Brother 'Low Temperature': warming a cold machine
Low Temperature means the machine's sensors report that it is colder than its supported operating range, generally below about 10 degrees Celsius. Ink becomes viscous and toner does not fuse properly at low temperatures, so the machine waits rather than producing unreliable output. It is most common in garages, outbuildings, unheated home offices and on machines that have just been delivered in winter.
What causes it
- The printer standing in an unheated room, garage or outbuilding
- A machine brought in from a cold van or store and used immediately
- A draught from an open window or door blowing directly on the machine
- Overnight cooling in a room where the heating is off
- A faulty temperature sensor reporting a cold reading incorrectly
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.
Move the machine into a heated room
Relocate the printer somewhere the temperature stays above 15 degrees. If that is not possible, heat the room it is in. Printers in garages and garden offices routinely hit this problem every winter, and no amount of settings work substitutes for a warmer location.
Let it acclimatise before switching on
A machine brought in from the cold needs one to two hours at room temperature before use. Rushing it also risks condensation, which is far worse than the cold itself, since moisture inside the electronics or on the drum surface causes real damage. Leave it to warm up gradually with the power off.
Leave it powered on to warm itself
Once at room temperature, switch the machine on and leave it idle for twenty to thirty minutes. The internal electronics generate a modest amount of heat, and on a marginal day that is often enough to bring the sensor reading into range so the message clears by itself.
Keep it out of draughts
Move the machine away from an external door, a window that is opened regularly, or an air conditioning outlet. A cold draught blowing across a printer keeps the sensor reading low even in a room that is otherwise adequately heated.
Check for condensation before printing
Look for any misting on the scanner glass or dampness on the casing. If there is any, wait until it has fully evaporated before switching the machine on. On a laser, condensation on the drum causes patchy prints and can damage the surface if you print through it.
Measure the actual temperature
Use a thermometer next to the machine rather than judging by feel. An unheated room in winter is often several degrees colder than people estimate, particularly at floor level where many printers sit. Raising the machine off the floor onto a desk can make a genuine difference.
Suspect the sensor if it persists in a warm room
If the message stays after several hours in a room at twenty degrees, the temperature sensor is reporting incorrectly. That is a hardware fault rather than an environmental one, and it changes what you do next.
Stopping it happening again
When it is not worth fixing yourself
If you would rather not work through this alone, a printer specialist can take a look with you on a screen-share and tell you honestly whether the machine is worth saving.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a heater to warm the printer up?
Warm the room rather than pointing a heater at the machine. Direct heat on one side causes uneven expansion and can warp panels or damage components.
Is ink damaged by cold?
Ink that has frozen and thawed can separate and print poorly. Cartridges stored in a cold garage over winter are worth replacing if quality is bad afterwards.
How long should a delivered printer acclimatise?
One to two hours indoors is a sensible minimum, and longer if it has come from a very cold van. The key point is to avoid condensation inside a powered machine.
Questions & comments (0)
No comments yet. Describe your printer model, operating system and the exact message you see; comments appear after review.
Ask about this page
Your comment appears after our team approves it. Or sign in to post faster.