Brother Printer Has Streaks [Why & How to Fix]

If your Brother Printer has streaks, then read this article to find out why it does and how you can fix it within minutes.

Why Is my Brother Printer Streaking? [Reasons]

If your Brother Printer is streaking, then the following could be the reasons:

1. Use of Non-Genuine Brother Printer Components

Failure to use genuine Brother Component supplies could cause the “Brother Printer black stripes down paper” issue.

Brother Printers are designed to deliver top-quality printing provided you use recommended genuine Brother Components. These components include drum unit, toner cartridges, and ink cartridges.

To correct this issue, always use Brother Supplies for your printer. Besides, the use of non-Brother supplies could make your printer warranty void.

2. Dirty Scanner

If your printer has an Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) and it is dirty, it could cause your Brother Printer black streaks problem.

You can easily correct this issue of your Brother printer producing lines on a scan by wiping the scanner glass strip with a soft dry lint-free cloth.

3. Dirty Corona Wire

Brother printer color streaks could be a result of a dirty corona wire. To fix streaks on Brother Printer, all you need to do is clean the corona wire.

How to Clean Brother Printer Corona Wire

The following steps will show you how to clean Brother Printer corona wire…

Step 1: Confirm which color is causing your Brother printer ink streaking problem. You can do this by reviewing previously printed jobs that have streaks.

To solve Brother printer red streaks, yellow streaks, and blue streaks problems, you must do this step.

Step 2: Turn off the printer and unplug it from the outlet.

Step 3: Open your printer’s front cover

Step 4: Pull out the drum unit from your printer using the green handle.

Make sure you pull out the drum unit until it can’t be removed any further.

Step 5: Pull the toner cartridges out of the drum unit.

Carry out this step by holding the cartridge’s holder, then push it slightly into the printer to unlock it.

Make sure you remove the toner cartridge that is responsible for the Brother Printer streaks on paper issue. Hence, the reason we asked you to do step 1.

Step 6: Open the corona wire cover by pushing the release latches.

Step 7: Slide the green tab within the drum unit from its original left position to the right to clean the corona wire. You have to do this severally to ensure the wire is clean.

Once you are done, return the green tab to its original position.

Step 8: Close the corona wire cover and push back the release latches in place.

Repeat steps 6 and 7 to clean the other corona wires.

Step 9: After cleaning all four corona wires, reinsert the cartridge into your printer’s drum unit, and then place the drum unit back into the printer and close the front cover.

Step 10: Plug your printer into the outlet and turn it on.

Step 11: Run a test print to see if the issue is fixed.

4. Dirty Drum Unit

 “Brother Printer vertical streaks” is a common problem encountered on laser-colored printers, and one of the causes is a dirty drum unit. Hence, to solve the problem of your Brother printer leaving streaks, you have to clean the drum unit thoroughly.

How to Clean Brother Printer Drum Unit

Follow the steps below to clean the Brother Printer drum unit to solve the problem of Brother laser printer printing streaks:

Step 1: Confirm which color is causing the Brother Printer ink streaking problem. You can do this by reviewing previously printed jobs that have streaks.

Step 2: Turn off the printer and unplug it from the outlet.

Step 3: Open your printer’s front cover

Step 4: Pull out the drum unit from your printer using the green handle.

Make sure you pull out the drum unit until it can’t be removed any further.

Step 5: Remove the drum unit from your printer.

To do this, simply rotate the lock lever counterclockwise which is located at the left of your printer. This action will cause the drum unit to be unlocked. Then pull out the drum unit using the green handle.

Step 6: Take out all the four toner cartridges from the drum unit and keep them on a flat surface.

We advise you put a piece of paper under the toner cartridges to contain toner spillage.

Step 7: Turn the drum unit upside down with the green handles. The gears must be located on the left when you do this.

Step 8: Locate the drum roller of the toner responsible for your Brother Printer printing with streaks.

Having done step 1, you ought to know which color toner is streaking.

Step 9: Turn the gear of the drum roller with your finger.

While doing this, check for anything that might be on the drum roller such as a label, dust, sticky substance, etc.

Step 10: If you find any of the above on the roller, then you need to clean it.

And if you don’t find anything, then you still have to clean it.

Step 11: To clean the drum roller, take a dry cotton pad and wipe the drum unit.

Doing this should clean the drum unit and also remove substances on the drum roller.

Step 12: If the substance refuses to come off, clean it off with an isopropyl alcohol pad.

Step 13: Turn the drum unit over to its proper position.

Step 14: Reinsert all the cartridges in their rightful place according to their color.

Step 15: Place the green lock lever in the release position so that you can reinsert the drum unit back into your printer.

Step 16: Reinsert the drum unit completely into your Brother printer.

Step 17: Close your printer’s front cover.

Step 18: Plug your printer back into the outlet and turn it on.

Step 19: Then run a test print to see if the problem is fixed.

Cleaning your printer’s drum unit can also fix the issue of Brother Printer leaving white streaks.

Check out the video below for a visual explanation of the steps above

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5. Damaged Toner Cartridge – Brother Printer Has Streaks

If you are still asking “Why is my brother printer leaving streaks?” after cleaning the corona wire and the drum roller, then your toner cartridge might be damaged.

Hence, the solution to fixing your Brother Printer toner streaks issue is to replace the toner cartridge.

How to Replace Brother Printer Toner Cartridge

The following steps will guide you on how to replace Brother Printer toner cartridge to fix the problem…

Step 1: Confirm which color is causing your Brother Printer ink streaking problem. You can do this by reviewing previously printed jobs that have streaks.

Step 2: Turn off the printer and unplug it from the outlet.

Step 3: Open your printer’s front cover

Step 4: Pull out the drum unit from your printer using the green handle.

Make sure you pull out the drum unit until it can’t be removed any further.

Step 5: Remove the drum unit from your printer.

To do this, simply rotate the lock lever counterclockwise which is located at the left of your printer. This action will cause the drum unit to be unlocked. Then pull out the drum unit using the green handle.

Step 6: Take out the faulty toner cartridge.

Step 7: Put the new toner cartridge into the drum unit.

Step 8: Place the green lock lever in the release position so that you can reinsert the drum unit back into your printer.

Step 9: Reinsert the drum unit completely into your Brother printer.

Step 10: Close your printer’s front cover.

Step 11: Plug your printer back into the outlet and turn it on.

Step 12: Then run a test print to see if the problem is fixed.

6. Damaged Drum Unit

Another reason for your “my brother printer prints streaks” complaint is that your drum unit might be damaged.

Therefore, to fix a black line on a Brother printer, you need to replace the drum unit.

How to Replace Brother Printer Drum Unit

The steps below will show you how to replace Brother Printer Drum unit to fix the issue of Brother Printer lines on paper:

Step 1: Turn off the printer and unplug it from the outlet.

Step 2: Open your printer’s front cover

Step 3: Pull out the drum unit from your printer using the green handle.

Make sure you pull out the drum unit until it can’t be removed any further.

Step 4: Remove the drum unit from your printer.

To do this, simply rotate the lock lever counterclockwise which is located at the left of your printer. This action will cause the drum unit to be unlocked. Then pull out the drum unit using the green handle.

Step 5: Take out all the four toner cartridges from the drum unit and keep them on a flat surface.

We advise you put a piece of paper under the toner cartridges to contain toner spillage.

Step 6: Get the new drum unit. And make sure you get a genuine Brother drum unit.

Step 7: Install the toner cartridges into the new drum unit.

Step 8: Place the green lock lever in the release position so that you can insert the drum unit into your printer.

Step 9: Insert the drum unit completely into your Brother printer.

Step 10: Close your printer’s front cover.

Step 11: Plug your printer back into the outlet and turn it on.

Step 12: Then run a test print to see if the problem is fixed.

7. Contaminated Fuser Unit

If this is responsible for your Brother Printer leaving streaks, then only a qualified technician can deal with this.

Therefore, we recommend that you contact Brother Customer Service or your printer dealer.

You can use the solution above for the following Brother printer models if they leave streaks: Brother MFC-l8900cdw, Brother MFC-l3770cdw, Brother MFC-l8850cdw, Brother MFC-9130cw, and Brother MFC-9340cdw.