Troubleshooting and routine maintenance131Replacing the drum unit(485-4) CThe machine uses a drum unit to create printimages on paper. If the LCD showsDrum Near End, the drum unit is near theend of its life and it is time to buy a new one.Even if the LCD shows Drum Near End, youmay be able to continue printing withouthaving to replace the drum unit for a while.However, if there is a noticeable deteriorationin the output print quality (even beforeDrum Near End appears), then the drumunit should be replaced. You should clean themachine when you replace the drum unit.(See Cleaning the laser scanner window onpage 124.)CAUTIONWhile removing the drum unit, handle itcarefully because it may contain toner. Iftoner scatters on your hands or clothes,wipe or wash it off with cold water at once.NoteThe drum unit is a consumable item, andit is necessary to replace it periodically.There are many factors that determine theactual drum life, such as temperature,humidity, type of paper and how muchtoner you use for the number of pages perprint job. The estimated drum life isapproximately 25,000 pages. The actualnumber of pages your drum will print maybe significantly less than these estimates.Because we have no control over themany factors that determine the actualdrum life, we cannot guarantee aminimum number of pages that will beprinted by your drum.HOT SURFACEAfter you have just used the machine, someinternal parts of the machine will beextremely hot. When you open the front orback cover of the machine, DO NOT touchthe shaded parts shown in the illustration.a Open the front cover and take out thedrum unit and toner cartridge assembly.
