If you are having difficulty with your machine, If you are having difficulty with your machine -9, 13 - 9 troubleshooting and routine maintenance – Brother MFC-640CW User Manual
Page 152
 
13 - 9 TROUBLESHOOTING AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE
If you are having difficulty with your machine
If you think there is a problem with your machine, check the chart 
below and follow the troubleshooting tips. 
The Brother Solutions Center offers the latest FAQs and 
troubleshooting tips.
Visit us at.
DIFFICULTY
SUGGESTIONS
Printing
No printout
Check the interface cable connection on both the machine and your 
computer.
Check the machine is plugged in and On/Off key turned On.
One or more ink cartridges are empty. (See Replacing the ink cartridges 
on page 13-26.)
Check to see if the LCD is showing an error message. (See Error 
messages on page 13-1.)
Poor quality print.
Check the print quality. (See Checking the print quality on page 13-16.)
Make sure the Printer Driver or Paper Type setting in the menu matches 
the type of paper you are using. (For Windows
®
users, see Media Type
on page 1-5 in Software User’s Guide on the CD-ROM or for Macintosh
®
users, Media Type on page 8-3 in Software User’s Guide CD-ROM.)
Make sure your ink cartridges are fresh. Cartridges remain fresh for up 
to two years if kept in their original packaging, after that the ink may 
become clogged. Cartridge expiration dates are printed on the package. 
Try using the recommended types of paper. (See About paper on page 
1-9.) 
The recommended environment for your machine is between 68°F and 
91°F. (20°C - 33°C)
White horizontal lines appear 
in text or graphics.
Clean the print head. (See Cleaning the print head on page 13-15.)
Try using the recommended types of paper. (See About paper on page 
1-9.) 
If horizontal bands appear when using plain paper, use the 'Enhanced 
Normal Printing' mode to help avoid banding on some types of plain 
paper. In the printer driver 'Basic' tab, click 'Settings,' and check 
'Enhanced Normal Printing.'
If you continue to have horizontal bands, change the Media Type 
selection to 'Slow Drying Paper' in the printer driver 'Basic' tab to help 
enhance the print quality.
The machine prints blank 
pages.
Clean the print head. (See Cleaning the print head on page 13-15.)
Characters and lines are 
stacked.
Check the printing alignment. (See Checking the printing alignment on 
page 13-18.)
Printed text or images are 
skewed.
Make sure the paper is loaded properly in the paper tray and the paper 
side guide is adjusted correctly. (See How to load paper, envelopes and 
post cards on page 1-14.)