The automatic document feeder on the Brother MFC-L5915DW holds seventy sheets and scans both sides in a single pass, which is fast and demanding on the rollers, so a feeder that jams, picks up two sheets at once or says there is no document usually needs cleaning, a different way of loading or new rollers. Start by emptying the feeder and looking for scraps of paper, staples and clips, and check that the paper is flat, without folds, tape or sticky notes. Fan the stack, square its edges and place it face up with the top edge first, then set the guides so that they just touch the paper.
The checks in more detail
Overfilling beyond the limit or mixing sizes in one stack causes misfeeds. Documents that are thin, curled or have been through a laser printer and are still warm may stick together. The pick-up roller and the separation pad are the parts that grab one sheet at a time, and paper dust and toner build up on them and make them slip. Switch off the printer, open the feeder cover and wipe the rollers with a soft cloth lightly dampened with water, turning them by hand as you wipe, and let them dry.
The separation pad can be wiped too. A roller that is glazed or worn, which still slips after cleaning, needs replacing; Brother sells a roller kit, and the user guide shows how to fit it. If the display counts the number of pages fed and shows a high figure, the rollers are near the end of life. If there is a document jam message, open the cover and lift out the jammed paper gently, pulling in the direction of travel, without tearing it.
Check the scanner glass strip for marks after a jam. For mixed documents, such as receipts and thick cards, use the flatbed glass, not the feeder, because they do not feed reliably. A feeder that says there is no document with paper loaded may have a sensor blocked by dust or a flag that is stuck, so clean around the sensor. Use the scan settings for the size and for single or double-sided scanning. Update the firmware. If feeds continue to fail after cleaning and new rollers, contact Brother with the serial number.
Differential
Likely causes of “Brother MFC-L5915DW automatic document feeder jams, skews or pulls multiple pages”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
Overfilled or mixed stacks
What separates it Misfeeds and jams
How to confirm Load flat, square stacks within the limit
- 2
Dirty rollers or separation pad
What separates it Double feeds or slipping
How to confirm Clean them with a damp cloth
- 3
Worn rollers
What separates it Slipping after cleaning
How to confirm Fit a feeder roller kit
- 4
Odd documents
What separates it Receipts or cards jam
How to confirm Use the flatbed glass
- 5
A dusty sensor
What separates it No document message with paper loaded
How to confirm Clean around the sensor
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The message shown
- The kind of paper
- The page counter
- Whether cleaning helped
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedEmpty and inspect the feeder
ReversibleFor scraps and staples.
Load a flat, square stack
ReversibleGuides touching.
Clean the rollers and pad
ReversibleWith a damp cloth.
Use the glass
ReversibleFor receipts and cards.
Replace the roller kit
ReversibleIf it still slips.
Update the firmware
ReversibleAnd contact Brother if needed.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Rollers
- Paper dust makes them slip.
- Capacity
- Seventy sheets.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If feeds fail after cleaning and new rollers, contact Brother with the serial number
- !Use the glass for awkward documents
- !Keep the feeder clear of staples
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
Why does my feeder jam?+
An overfilled stack or dirty rollers.
How many sheets can it hold?+
Seventy.
When do I replace the rollers?+
If cleaning does not stop the slipping.
Which documents should I put on the glass?+
Receipts, cards and curled sheets.