Printer xp-400 ink left but won't print black

Thank you so much for your help! I used an eyeglasses cleaner pouch (with isopropyl alcohol) because that's what I had on hand and it worked. Your advice was incredibly helpful! Appreciate it so very much!

I just had this problem: my black ink was low, and I replaced the cartridge and it still didn't print black.

After printing a 4-color message (black, red, yellow, and blue), I saw that it was the black that didn't print.

However, the ink level reading was normal. I tried the automatic nozzle and head cleaning but that didn't solve the problem.

Figuring this was most likely a clog, I took a cotton swab and wiped the area with nail polish remover (non-acetone, which is the solvent I had available) where the ink cartridge delivers ink into the printer. Thinking any solvent will do (alcohol or even water). Once this was done and the area dried, I reinstalled the black cartridge. It now works fine. Hoping anyone else with this issue will have similar luck.

Thank you Mac-MD. You just saved me from buying a new printer. I had the same issue as jstoneshelton. It was indeed a clog and I followed your directions to the letter and it now prints black too! Wonderful. Thanks again !!

Thank you Mac-MD. Had just about given up until I read you post!!

Can you supply a screenshot of the area that you wiped in order to resolve this? I am having the same issue, but nothing seems to be working.

I'm having the same problem with a brand new Epson black cartridge. Not sure if I'm cleaning the right area. I'm assuming it's the little nozzle on the base of the cartridge platform. Is that correct? If so my cotton swab seems too big to actually clear anything out.

I've also tried cleaning the hole in the cartridge itself.

All, no luck.

I'm having the same problem - print head cleaning and nozzle check do nothing for me, and I still can't print black ink. Can you let me know what you all ended up doing?

I had same issue but none of the colors worked - I took the advice of Mac-MD and now the printer works good as new! Thanks for the help!

There is an option in the maintenance menu settings to clean the printer heads (or something like that). I pressed that and after about 5 minutes it said it was done, then I printed something and the black came out just fine. I was about to follow the instructions below about the nail polish remover and it occurred to me that perhaps the printer was self cleaning... indeed it is.

Before anyone tries cleaning it manually like this, there's an option in the maintenance menu to clean the ink heads. Press that and it only takes about 5 minutes and the ink will work again. Worked for me anyway.