Xerox printers report trouble in two ways. Some problems get a plain message, like "Replace Toner Cartridge" or "Paper Size Mismatch." Others get a numeric fault code, such as 010-317, that points to a specific part of the machine. Either one gives you somewhere to start, and plenty of them come down to a supply, a paper setting, or a restart.
This page covers where to find the code, how to read it, and what to do about the errors that come up often: toner, fuser, paper, drum, scanner, and print job faults.
Where to find the error code on your Xerox printer
The message on the screen can be vague. The exact code, and the fault history behind it, are what you want before you look for a fix.
Read the screen and write it down. Note the full message and any code in the ###-### format, like 062-380. Add your model name, since Xerox writes most fault articles for specific models.
Check the control panel. On VersaLink and AltaLink printers, press Home, touch Device, then Notifications. Current faults and alerts are there, along with Fault History for past errors. On models with a Machine Status button, including many WorkCentre printers, press it and open the Faults or Active Messages tab.
Check from a computer. On the same network, type the printer's IP address into a web browser. The Home page lists current notifications, tray status, and supplies. On the VersaLink B400, B405, C400, and C405, an administrator can also open Fault History from Settings. The IP address is usually on the printer's home screen or a printed configuration report.
Search the code on Xerox's support site. Go to support.xerox.com, open your model's page, and search one code at a time.
If your computer says the printer is in an "error state" but the printer itself shows nothing, that's a separate issue. Our guide to the Xerox printer error state covers it.
How to read a Xerox fault code
Most Xerox office printers and multifunction machines show fault codes as three digits, a hyphen, and three more digits. The first three digits name the system involved. The last three pin down the specific fault. That's why 010-317 and 010-331 are both fuser problems, while 062-380 belongs to the scanner.
Some production presses and older machines use other layouts, like 12-3456, C12-345, or a module prefix such as PEM-12-3456. Even on the standard format, the same code can mean slightly different things from one model to the next, so match the code to your exact model before you act on it.
First three digits
What it usually points to
010
Fuser
016
Controller, firmware, user accounts, or the print job
024
Paper tray and paper size settings
062
Scanner lamp, glass, and document feeder
071, 077, 078
Paper feeding and paper jams
091
Drum cartridge and waste cartridge
092
Toner density (CTD) sensor
116
Controller software errors
This table is based on the codes Xerox documents in its own support articles. Treat it as a starting point, not a complete list.
Toner low or "Replace Toner Cartridge"
These are two different stages. Toner low is an early warning that the cartridge is running down. Replace toner means it's spent, or that the printer can't read the cartridge sitting in it.
To see where you stand, touch Device, then Supplies on a VersaLink or AltaLink touch screen. It shows how much life each cartridge has left, plus its part number. On LED-only models, watch the toner light. On the Phaser 3052 and 3260 it blinks orange when a small amount of toner is left and turns solid orange when the cartridge is near the end. Xerox's B210 guide describes the same behavior.
There's no fixed number of pages left after the warning. Administrators can set how early it appears, so it varies from printer to printer. Xerox's advice is to order a replacement as soon as you see it.
How to replace the cartridge
These steps are for the VersaLink C400 and C405. Other models are close, but check your model's guide for the details.
Check the part number on the new cartridge against your model. A cartridge made for another product can fit a machine without being the right one.
Press the release button and lower the front door.
Find the color named on the screen. From top to bottom the cartridges are yellow, magenta, cyan, and black. Pull that one out.
Unpack the new cartridge and rock it gently back and forth six times. Go easy, since shaking it hard can spill toner.
Line it up and slide it in until it clicks.
Close the front door and give the printer a moment to clear the message.
Wrap the old cartridge in the new one's packaging for recycling or disposal. If toner lands on your skin or clothes, brush it off or rinse with cold water and mild soap. Warm water and solvents make it harder to get out.
If the message stays after you've swapped it
Reseat it. Pull the cartridge out and push it back in until it clicks. Xerox lists this first.
Look for packing material. Leftover tape, film, or a tab on the cartridge, or debris inside the printer, can keep it from seating or being read.
Clean the contacts. Wipe the contact points on the cartridge and inside the printer with a dry, lint-free cloth.
Check that it's genuine and the right part number. Xerox points to this on several models.
Restart. Power off, wait 45 seconds, and power back on.
Try a second cartridge if you can get one. A defective cartridge is possible.
If none of that helps, the problem may be on the printer's side. See "When it's time to get help" below.
Xerox fuser error (010 codes)
The fuser is the heated assembly that bonds toner to the page, and Xerox files its faults under 010. A few examples from Xerox's support pages: 010-317 (fuser connection), 010-331 (fuser thermal error), and 010-397 (fuser error, reseat the fuser). The articles for these codes follow the same order: restart, inspect and reseat the fuser, then replace it.
Let it cool first. A fuser stays hot long after the printer stops. Xerox's fuser guides for the VersaLink B600 series and the WorkCentre 7100 and 7800 series say to wait about 40 minutes after powering off before you touch it. Power the printer off first, too. Xerox warns that removing the fuser while the machine is on can damage it.
What to try, in order
Restart the printer. Power off, wait about 45 seconds, and power on. If the code doesn't come back, you're done.
If it returns, power off and wait. Give it about 40 minutes before opening anything.
Open the fuser access door. Its location depends on the model, so check your guide.
Pull the fuser out and look it over. Use the handles or tabs, and loosen any locking screws first if your model has them. Check that no paper or debris is wound around the heat roll.
Reseat it. Push it back in until it locks, and tighten the screws if it has them. Xerox's steps stress that it has to be installed correctly.
Close up, power on, and print a test page.
Replace the fuser if the code keeps coming back. On many VersaLink and WorkCentre models this is a customer-replaceable part, and Xerox publishes the steps for each. Set the old unit on several sheets of paper so it doesn't mark your work surface. Some models then ask you to reset the fuser counter. On the VersaLink B600 series, that's Home, Device, Supplies, Fuser, Reset.
If your model's fuser isn't meant to be replaced by you, or you'd rather not open the machine, stop after step 6 and get help.
Other Xerox errors you're likely to see
Each fix below comes from Xerox's own support articles. Product names are included where Xerox limits an article to certain models.
Paper size mismatch (024 codes)
The job is asking for paper that doesn't match what the tray is set to hold. Check that the tray's size and type on the control panel match what you actually loaded, then check the paper size in the app or print driver you're printing from. If the message hangs around, Xerox's article for the WorkCentre 6027 ends with a restart: power off, wait 45 seconds, power on.
Paper jams and registration sensor errors (071, 077, 078 codes)
Codes in these ranges point to a problem feeding or moving paper. For 077-101 and 077-900 on the VersaLink C7120 series, Xerox names four usual suspects: unsupported paper, tray settings that don't match the driver, paper loaded badly or edge guides that aren't adjusted, and humidity or paper that's been stored poorly. Clear the whole paper path, including small torn scraps, and try a fresh ream. Our guide to clearing a Xerox paper jam walks through the physical part.
Drum cartridge end of life (091-402, 091-913)
The drum cartridge, sometimes called the imaging unit, has reached the end of its life. On the VersaLink B400 and B405, Xerox's first check is that the toner cartridge is seated correctly and genuine. After that, you replace the drum cartridge. Keep your fingers off the shiny drum surface while you do it.
Print job errors (016-799, 016-757)
016-799 means the printer received a job with an invalid print parameter. On the VersaLink C500 and C600, Xerox says to run the job again, install the latest firmware, and restart the printer. 016-757, Invalid User Account, shows up when accounting is turned on and the job arrives with a missing or incorrect Accounting ID, so check the accounting settings in the print driver. If jobs are failing and nothing shows on the screen, our Xerox printer not printing page is the better place to start.
Scanner lamp errors (062-380, 062-386)
062-380 means the scanner lamp wasn't bright enough during its automatic calibration. For the VersaLink C505 and C605, Xerox's fix is cleaning. Take the paper out of the feeder and output trays, lift the document cover, and wipe the document glass, the narrow glass strip to its left, and the white underside of the cover with a slightly damp, lint-free cloth. Xerox's article also covers the second-side scanning area on that model. 062-386 points to a failure on the scanner's control board. Xerox's first step is a restart, and if it comes back, that one is a support call.
Toner density sensor errors (092-310, 092-651, 092-910)
These are color toner density (CTD) sensor errors, and the fix in Xerox's articles is the same each time. Clean the CTD sensors, then power the printer off, wait 45 seconds, and power it on. Xerox's articles cover the WorkCentre 6027 (092-310, 092-910) and the Phaser 6020 (092-651), and the cleaning steps vary by model, so follow your model's guide. Some third-party code lists describe 092-651 as a full waste container. Xerox's own article calls it a CTD sensor error.
Controller software errors (116-324)
116-324 is a software exception in the printer's controller. Xerox's article for a 116-324 that appears right after you send a job (written for the VersaLink B7125, B7130, and B7135) starts simple and gets more involved. Restart with the network cable unplugged, clear stuck jobs from the Windows print queue, turn off advanced printing features in the driver, then test by sending a job from the Embedded Web Server. If it still fails, reinstall the driver and reload the printer's firmware.
When it's time to get help
Xerox's fault code articles usually end the same way: if the problem persists, contact Support. Here's when to make that call:
The same code returns after a restart and the checks above.
The fix means opening the machine beyond the doors and covers meant for you.
The code points at a board, motor, or sensor you can't get to, like 062-386.
The printer is under warranty or a service agreement. Check with Xerox or your service provider before you start.
Have your model name, the exact code, the Fault History entry, and a list of what you've tried ready. It saves a lot of back and forth.
FAQs
Why is my Xerox printer showing an error code?
Because a sensor, a supply, or the software reported something outside normal range. The code tells you which system is involved, such as the fuser, paper path, scanner, or controller. Some causes are simple, like a tray set to the wrong paper size. Others, like a failed scanner board, need a repair.
How do I clear an error code on a Xerox printer?
Fix the cause and the message usually clears on its own. If it lingers, power the printer off, wait 45 seconds, and turn it back on. Xerox's articles for many codes start with a restart. But a restart only clears the message, so if the same code returns, the fault is real and needs the specific fix.
Can I keep printing when my Xerox says toner is low?
Yes. A low warning is an early notice, not a stop. Order the replacement when you first see it, since that's Xerox's advice, and expect the message to change to "Replace Toner Cartridge" eventually. How many pages that takes depends on how your printer's warning is set up.
Can I use non-Xerox toner without getting errors?
Sometimes, but expect friction. Cartridges that aren't genuine can trigger "incompatible" or "not recognized" messages, and on some models you have to change a setting before the printer accepts them. Xerox says toner level readings aren't reliable with non-genuine toner, that it can't guarantee print quality or printer life, and that non-Xerox supplies aren't covered under warranty.
What if my code isn't on this page?
Look it up by model. Go to support.xerox.com, open your printer's page, and search the code on its own. Xerox writes its articles for specific models, so the model matters. Your printer's Fault History can also confirm the exact code and when it started.
Why did a new error appear right after I fixed the last one?
Some Xerox printers show only one message at a time, even when more than one thing is wrong. Xerox notes this on its AltaLink models. After you clear one problem, check Notifications or Fault History again before you decide the fix didn't work.
Printer Tales is an independent troubleshooting resource and is not affiliated with, authorized by, endorsed by, or sponsored by XEROX. "XEROX" and all related names, logos and model names are trademarks or registered trademarks of XEROX or its affiliates, used here only to identify the products these guides cover. Full disclosure.
