Brother 'Belt Unit End of Life': replacing the transfer belt

What causes it

• Normal wear after the rated page count
• The belt surface scratched or contaminated by loose toner
• A replacement belt fitted without resetting the counter
• A second-hand machine whose belt has more mileage than the seller stated
• Heavy colour graphics use accelerating wear

How to fix it, in order

Work down the list and stop when the printer recovers. The steps are ordered from most likely and least invasive to last resort.

1. Confirm the part number for your model

   Colour Brother lasers use belt units such as the BU-220CL for the 3140 and 9330 family and the BU-223CL for the L3200 and L3700 family. Check the part number in your manual or on Brother's support site for your exact model number before ordering, because belts that look similar are not interchangeable.

2. Check the remaining life first

   Before buying, print or view the parts life information. On most models it is under Menu, Machine Information, Parts Life, or on touchscreen models under Settings, All Settings, Machine Information, Parts Life. This shows the belt, drum, fuser and laser unit counts and confirms the belt is genuinely the part at its limit.

3. Open the machine and remove the drum drawer

   Switch the machine off and let it cool. Open the front cover and pull the drum unit drawer out until it stops, then lift it clear if your model allows. Put it on a flat surface away from strong light, since the four drums inside are photosensitive.

4. Lift the old belt unit out

   With the drawer removed you will see the belt unit sitting in the base of the machine, with a green handle at the front. Hold the handle and lift the belt out towards you, keeping it level so residual toner does not spill. Put the old unit straight into the bag the new one came in.

5. Fit the new belt unit

   Take the new belt out of its packaging and remove any protective sheets and orange packing pieces. Handle it by the frame and never touch the black belt surface, since fingerprints and scratches show up as marks on every colour page. Lower it into place until it seats, then slide the drum drawer back in and close the front cover.

6. Reset the belt counter

   The machine will not clear the message until the counter is reset. On most colour Brother lasers this is done with the front cover open, by pressing the buttons the manual specifies for the belt reset menu, usually holding OK or navigating the Reset Menu and selecting Belt Unit, then confirming. The sequence varies between the LED and touchscreen models, so follow the manual for yours.

7. Print a colour test page

   Once the machine reports ready, print a full colour test page and look for bands, ghosting or repeating marks. A correctly fitted new belt should give clean, even colour. Any repeating defect at a regular interval suggests the belt was touched during installation or a drum also needs attention.

Frequently asked questions