen. Navigate to Maintenance > Print Head Cleaning. Run the 'Standard' cleaning once. Print a nozzle check pattern (also in the Maintenance menu). If it's still bad, run the 'Deep Cleaning' cycle. Wait an hour, then print another nozzle check. It often takes a few hours for the cleaning fluid to work. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK If one color is completely missing or severely distorted, the issue might be with that specific INKvestment tank. Try removing it, checking the air vent (the little hole on top) isn't blocked, and re-seating it firmly. A faulty tank can fail to supply ink properly. HEADS UP The deep cleaning cycle uses a significant amount of ink. If you're doing them back-to-back, you might drain a color tank faster than you expect, especially if the clog is severe.

Question 6

printer says 'paper jam' but i've checked everywhere and there's no paper stuck, brother mfc-j4335dw

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS This is almost always a tiny scrap of paper you can't see, or a sensor flag that didn't spring back into place. The sensors are in the paper path from the tray all the way to the back. FIX Power off and unplug. Open the rear cover (the one on the back). Shine a flashlight in there and look for any shreds of paper. Gently pull out anything you see. Next, open the scanner unit (the whole top lid) and look at the paper path from above. Check the rollers near the duplex unit (if you have one installed). Manually rotate all the white rollers you can see with your fingers to check for resistance. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK The jam detection sensor itself might be stuck. With the power off, locate the small, usually orange or black, plastic lever arms along the paper path (especially inside the rear cover area). Gently flick each one a few times with your finger to make sure it moves and snaps back freely. HEADS UP Never use metal tools or excessive force to pull out paper. You can easily tear the paper and leave a fragment, or worse, scratch a roller or dislodge a sensor.

Question 7

my brother j4335dw just flashes 'wait' on the screen and won't do anything else, what gives?

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS Yeah, this one's common. The printer is stuck in its startup or self-maintenance cycle, often because the print head is parked or it's trying to initialize a cartridge that it doesn't like. FIX First, just turn it off at the power switch and unplug it from the wall for a full two minutes. This forces a hard reset. While it's off, open the front cover and check that the print head carriage moves freely—give it a gentle nudge if it's stuck. Plug it back in, turn it on, and let it go through its full, noisy startup dance. Don't touch any buttons until the 'wait' message clears. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK The 'wait' message can also get stuck if there's a problem with a cartridge chip. Try removing and firmly re-seating all the ink cartridges. Make sure they're the Brother INKvestment cartridges (the big tanks) and that you've peeled off the clear protective tape from the chip. HEADS UP If you interrupt the startup cycle by opening a cover or pressing buttons while it says 'wait', you'll often make it start over and wait longer. Patience is key with this step.

Brother MFC-J4335DW INKvestment Printer

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