OKI Printer Paper Jam: Safe Removal Steps

When an OKI printer jams, the ATTENTION light comes on, printing stops, and the display shows a message like "Paper jam has occurred" along with a three-digit code such as 391 or 382. Sometimes the crumpled sheet is sitting right there in the tray. Other times it tore on the way through, and the piece holding everything up is hidden near the image drums or the fuser.

The good news is that OKI printers are pretty direct about where the problem is. That code on the screen is a map. Read it first, go straight to the matching area below, and you'll usually be printing again in a few minutes without taking anything apart that didn't need it.

A quick note: Printer Tales is an independent troubleshooting resource and isn't affiliated with OKI. OKI stopped selling printers in the US, Canada, and Latin America in 2021, so most OKI printers in American offices today are a few years old. OKI still posts the user manuals and drivers for them on oki.com, and the steps on this page follow those official procedures.

Read This Before You Reach Inside an OKI Printer

OKI printers use LED print heads and green image drums instead of a single toner cartridge, and that changes how you should handle a jam. A few rules keep a simple fix from turning into a replacement part:

• Stay away from the fuser while it's hot. The fuser is the heated unit near the back that bonds toner to the page. OKI's manuals warn that it's extremely hot and can burn you right after printing. If the jam is near the back or the exit, give the printer several minutes before you reach toward it.
• Treat the image drums like film. The green cylinder on each drum is fragile and light sensitive. OKI says not to leave a drum out for 5 minutes or more, even under normal room lighting, and never in direct sunlight or strong light. Set removed drums on a flat surface and lay a sheet of paper over them while you work.
• Don't touch the green drum surface. Fingerprints and scratches on it show up later as marks on every page.
• Pull slowly and never force it. OKI's instructions repeat this for a reason. A sheet yanked out fast tears, and the torn strip becomes your next jam. Hold both sides of the page and ease it out in the direction the manual shows.
• Leave the printer on for now. OKI's own jam procedures don't ask you to switch the printer off. Once the paper is out, closing the cover is what clears the error.

What Your OKI Printer's Jam Code Means

Most current OKI models show a message plus a three-digit code. The numbers are grouped by area, and they follow the same pattern across a lot of OKI's lineup:

Exact assignments shift a little between models, so if the code on your screen isn't here or doesn't seem to match, search your model number and the code in OKI's online manual. Older OKI models may show a short message instead of a code, like "Open Upper Cover" with a paper jam note, which means the same thing: the path under the top cover needs checking.

Fix 1: Clear the Stuck Paper From the Right Spot

Go to the section that matches your code. If there's no code, start with the tray and work down the list, since trays are where most jams begin and they're the easiest to check.

Paper Tray Jam (Codes 391 to 394)

1. Pull out the tray named on the display.
2. Take hold of both ends of the jammed sheet and pull it out slowly. On most models it comes out downward, toward the open tray slot.
3. If there's no sheet caught at all, the printer probably failed to pick up the paper rather than jamming it. Take a few sheets out of the tray and check that the paper stopper and side guides are snug against the stack.
4. Push the tray back in.
5. Open the front or top cover and close it again. OKI's procedure asks for this even if the whole sheet came out through the tray, because it's what tells the printer the jam is cleared.

MP Tray Jam (Code 390)

1. Remove any paper still sitting in the MP tray. On models with a paper set cover, lift the cover first.
2. Open the front cover and gently pull out the jammed sheet by its edge.
3. If you can't see an edge, check from the back of the printer and ease it out from there.
4. Close the front cover, reload the MP tray with the print side facing up, and lower the paper set cover.

Jam Near the Image Drums (Codes 380 and 381)

1. Open the top cover, or on models built this way, open the front cover and then press the button to open the output tray. On all-in-ones, lift the scanner unit first.
2. Lift out the image drums by their handles and set them on a flat surface. On single-drum mono models, the toner cartridge comes out attached to the drum.
3. Cover the drums with a sheet of paper right away.
4. Look along the paper path. Pull out any sheet you see, slowly, while holding its leading edge.
5. If the sheet is caught deeper, lift the release levers on the fuser to loosen their grip, then ease the paper out toward the back of the printer.
6. Return the drums carefully, close the output tray or top cover by pressing firmly in the center, then close the front cover. On models with an output tray, the front cover won't latch until the tray is fully closed.

Fuser or Exit Jam (Codes 382, 383, and 385)

This is the one where heat matters, so let the printer cool before you start.

1. Open the covers and remove the image drums as described above, keeping them covered from light.
2. Pull out any paper you can reach without touching the fuser.
3. On models with a removable fuser, release the fuser lock lever and lift the fuser out by its handle. Then lift the release levers on the fuser and pull the paper out toward the front. OKI notes that pulling it toward the back can leave toner smudges on later prints.
4. If paper is still stuck in the printer, hold it by both sides and draw it out gently.
5. Reinstall the fuser, push its lock lever back into place, return the drums, and close everything up.

If a page is hanging halfway out of the exit, don't tug it from the front. It's still pinched by the fuser rollers, and pulling it through will tear it. Open the cover and free it from inside instead.

Duplex Unit Jam (Codes 370 to 373)

1. Go around to the back of the printer. Holding the recess in the center, pull the duplex unit up and out.
2. Look into the opening in the printer and remove any paper you find. If you can't see anything, check all the way to the back of the cavity.
3. Check both sides of the duplex unit itself and pull out any sheet caught there.
4. Open the small cover on top of the duplex unit, clear anything inside, and close it.
5. Slide the duplex unit back in until it's seated.

For code 372, also open the front cover and check there first. A sheet that misfed on its way back from the duplex unit is often visible right behind that cover.

Document Jam in the Scanner (All-in-Ones)

If the message mentions the ADF (automatic document feeder), the jam is up top, not in the print path. Open the ADF cover, pull the original out gently, and close the cover. The printer itself doesn't need to be opened.

When the Sheet Won't Come Out

Stop pulling. OKI's manuals give a safer way out: put the drums back, close all the covers, then switch the printer off and back on. When the motor starts turning during warm-up, it moves the paper, and you can take hold of the top edge and draw it out as it feeds.

OKI Printer Still Says Paper Jam After You Cleared It

If the message is still on the screen and you can't find any paper, one of these is almost always the reason:

• The cover wasn't opened and closed. On OKI printers, opening and closing the front or top cover is the step that clears the jam state. Pulling the tray out and pushing it back in isn't enough on its own.
• A torn scrap is still inside. When a sheet rips, a narrow strip can stay wedged near the drums or the fuser. Use a flashlight and look at the full length of the paper path, including the back of the cavity. OKI says to remove every fragment if the sheet came out torn.
• A cover or unit isn't fully seated. A drum that isn't all the way down, a fuser lock lever left forward, or a duplex unit pushed in at an angle can keep the error alive. Reseat each part and close every cover firmly.
• The paper already left on its own. On some models, code 401 means the printer may have pushed the sheet out by itself. Opening and closing the front cover clears it.
• The face-up stacker was opened mid-print. On models with a rear face-up stacker, opening it during a job causes a jam (code 409 on some models). Open the rear cover, remove the sheet, and leave the stacker alone until the job finishes.

If none of this clears it, switch the printer off, wait a minute, and turn it back on. A jam error that returns with nothing in the path, every time, points to a sensor or feed part that needs service rather than another round of clearing.

Fix 2: Clean the Paper Feed Rollers

The paper feed rollers are the rubber wheels that grab one sheet at a time and push it into the printer. Over time they pick up paper dust and lose their grip. OKI lists dusty feed rollers as a direct cause of frequent jams and recommends cleaning them whenever jams become a habit.

You'll need a soft, lint-free cloth and plain water. OKI warns against using benzine, paint thinner, or alcohol, because they can damage the printer's plastic parts.

Tray Rollers

1. Turn the printer off and unplug it.
2. Pull out the paper tray and take the paper out of it.
3. Dampen the cloth with water, then wring it out well. It should be damp, not wet.
4. Reach into the tray opening and wipe the feed rollers inside the printer. Turn them with your fingers as you go so you clean the whole surface.
5. Wipe the roller on the tray itself. Depending on the model, OKI calls this the feed roller or the separation roller.
6. Let everything dry, reload the paper, and slide the tray back in.

Do the same for any optional trays you use.

MP Tray Rollers

1. Open the MP tray. On many models you'll need to release a small tab on each arm so the tray can open fully and give you access to the rollers.
2. Open the paper set cover and wipe the feed rollers with your damp cloth.
3. If your model has a separation roller cover, open it and wipe the separation rollers too.
4. Be careful around the thin paper sensor lever near the rollers. It's easy to bend.
5. Close everything in the reverse order. On models with tabs, hook each tab back into place before closing the MP tray. OKI warns that closing it without doing so can crack the paper set cover.

If the jams stop for a while after cleaning and then come back, the rollers may be worn smooth rather than dirty. That's a replaceable part.

Fix 3: Match Your Paper Settings and Update the OKI Driver

An OKI printer adjusts its fuser temperature and feed behavior based on what it thinks is in the tray. When the setting doesn't match the paper, jams follow. This is especially true when paper wraps around the fuser rollers, which OKI links directly to wrong Media Weight and media type settings.

Set the Right Media Weight on the Printer

1. On the operator panel, go to Menus > Tray Configuration, then choose the tray you're using.
2. Open Media Weight and pick the setting that matches your paper.
3. If paper is still curling or wrapping around the fuser, OKI suggests trying the next heavier setting.

Menu names vary a little on older models, but the Media Weight and Media Type settings live under the tray settings on nearly all of them.

Use the Right Tray for Heavy Paper, Envelopes, and Labels

Envelopes, labels, and heavy cardstock are best fed from the MP tray, and on some OKI models it's required. Check the supported paper list in your user guide before loading anything unusual into a standard tray.

Check the Driver Settings

In the printing preferences on your computer, confirm that Paper Feeding Source points to the tray that actually has paper in it, and that the paper size and type match what's loaded. If you add optional trays, they also need to be turned on in the driver, or the printer won't feed from them.

Download the Latest OKI Driver

1. Find your exact model number on the label on the front or top of the printer.
2. Go to oki.com/us, then open Support > Drivers & Utilities.
3. Pick your printer category (for example, Color Printers or Mono Multifunction Printers), then your model.
4. Select your operating system and download the recommended driver.
5. Open the file from your Downloads folder and follow the prompts to install it.

A current driver won't fix a torn sheet or a dirty roller. What it does do is make sure the paper size, type, and tray choices on your computer line up with what the printer expects. Our OKI printer driver guide walks through choosing between PCL, PS, and universal drivers in more detail.

Why Your OKI Printer Keeps Jamming (and How to Prevent It)

One jam now and then is normal. If it happens every day, OKI's troubleshooting guides point to a short list of habits and conditions worth checking:

• The printer isn't level. OKI lists a tilted printer as a cause of jams, double feeds, and pages pulled in at an angle. Put it on a flat, solid surface.
• Damp or static-charged paper. Paper stored in a humid room or opened for weeks absorbs moisture and curls in the heat. Keep reams sealed and flat until you need them. Some OKI models also have a High Humid Mode under Print Adjust in the admin menu for damp environments.
• Paper that's too light, too heavy, curled, or creased. Stick to the weight range in your model's supported paper list.
• New paper stacked on old paper. Adding sheets on top of what's already in the tray is a classic cause of double feeds. OKI's advice is to take the old paper out, put it with the new stack, and align all the edges before reloading.
• Only one sheet in the tray. It sounds odd, but a single sheet can misfeed. Load several.
• Unfanned or uneven stacks. Fan the paper and tap the edges even before loading.
• Guides set loosely or too tight. The side guides and paper stopper should just touch the stack.
• Reusing printed paper in the wrong tray. On some OKI models, paper that's already been printed on one side can't go in the standard trays. Feed it from the MP tray instead.
• Heavy solid color along the top edge. A large, nearly solid area of toner at the leading edge can cause the page to stick to the rollers. Adding a margin to that edge of the document fixes it. For 2-sided jobs, add one to the bottom edge too.
• A rear cover or output tray not closed firmly. Double-check it after every jam.