Samsung laser multifunction fixed. Error A1-4111

Thanks - yet another C1810W woken from the #A1-41111 error kudos

I got it apart, and my pad seems to look fine... Any clues with this pic?

laurapugh said:

I think I may be the only one, but mine still isn't working
Pad was firmly in place but used a little extra tape but it seems its like white cog jamming inside?

Click to expand...

Did you ever get yours working?

LAKERMN said:

I got it apart, and my pad seems to look fine... Any clues with this pic?

Click to expand...

To me it looks like the rear pad has drifted "upwards", you can see an area of metal between it and the edge of the armature, which should not be there.
(Behind the bent up part)

Look at the relay picture close-ups on the first page; that pad only has to be a fraction away from the edge (bottom in your photo) for it to slide past the retainer when the relay is released.

I'd move it down so it's at or slightly over the edge again.

That relay looks to be activated - the foam underneath is squashed. Is the upper most foam in line with the end of the plate?

Mike.

Thanks, I push the pad down and it fixed my C1860FW .

Thanks for taking the time to post this as you helped as well as many other people. I accidentally destroyed the foam pad in trying to slide it up, but I replaced it with a piece of a 3M command adhesive strip, so I hope that keeps working.

My pad looked fine too, but I applied the fix (tape) anyway. Mysteriously my 1810W is now working fine. So as with others, thanks a million for taking time to research and document the fix.

Thanks a lot. Same problem, same solution here.

Hello Mike & all -

Thank you for your help with this error message - the instructions were so helpful and, for now, seem to have solved the problem as it has for so many others.
My printer is the Samsung Xpress C1860FW and I got the error message: error #A1-4111
Wanted to share my own experience in case it helps others - I did the steps Mike described for the error message. Then after I turned everything on again, I got a second error message #A1-4112.

Googling led me to this youtube video which is addressing error message #A1-4112, but for a slightly different printer - Samsung CLX-6260


The interior of that printer seems similar to the Samsung Xpress C1860FW - and the helpful person who made the video points out the process of removing the solenoid unit and putting a thicker pad onto the connector lever.

In my case, I took the solenoid unit out and rotated the existing pad because one part of it was worn out but the other surrounding part was thicker.

For now it is working again.

Thank you everyone for sharing your experience.

WOW - it's fixed!!! As so many have already said...Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Had no idea what was wrong with this Error A1-4111 - amazing how such an advanced machine could be rendered useless by such a non-technical issue as a cheap foam spacer. While Samsung certainly made one of the most advanced printers ever, I'm very disappointed that they could not provide this simple fix to their customers. This printer is absolutely perfect when it works - especially when it comes to the wireless technology and user-friendly printer software - Samsung is the best!

We purchased it in 2017 but rarely used so is still practically brand new and only went bad recently 3-years later. Looking at the date of this post appears this problem started right away when the printer was first released which means it was a design flaw from the start as one of the commenters suggests and Samsung ignored the problem probably trying to avoid warranty claims hoping they fail after the warranty expired like most did.

One problem we had was just getting to the screws to get the cover off. So downloaded the Service Manual which is nice to have: Section 3.3.5 Transfer Roller Assy "Remove back cover" p.3-10 https://www.manualslib.com/download/1196296/Samsung-Sl-C1860fw.html

The back cover clips into the grove on the lower left side which takes A LOT of force to get out - almost feels like the little plastic hinge is going to break if you do it wrong like so many of these cheap plastic things do so be careful. Appears they embedded groves on the edge of the cover at the finger points to hold while pulling and applying pressure. Eventually it does "snap" out of place.

Once open, the little foam pad was so old it was completely dried up and so deteriorated it wasn't touching anything and what was left fell off when touched with screwdriver. So unscrewed the little screw holding the solenoid in place to get it out far enough to inspect and then carefully scraped off the sticky leftover residue with finger nail and replaced with a new pad custom cut to size out of some thin weather strip we had leftover in garage. You could also use tape if thick enough (next best thing would be some kind of duct tape or electrical tape a few layers thick) as one of the other commenters used but we happen to have the same kind of foam with same thickness to make a new pad. Careful the actuator is still connected with one wire to front and obviously the machine should be unplugged before starting any of this disassembly.

Also as the above commenter says, just taking the solenoid unit out and rotating might also help clear the problem by resetting it. You can plug it in with the right cover off as long as you replace the back cover and watch how it spins which we tried at first but got same error so replacing the pad seems to fix the problem for most.

After putting it back together, it's working like new again!!!

P.S. see page 2-18 of the Service Manual - LSU (Laser Scanner Unit) for a short mind-blowing explanation about how this printer actually works. Whoever invented that technology must have been from another Planet apparently relying on some sub-standard parts like this cheap actuator to make it all work. You certainly won't be fixing a LSU error with any duct tape!

In the midst of COVID-19 lockdown and home-office supply scarcity, a good neighbor dumped a "bad" Xpress C1860FW printer into our shared recycling bin (?!).

this little tip fixed the #A1-4111 issue and its now back on duty!

Awesome outcome. Don't forget to thank your neighbor!

Mike.

Pommie said:

I've posted this here so a google search might help future owners with this problem

I have a Samsung C1860FW multifunction colour laser and yesterday it errored with error A1-4111 - Actuator Motor Failure.

Check manual and removed the right hand cover ( to remove unscrew 4 screw, two at the back and two at the front and slide it backwards - the manual just says "Remove right cover"!!!). Found this,
View attachment 109840

I identified the broken bit from an internet post that indicated it was the blue relay type thing in the top left corner. I found that if I "helped" this relay during the switch on sequence the error went away.
I then noticed the foam pads on the relay, one on the coil and one on the actuator arm.
View attachment 109841
Notice that the one on the top of the actuator is not under the stop. These appear to be small self adhesive pads that can slide around and mine had sliden away from the stop.
A little shoving with a screw driver moved it back where it belonged under the stop.
View attachment 109842

And Voila, all fixed.

Hoping this will help someone else in the future.

Mike.

Click to expand...

Pommie said:

I've posted this here so a google search might help future owners with this problem

I have a Samsung C1860FW multifunction colour laser and yesterday it errored with error A1-4111 - Actuator Motor Failure.

Check manual and removed the right hand cover ( to remove unscrew 4 screw, two at the back and two at the front and slide it backwards - the manual just says "Remove right cover"!!!). Found this,
View attachment 109840

I identified the broken bit from an internet post that indicated it was the blue relay type thing in the top left corner. I found that if I "helped" this relay during the switch on sequence the error went away.
I then noticed the foam pads on the relay, one on the coil and one on the actuator arm.
View attachment 109841
Notice that the one on the top of the actuator is not under the stop. These appear to be small self adhesive pads that can slide around and mine had sliden away from the stop.
A little shoving with a screw driver moved it back where it belonged under the stop.
View attachment 109842

And Voila, all fixed.

Hoping this will help someone else in the future.

Mike.

Click to expand...

Thanks for posting this. It worked for me! very satisfying

Hello Everyone -
Sharing an update on this, while the "quick fix" of rotating the solenoid pad helped for a while (Did this mid-March, now it is mid-August) - 4-5 months later I'm still intermittently getting the error message again so am going to try substituting the original pad for something like the weather stripping material that @tnorman2

Its frustrating to have to go back in and do this, but I still have several toner cartridges for this printer. The image quality is great, when it works!

Novitchka888 said:

Hello Mike & all -

Thank you for your help with this error message - the instructions were so helpful and, for now, seem to have solved the problem as it has for so many others.
My printer is the Samsung Xpress C1860FW and I got the error message: error #A1-4111
Wanted to share my own experience in case it helps others - I did the steps Mike described for the error message. Then after I turned everything on again, I got a second error message #A1-4112.

Googling led me to this youtube video which is addressing error message #A1-4112, but for a slightly different printer - Samsung CLX-6260


The interior of that printer seems similar to the Samsung Xpress C1860FW - and the helpful person who made the video points out the process of removing the solenoid unit and putting a thicker pad onto the connector lever.

In my case, I took the solenoid unit out and rotated the existing pad because one part of it was worn out but the other surrounding part was thicker.

For now it is working again.

Thank you everyone for sharing your experience.

Click to expand...

Horray for bubble gum and paper clips. many minuses for Samsung. Have a Samsung TV that's suposed to be smart. Nada.

How about silicone with a PSA adhesive applied?

Thanks for this post. I have a C2670 and got the same problem. I will report here if I was successful with the repair,
greetings
Manuela