Epson Stylus SX230 series / SX235W series / SX430W series / SX440W series Revision B
Confidential
Troubleshooting Troubleshooting Workflow 11
 If the reason for the return is evident, first check the phenomenon user 
claims recurs, then proceed to the troubleshooting.
 This flowchart is compiled based on the following contents. 
• Our experience regarding the quality problem.
• ESK’s repair data.
• Printer Mechanism specification for Epson Stylus SX230 series / 
SX235W series / SX430W series / SX440W series.
Fatal error
Please refer to 
" 1.3 Fatal Error Code 
List (p14)"
.
Maintenance error
[Occurrence Condition]
This error occurs when 
maintenance counter in EEPROM 
exceeds the specified value.
[Major Occurrence Timing]
• Power-on timing
• Print start timing
• Cleaning timing
• Ink Cartridge replacement 
timing
[Troubleshooting]
• Porous Pad replacement & 
Maintenance counter reset
Ink End error
[Occurrence Condition]
This error occurs when ink in Ink 
Cartridge is empty.
[Major Occurrence Timing]
• Power-on timing
• Print start timing
• Cleaning timing
• Ink Cartridge replacement 
timing
[Troubleshooting]
• Ink Cartridge replacement
Ink Cartridge error
[Occurrence Condition]
This error occurs when the Ink 
Cartridge failed.
[Major Occurrence Timing]
• Power-on timing
• Print start timing
• Cleaning timing
• Ink Cartridge replacement 
timing
[Major Troubleshooting]
• Remove and reinstall Ink 
Cartridge
• Ink Cartridge replacement
• CSIC Terminal (Holder Board 
Assy) replacement 
• Holder Board Assy 
replacement
• Head FFC replacement
• Main Board replacement
No Ink Cartridge error
[Occurrence Condition]
This error occurs when Ink 
Cartridge is not installed.
[Major Occurrence Timing]
• Power-on timing
[Troubleshooting]
• Ink Cartridge installation
Paper Jam Fatal error
[Occurrence Condition]
This error occurs when CR Unit is 
blocked by jammed paper.
[Major Occurrence Timing]
• Power-on timing
[Major Troubleshooting]
• Remove jammed paper
[NOTE]
On this product, if CR Unit 
touches jammed paper, CR Unit 
moves back in the opposite 
direction so that customer can 
remove the paper. However, if CR 
Unit cannot move in this 
sequence, this error occurs.
Paper Jam error
[Occurrence Condition]
This error occurs when top/
bottom of paper is not detected by 
PE Sensor in the specified steps of 
paper loading / ejecting operation 
correctly.
[Major Occurrence Timing]
• Power-on timing
• Paper loading timing
• Paper eject timing
[Major Troubleshooting]
1 Perform paper eject operation 
from operation panel.
• Success
Starts paper feeding 
operation again if printer has 
print data.
•Fail
Occurs paper jam error 
again.
2 If fail in the above 1, remove 
the paper by opening Scanner 
Unit.
3 Perform paper eject operation 
from operation panel again.
• Success
Starts paper feeding 
operation again if printer has 
print data.
•Fail
Occurs paper jam error 
again.
4 If fail in the above 3, check 
foreign material / part come-
off / PE Sensor Lever / PE 
Sensor / Porous Pad on Paper 
Guide Front / Main board.
No Paper error
[Occurrence Condition]
This error occurs when top of 
paper can not be detected 
correctly by PE Sensor in the 
specified steps up to completion 
of the paper loading operation.
(No paper / No loading / large 
paper skew)
[Major Occurrence Timing]
• Paper loading timing
[Major Troubleshooting]
1 Set paper in ASF and perform 
paper feed operation.
2 If the paper stops before 
reaching PE Sensor, remove it 
and check the paper condition.
3 A) If paper is OK, set paper in 
ASF and move edge guides to 
appropriate position, and 
perform 2 again.
B) If damage in the above 2,
check foreign materials / 
parts come-off / parts
transformation in paper
path.
4 If not resolved by 3-A & 3-B, 
check foreign material / Part 
come-off / surface condition of 
LD Roller or PF Roller / PE 
Sensor Lever / PE Sensor / 
Main Board / PF Motor.
Double Feed error
[Occurrence Condition]
When manual duplex printing is 
selected using the printer driver, 
this error occurs if the actual 
paper length detected by PE 
Sensor does not match with the 
paper length specified in the 
printer driver. (The error occurs 
when the actual length is longer 
than the theoretical length 
specified in the driver.)
[Major Occurrence Timing]
• Paper loading timing
• Paper eject timing
[Troubleshooting]
• PE Sensor Lever replacement
• PE Sensor replacement 
(Main Board replacement)
• Main Board replacement
[NOTE]
This error may occur in the 
manual duplex printing if the 
inverted sheet printed on the first 
side sticks to the second sheet 
when the first side printing is 
complete and the sheet is inverted 
and set to ASF to print on the 
other side.
Paper Size Unmatch error
[Occurrence Condition]
This error occurs if the actual 
paper length detected by PE 
Sensor does not match with the 
paper length specified in the 
printer driver. (The error occurs 
no matter when the actual length 
is longer or shorter than the 
theoretical length specified in the 
driver.)
[Major Occurrence Timing]
• Paper eject timing
[Troubleshooting]
• PE Sensor Lever replacement
• PE Sensor replacement 
(Main Board replacement)
• Main Board replacement
No Power
*2
[Presumable Cause]
• PS Unit damage
• Main Board damage
[Major Troubleshooting]
• PS Unit replacement
• Main Board replacement
Poor Printing
[Phenomenon]
• Poor printing quality
• Ink stain on paper
•Dot missing
• Paper eject without printing
[Presumable Cause]
• Driver / Panel mis-setting
• Contamination of CR scale
• Contamination of Printhead 
cover
• Printhead damage
• Ink clogging of Printhead
• Contamination on Cap Unit / 
Wiper of Ink System Assy
• Ink System Assy damage
• Float of Porous Pad on Paper 
Guide Front
• Narrower/Wider PG 
(out of standard)
• PE Sensor Lever damage
• PE Sensor damage
[Major Troubleshooting]
• Driver / Panel re-setting
• CR Scale replacement
• Printhead cover cleaning
• Printhead cleaning
• Ink Cartridge replacement
• Printhead replacement
• Rubber cleaning of Cap Unit
• Ink System Assy replacement
• Porous Pad re-installation
• Printer replacement
• PE Sensor Lever replacement
• PE Sensor replacement 
(Main Board replacement)
Poor Paper Loading
[Presumable Cause]
• Use of 3rd party media
• Edge guide mis-setting
• Foreign material
• Part come-off
• Contamination of LD Roller or 
PF roller
[Major Troubleshooting]
• Recommendation of EPSON 
media
• Edge guide re-setting
• Foreign material removal
• Part re-installation
• Roller replacement
Abnormal Noise
[Presumable Cause]
• Foreign material
• Insufficient grease
•Gear damage
[Major Troubleshooting]
• Foreign material removal 
• Lubrication of grease
• Gear replacement
Scanner failure
[Presumable Cause]
• Contamination of Scanner Glass
• Contamination of Document Pad
• CIS Unit bonding failure
• CIS Unit damage
• Scanner Motor damage
• Insufficient grease
[Major Troubleshooting]
• Scanner Glass cleaning
• Document Pad cleaning
• Document Pad replacement
• CIS Unit replacement
• Scanner Motor replacement
• Lubrication of grease
Finish
*3
Turn on the power
*1
1
1
Major problem without error message
Print check pattern
Is printing operation 
finished without trouble?
Start
No
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
*1: If the Hopper of ASF on the returned product touches the LD Roller, the initial ink charge has 
not been completed for the product yet.
*2: If the printer can turn on but turns off right away, the protection circuit may cut off the power 
due to an error such as a circuit failure.
*3: In case of “Not Trouble Found”, check fatal error code.
Major problem with error message
Major problem without 
error message
Is Power-on sequence 
finished without error?
No
Is scanning operation 
finished without trouble?
Standby condition
Does printer turn on the 
power?
Copy an image
Does an error occur 
when printing?
No
Yes