Question 1

it says 'Replace Ink' for a color but the INKvestment tank still looks half full.

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS The printer's ink level detection isn't reading the physical tank; it's estimating based on page count and cleaning cycles. The sensor for the INKvestment tanks can get dust or ink mist on it, or the estimation software just gets out of sync. FIX Ignore the message and keep printing until you actually see print quality degrade (streaks, fading). The message is a warning, not a hard stop. You can usually press 'OK' or 'Stop/Exit' to bypass it and continue printing. The printer will let you run the tank much lower than the warning suggests. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK If the message is persistent and won't let you print, try resetting the ink level monitoring. Turn the printer off. Open the front cover and hold down the 'Go' (triangle) button while turning the printer on. Keep holding the button until all LEDs light up, then release. This can recalibrate the system. HEADS UP Don't remove and re-seat the ink tanks unnecessarily trying to 'reset' it—this can introduce air into the lines and cause real printing problems. Only remove a tank when you're genuinely replacing it with a new one.

Question 2

the paper keeps jamming in the back, right where it feeds in. every single time.

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS Constant jams at the rear feed (the main paper tray) are usually caused by worn or dirty pickup rollers. These rubber rollers get smooth and glossy over time and lose their grip, causing misfeeds and jams. FIX Open the rear paper feed tray. Remove all paper. You'll see a set of black rubber rollers inside. Clean them with a lint-free cloth dampened with a little water. For better grip, you can try using a rubber rejuvenator product or, as a temporary fix, lightly roughen the surface with a clean pencil eraser. Also, make sure you're using paper that isn't damp, curled, or outside the recommended weight (16-28 lb bond is safe). IF THAT DIDN'T WORK The pickup rollers or the separation pad might be worn out and need replacement. These are consumable parts. You can order a replacement pickup roller kit (Brother part number varies) and install it yourself with some careful disassembly following a service manual or video guide. HEADS UP When clearing a jam, always pull the paper out in the direction of paper travel (the way it was going), never straight up or backwards, to avoid tearing pieces off inside the paper path.

Question 3

prints come out with weird horizontal streaks or missing colors, even after cleaning.

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS This is almost always clogged ink nozzles in the printhead. The ink has dried in the microscopic jets, blocking the flow. The built-in cleaning cycles might not be strong enough. FIX Run the printer's deep cleaning utility. On the control panel, press the 'Settings' button, navigate to 'Maintenance', then 'Clean Print Head'. Choose 'Deep Cleaning'. This uses more ink and takes longer but can clear moderate clogs. Print a nozzle check pattern afterwards (also in Maintenance) to see if it improved. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK For stubborn clogs, you need to manually clean the printhead. You'll have to remove the ink tanks, then the printhead itself. Dampen a lint-free cloth with distilled water and gently dab (don't rub) the nozzle area on the bottom of the printhead. Let it sit for a few minutes, reinstall, and run a cleaning cycle. HEADS UP Don't use tap water, alcohol, or window cleaner on the printhead—they can damage it. And be prepared to waste a non-trivial amount of ink from your INKvestment tanks during deep cleaning cycles.

Question 4

wireless setup is a nightmare, it just won't find my network during installation.

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS The printer's wireless setup process is finicky, especially with certain router settings like WPA3 or 5GHz-only bands. It often fails if the network name (SSID) or password has special characters. FIX First, try the WPS method if your router has a WPS button. Press the WPS button on your router, then within 2 minutes, press and hold the Wi-Fi button on the printer's control panel until the network light flashes. It should connect. If not, use a USB cable for the initial setup to configure the wireless through the Brother software on your computer, which is more reliable. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK Temporarily change your router's settings. Disable WPA3 and use WPA2 only. If you have a dual-band network (2.4GHz and 5GHz), make sure the printer is trying to connect to the 2.4GHz band—this printer doesn't support 5GHz. You might need to temporarily create a simpler network name and password without spaces or symbols. HEADS UP After setup, you can revert your router to your preferred security settings. The connection should persist. If it drops later, a power cycle of both the router and printer usually sorts it out.

Question 5

getting 'Unable to Clean' error 46, how do i fix this?

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS Error 46 means the printer's automatic printhead cleaning cycle failed. Something is physically preventing the carriage (printhead) from moving to the cleaning position, or a sensor isn't detecting it correctly. FIX Turn the printer off. Open the front cover and the ink cartridge access door. Check for any obvious obstructions like a stuck piece of paper or a fallen pen. Gently move the printhead carriage (the part that holds the ink tanks) from side to side by hand—it should move freely. If it's stuck, carefully clear whatever is jamming it. Close everything and power back on. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK The issue could be with the encoder strip (the clear plastic strip the carriage uses to position itself). If it's dirty, the carriage can get lost. Power off, then gently clean the strip with a damp lint-free cloth (water only, no cleaners), and let it dry completely before turning the printer on. HEADS UP Be extremely careful around the printhead and the carriage. Don't touch the copper-colored contacts or the nozzles, and don't use excessive force when moving it manually.

Question 6

why is my scanner making a horrible grinding noise when it tries to move?

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS The scanner carriage (the part that moves under the glass) is hitting an obstruction or its movement is jammed. Often it's a small piece of paper, a paperclip, or a dried blob of glue that fell into the scanner bed area. FIX Unplug the printer. Open the scanner lid and the document feeder (if it has one). Look along the white scanner strip (the guide rail) on the left side inside for any debris. Gently wipe the rail with a dry, lint-free cloth. Manually try to move the scanner carriage from the center; it should glide smoothly. Remove any visible obstruction carefully. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK The carriage might have come off its track or a plastic part inside has broken. You'll likely need to disassemble the scanner assembly to re-seat it, which is a delicate process best left to a repair shop if you're not comfortable. HEADS UP Never force the carriage. If it's stuck, applying too much pressure can strip the plastic gears or break the drive belt, turning a simple fix into a major replacement.

Question 7

keeps saying 'Ink Tank Full' and won't let me print, but the tanks look fine?

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS Yeah, this one's common. The waste ink absorber pad inside the printer is at or near its estimated capacity limit. It's a maintenance part designed to catch excess ink from cleaning cycles. FIX You need to reset the waste ink counter. On this model, you enter a service mode: With the printer on, press and hold the 'Go' (triangle) button for about 10 seconds until all the LEDs light up. Then press the 'Go' button 9 times. The printer will reset the counter and restart. This clears the message so you can print again. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK If the message returns very quickly, the physical waste ink pad might actually be saturated. You'll need to open the printer to check it and potentially replace the pad, which is a more involved repair. HEADS UP Resetting the counter doesn't empty the physical pad. If ink starts leaking from the bottom of the printer, that's the pad overflowing, and you need to stop using it and replace the pad immediately to prevent a mess and damage.

Question 8

my brother mfc j4535dw won't turn on at all, no lights, nothing. is it just dead?

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS The printer isn't getting power. The most common culprit is the power cord connection, either at the wall or the back of the printer, coming loose or failing. FIX First, unplug the power cord from both the wall outlet and the back of the printer. Wait 30 seconds. Firmly reconnect the cord to the printer first, ensuring it's fully seated, then plug it into a known-good wall outlet (test it with another device like a lamp). The printer should power on. If it does, you likely just had a bad connection. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK If there's still no life, try a different power cord if you have a compatible one. If a new cord doesn't work, the internal power supply unit (PSU) has likely failed and needs replacement by a technician. HEADS UP Don't just try a different outlet on the same power strip—plug directly into a wall socket to rule out a faulty strip or surge protector.

Brother MFC-J4535DW INKvestment All-in-One

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