How to Troubleshoot a Dot Matrix Printer That Is Printing Too Light

1. Turn off your dot matrix printer, if it is on.
2. Open the printer's front cover to access the printer's ribbon and printhead.
3. Spray the ribbon and printhead with short sprays of air from a can of compressed air to remove any ink, dust and dirt buildup from the components.
4. Use a flashlight to locate the printhead's adjustment lever. The lever is on the left side of the printhead.
5. Push the lever toward the ribbon. This will place the printhead closer to the ribbon so the print will be darker.
6. Close the printer's front cover. Turn on the printer.
7. Print a test document. If the print is still too light, replace the ribbon. If the print is too dark, turn off the printer and move the printhead's adjustment lever slightly away from the ribbon.