Can you keep using it?
Can you keep using it?
Contact customer support if any of these apply
- !E3 returns immediately after restart.
- !The carriage cannot move cleanly or feels physically blocked.
What to check first
Step-by-step checks
- 1
Safe first step
Power the printer off before checking the carriage area.
Start with the official recovery step before moving on to parts or deeper servicing.
- 2
Safe first step
Remove any obvious scraps or obstructions without forcing the carriage.
- 3
Safe first step
Restart once after the carriage path looks clear.
Background
What this message usually means
HP uses E3 or a carriage jam message on the OfficeJet 8010 and OfficeJet Pro 8020/8030 family when the print carriage cannot move through its path cleanly. It usually points to a paper-path obstruction, stuck carriage, or supply-state problem that needs a careful check before forcing anything.
Before the message
What users usually notice first
Messages like this often appear after a hidden paper-path interruption, tray setup issue, or a small obstruction that is easier to miss than a full visible jam.
Diagnosis
Likely causes
A paper scrap or obstruction is blocking the carriage path.
The carriage is stuck after a jam or interrupted startup.
A supply or internal latch is out of place and preventing carriage movement.
Service
When service or replacement is more likely
- -Do not force the carriage through resistance because that can turn a recoverable jam into a service repair.
Avoid wrong turns
Common misreads of this message
- -Treating the message like a confirmed failed part instead of a support clue about which system has stopped the printer.
- -Assuming no physical path issue exists just because no full sheet is visible at first glance.
See also
Related codes in this family
Explore more
More HP printer families
PageWide 300 / 400 / 500 series
PageWide 352, PageWide 377, PageWide 452, and more.
Color LaserJet Pro 4201 / 4202 / 4203 / 4301 / 4302 / 4303 series
Color LaserJet Pro 4201dn, Color LaserJet Pro 4202dw, Color LaserJet Pro 4203dn, and more.
OfficeJet Pro 9010 / 9020 series
OfficeJet Pro 9010, OfficeJet Pro 9012, OfficeJet Pro 9015, and more.
Read this next
Helpful guides for this problem
Guide
When a printer says paper jam but there isn't one
What a false paper-jam warning usually points to, from hidden scraps and tray issues to faults that are no longer simple jams.
Guide
How to tell if a printer fault is a cartridge issue or a service issue
How to separate ordinary cartridge or toner trouble from the kind of printer fault that usually points to real service.
Guide
How to find the right printer model family before using error codes
How to match the right printer family or series before trusting an error page that might only be a near match.
Boundary
When to stop troubleshooting and move to support
If the same message returns immediately after one careful recovery attempt or the printer cannot reach ready state, stop there and use the family-specific support path.
Keep browsing
Where to go next
Source notes
HP's OfficeJet Pro 8020 family troubleshooting page includes a Carriage Jam or E3 error path for this family.
Built around official HP support guidance for the OfficeJet 8010 and OfficeJet Pro 8020/8030 families. Exact wording can vary slightly by model, firmware, app flow, and regional support site.
Printer error codes can vary a little by firmware, region, and exact model variant. Use this guide as a family-level starting point and stop if the next step would require disassembly or service-mode changes.
Known family variants: OfficeJet 8010, OfficeJet Pro 8020, OfficeJet Pro 8022, OfficeJet Pro 8025, OfficeJet Pro 8035
Last reviewed: 2026-04-12
Reference: Open reference