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HP Error E3: Carriage jam

✅ Usually fixable yourself

E3 means the print carriage inside the printer has jammed or stalled and cannot move.

What to try

  1. Open the front door and the cartridge access door.
  2. Make sure the print carriage is not obstructed.
  3. Remove any jammed paper or other objects blocking the carriage.
  4. Close the cartridge access door and the front door, then press Resume to continue or Cancel to stop.
  5. If the problem persists, turn the printer off and on again.

When it needs a technician

If the carriage still will not move after clearing the path and restarting, HP says to contact HP.

Which models show E3

HP documents this code for models including HP DeskJet 2700, HP DeskJet 2800, HP DeskJet 4200, HP DeskJet 4900, HP ENVY 6000, HP Smart Tank 500, HP Smart Tank 5000, HP Smart Tank 720.

First steps for any printer error

  1. Write down the exact code before you do anything else — similar-looking codes often mean completely different things.
  2. Power the printer off, unplug it for a couple of minutes, then power it back on. A surprising number of transient errors clear here.
  3. Open the covers and check for paper scraps, packaging material, or anything blocking the carriage.
  4. Check the cartridges or tanks are genuine, correctly seated, and not empty.
  5. Confirm the printer is plugged directly into a wall outlet, not a power strip or extension lead.
  6. Check your model’s own manual — codes are model-specific, and the manual is the authority for your machine.

Source: HP Customer Support - HP DeskJet 2800, 4200, 4900 Printers, Blinking lights and error codes. Codes are model-specific, so your own model's manual is the final word. Reviewed October 2026.

Still showing E3?

Tell our printer technician your model and what you've tried. You'll find out whether it's fixable at home or worth repairing at all.

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Eric Paul Amora · Printer & Hardware Repair Technician

Related HP codes

E0 — Ink cartridge problemE1 — Paper size mismatchE2 — Paper length mismatchE4 — Paper jamE5 — Scanner errorE6 — Printer error stateE7 — Ink tank out of inkE8 — Fatal printer errorE9 — Firmware update interrupted0x610000f6 — Carriage jamP — Ready to prime ink system (blinking P)0xc19a0005 — Hex error code with no description

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